Kinikulture February newsletter

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Welcome To Our February Newsletter! With the BAFTAS coming up in February and the Oscars in March we have a wonderful selection of critically acclaimed, award nominated films and international hits coming to our screen in February. 'Till', 'The Fabelmans', 'Empire Of Light' and 'Tar' are all up for awards and Alcarràs was Spain's official entry for the Oscars. Also coming up in February we have Tom Hanks starring in 'A Man Called Otto', Vicky Krieps in the sensitive, romantic drama 'More Than Ever', François Ozon's retelling of the Fassbinder classic 'Peter Von Kant' and the exciting new production of 'Othello' from NT Live.   The new look Oswestry Film Society return with two screenings in February, the gripping drama 'Let Him Go' and family friendly 'Secondhand Lions'. And for half term we have Terry Pratchett's 'The Amazing Maurice' and a special free screening for the Love Oswestry Festival of 'The Lettermen' a tender romance based on a cache of World War II love letters discovered by Mark Hignett from Oswestry Town Museum. On our website you can view trailers and information on each film by clicking on the image or film title.  If you already know which film & date you want to book just click on the Book Now button. View Our Website Here Please scroll down to find out more about our February film programme & highlights for March.  we look forward to seeing you this month  Thank you! February Film Screenings At kinokulture cinema 9 Arthur Street, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY11 1JN   Peter Von Kant (15) Wednesday 1st February  7:30pm Peter Von Kant, a successful and famous director living with his assistant Karl (whom he likes to mistreat), falls in love with a handsome young man of modest means. François Ozon goes back to his roots with this reworking of a Fassbinder classic – 1972's hyper-stylised chamber piece The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant – and offers a gender-swapped version that serves as an indirect portrait of the troubled maestro himself. Both homage and critique, Peter Von Kant astutely gets under the skin of the lesbian-themed original, and ekes out new resonances. Superb performances from a cast across the age range – including a flamboyantly knowing diva turn from Isabelle Adjani. "Ozon gives Fassbinder's all-female 1972 drama a makeover, making it lighter and more camp. " - The Guardian Director: François Ozon Cast: Denis Ménochet, Isabelle Adjani, Khalil Ben Gharbia Screened with English subtitles Run time: 1 hour 25 mins BOOK TICKETS HERE

More Than Ever (15) Thursday 2nd February 7:30pm  Hélène and Mathieu have been happy together for many years. The bond between them is deep. Faced with an existential decision, Hélène travels alone to Norway to seek peace, an act that will test the strength of their love. "Vicky Krieps and Gaspard Ulliel are superb in this sensitive romantic drama" – Screen Daily "A stirring mediation on looming death" – Hollywood Reporter "Unrelentingly contemplative" – Next Best Picture ?????  "A powerful story told with equal parts poeticism and intimacy. . . an understated, unpretentious, profoundly moving experience of pathos." – The Upcoming French/English/Norwegian with English subtitles Run time: 2 hours 3 mins  BOOK TICKETS HERE   TÁR (15) Friday 3rd & Saturday 4th February  7:30pm Sunday 5th February. 2:00pm (subtitled for The Hard Of Hearing) From writer-producer-director Todd Field comes TÁR, starring Cate Blanchett as Lydia Tár, the groundbreaking conductor of a major German Orchestra. We meet Tár at the height of her career, as she's preparing both a book launch and much-anticipated live performance of Mahler's Fifth Symphony. Over the ensuing weeks her life begins to unravel in a singularly modern way. The result is a searing examination of power, and its impact and durability in today's society. A deeply provocative and insightful film that will be one of the most talked about movies of this awards season. "Todd Field's first film in 15 years is a surprising triumph, one of the few to take on the knottiness of so-called 'cancel culture' and succeed." Adrian Horton **** - The Guardian Winner of Best Actress at The Globe Awards Director: Todd Field Cast: Cate Blanchett, Mark Strong, Julian Glover Run time: 2 hours 38 mins BOOK FRIDAY & SATURDAY TICKETS HERE BOOK SUNDAY TICKETS HERE Let Him Go (15) Oswestry Film Society Screening Tuesday 7th February  7:30pm  Please be aware that Oswestry Film Society Screenings have no trailers the film will start promptly at 7:30pm   Kevin Costner shows he still has that big-star screen presence in this gripping 2020 drama - but he is pushed hard by the scene-stealing Lesley Manville as his unflinching matriarchal opponent. Set in 1963, the film is centred on a retired sheriff Costner and his wife (Diane Lane), whose son dies in an accident and whose ex-daughter-in-law then skips town with their three year old grandson after marrying an abusive second husband. Worried about her grandson, Lane is shocked to find they have moved away without saying goodbye. Fearing the worst, she convinces Costner to help find them. This leads them to the wilds of North Dakota where they encounter the Weboy clan, lead by the powerful Blanche (played by Manville). Upon meeting her, they realize that convention must go out of the window and they will have to fight dirty to get their grandson back.  'Let Him Go' missed out during Covid, but it features great character performances from the entire cast, the unfolding of a tense storyline, beautiful cinematography, and a haunting score. The story is very dark. With uncommon stealth, the film morphs from a drama about loss and grief into a terrifying thriller. The reviews were excellent. Top UK critic Mark Kermode (always a good gauge) loved it: "I was gripped throughout."  You will be too. Run time 1 hour 54 mins ? FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OSWESTRY FILM SOCIETY & BOOK TICKETS HERE Till (12A) Wednesday 8th February 7:30pm Thursday 9th February 7:30pm (with subtitles) Till is a profoundly emotional and cinematic film about the true story of Mamie Till Mobley's relentless pursuit of justice for her 14 year old son, Emmett Till, who, in 1955, was brutally lynched while visiting his cousins in Mississippi. In Mamie's poignant journey of grief turned to action, we see the universal power of a mother's ability to change the world. "Chukwu asks us to look beyond individual legal outcomes and see the bigger picture – to take strength from tragedy and find hope even in despair." **** Mark Kermode - The Observer "... An absorbing, slow-burning study of a broken woman's politicisation. She is superbly served by star Danielle Deadwyler, who transforms Till from a good film into a gripping one." **** Empire Magazine Director: Chinonye Chukwu USA 2022 Run time: 2 hours 10 mins BOOK WEDNESDAY TICKETS HERE BOOK THURSDAY TICKETS HERE   Empire Of Light (15) Friday 10th February  7:30pm Saturday 11th February. 7:30pm Sunday 12th February. 2:00pm (Subtitled for the Hard Of Hearing) Tuesday 14th February. 7:30pm Set in an English coastal town in the early 1980s, EMPIRE OF LIGHT is a compelling and poignant drama about the power of human connection during turbulent times, from Academy Award® winning director Sam Mendes. Hilary (Olivia Colman) is a cinema manager struggling with her mental health, and Stephen (Micheal Ward) is a new employee longing to escape the provincial town where he faces daily adversity. Together they find a sense of belonging and experience the healing power of music, cinema, and community. EMPIRE OF LIGHT features a stellar cast led by Academy Award winner Olivia Colman (The Favourite, The Lost Daughter), BAFTA winner Micheal Ward (Blue Story, Top Boy) and Academy Award winner Colin Firth (The King's Speech, A Single Man). It also reunites Mendes with Academy Award winning cinematographer Roger Deakins (1917, Skyfall). Directed by: Sam Mendes Screenplay by: Sam Mendes Produced by: Pippa Harris, Sam Mendes Cast: Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Colin Firth, Toby Jones, Crystal Clarke, Tanya Moodie Run time: 1 hour 59 mins BOOK FRIDAY, SATURDAY & TUESDAY TICKETS HERE BOOK SUNDAY TICKETS HERE Alcarràs (15) Wednesday 15th & Thursday 16th February 7:30pm In the small village of Alcarràs in Catalonia, the peach farmers of the Solé family spend every summer together picking fruit from their orchard. But when new plans arise to install solar panels and cut down trees, the members of this tight-knit group suddenly face eviction – and the loss of far more than their home.  Winner of the Golden Bear at Berlinale, the sophomore film from Carla Simón (Summer 1993) is a sun-dappled, deeply moving ensemble portrait of the countryside and a community's unbreakable bonds. Spain's Entry for Best International Feature at the 2023 Academy Awards. "Carla Simón's award-winning story of a peach farmer struggling to make ends meet asks many important questions about our relationship with the land and the human cost of progress." **** Peter Bradshaw – The Guardian "Carla Simón's spellbinding second feature focuses, in exquisite detail, on the rhythms of extended family life in rural Spain; in its own way, it recalls the work of Koreeda Hirokazu." - Sight and Sound Director: Carla Simón  Spain/Italy 2022 Catalan with English subtitles Run Time: 2 hours BOOK TICKETS HERE A Man Called Otto (15) Friday 17th & Saturday 18th January 7:30pm Sunday 19th January. 2:00pm (Subtitled for the Hard Of Hearing)   Based on the comical and moving New York Times bestseller and inspired by the 2015 Oscar nominated Swedish hit A Man Called Ove, A Man Called Otto tells the story of Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks), a grumpy widower whose only joy comes from criticizing and judging his exasperated neighbors. When a lively young family moves in next door, he meets his match in quick-witted and very pregnant Marisol, leading to an unexpected friendship that will turn his world upside-down. "Tom Hanks's cranky widower may tread well-worn ground, but the neighbourly kindness that saves him is life-affirming." *** Wendy Ide – The Observer "A small and warmhearted gem starring one of our finest veteran actors in a well-crafted and emotionally involving remake of a film about a widowed curmudgeon who begins to grow and change after experiencing some major life setbacks. the journey is filled with wry humor, universal insights into the human condition, and a number of moments when you'll have to dry your eyes and shake it off." - Chicago Sun Times Director: Marc Forster Run Time 2 hour 6 mins BOOK FRIDAY & SATURDAY TICKETS HERE BOOK SUNDAY TICKETS HERE The Amazing Maurice (PG) Tuesday 21st, Wednesday 22nd & Thursday 23rd February. 1:30pm 'The Amazing Maurice' is the first animated feature film to be based on a Terry Pratchett novel – 'The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents'. The novel was the 28th in the Discworld® series and the first primarily written for a younger audience, winning the Carnegie Medal in 2001. The film tells the tale of Maurice, a large talking cat, who travels from town to town offering to solve their sudden rat problem. He unveils Keith, a young boy who can play the pipe quite well, and the rats march out of town to the relief of the townsfolk. Maurice and the money received from the grateful town suddenly disappear and he reappears a suitable distance away to count the money with Keith and the rats! But these are no ordinary rats – they talk and wear clothes and dream of an island paradise where rats and humans live together in peace. All goes well with their 'rat scam' until they reach the town of Bad Blintz, where they meet a book obsessed girl, Malicia, who leads them on an adventure to solve the mystery of her town… Director: Toby Genkel UK/US/Germany 2022 Cast: Hugh Laurie, Emilia Clarke, David Thewlis, Himesh Patel, Gemmea Arterton, David Tennant, Hugh Bonneville, Rob Brydon Run time: 1 hour 33 mins BOOK TICKETS HERE Secondhand Lions (PG) Oswestry Film Society Screening Tuesday 21st February  7:30pm  Please be aware that Oswestry Film Society Screenings have no trailers the film will start promptly at 7:30pm   A shy adolescent boy, Walter (Haley Joel Osment), is taken by his greedy mother (Kyra Sedgwick) to spend the summer with his two hard-boiled great-uncles, Hub (Robert Duvall) and Garth (Michael Caine), who are rumored to possess a great fortune. At first, the two old men, both set in their ways, find Walter's presence a nuisance, but they eventually warm up to the boy and regale him with tall tales from their past. In return, Walter helps reawaken their youthful spirit.   "Secondhand Lions is about the uncles every boy should have, and the summer every boy should spend. No uncles or summers like this ever existed, but isn't it nice to think that Uncle Garth and Uncle Hub are waiting there on their Texas ranch, shooting at fish and salesmen, and waiting for their 12-year-old nephew to be dumped on them?" *** Roger Ebert. Director: Tim McCanlies USA 2003 Cast: Haley Joel, Robert Duvall, Michael Caine   Run time 1 hours 51 mins ? FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OSWESTRY FILM SOCIETY & BOOK TICKETS HERE Love Oswestry Festival: The Lettermen (12A) + Talk and After Screening Q&A Wednesday 22nd February. 7:30pm A Free Event but tickets need to be booked As part of the Love Oswestry Festival we are pleased to present this tender romance based on love letters discovered by Mark Hignett from Oswestry Town Museum.   Based on the largest collection of queer love letters from WWII, The Letter Men is a window into the untold true story of two gay men desperately in love but torn apart by war.   While on military training during World War Two, Gilbert Bradley exchanged hundreds of letters with his sweetheart - who merely signed with the initial "G". But more than 70 years later, a small town museum curator who was collecting historical letters associated with the town of Oswestry discovered that G stood for Gordon, and Gilbert had been in love with a man. These letters now represent the largest known collection of LGBTQ+ love letters from that era.  The Letter Men is based on the real love letters written by Gordon Bowsher to his sweetheart, Gilbert Bradley. Their love letters were exchanged between the years of 1938 and 1941 and uncovered in 2015. Using the actual text of the letters, The Letter Men transports us directly into the places of the letters and their heart--battlefields, air raid shelters, and lost, golden moments.  "The Letter Men is helplessly romantic, capturing a tender relationship in a time where little was sweet." *** Tribeca Film Festival Review - Film Carnage There will be after screening Q&A Oswestry Town Museum curator Mark Hignett who discovered the letters. Director: Andy Vallentine Starring: Garrett Clayton & Matthew Postlethwaite  Run time: 8 mins 41 seconds + 30 minute talk and after screening Q&A with Mark Hignett BOOK FREE TICKETS HERE NT Live: Othello (15) Thursday 23rd February. 7:00pm An extraordinary new production of Shakespeare's most enduring tragedy, directed by Clint Dyer with a cast that includes Giles Terera (Hamilton), Rosy McEwen (The Alienist) and Paul Hilton (The Inheritance). She's a bright, headstrong daughter of a senator; elevated by her status but stifled by its expectations. He's refugee of slavery; having risen to the top of a white world, he finds love across racial lines has a cost.  Wed in secret, Desdemona and Othello crave a new life together. But as unseen forces conspire against them, they find their future is not theirs to decide.   Othello is filmed live on the Lyttleton stage of the National Theatre. ????  'Clint Dyer makes this tragedy feel utterly new' Guardian ????  'A visceral piece of theatre' Time Out Run time: 3 hours BOOK TICKETS HERE The Fabelmans (12A) Friday 24th, Saturday 25th, Tuesday 28th February  7:30pm Sunday 26th February. 2:00pm (Subtitled for the Hard Of Hearing) Wednesday 1st March 1:30pm & 7:30pm Thursday 2nd March. 7:30pm Directed by Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans is written by Spielberg and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner (Angels in America, Caroline, or Change). A semi-autobiographical tale based on Steven Spielberg's own childhood, The Fabelmans follows young Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle), growing up in post-World War II era Arizona. After his mother (Michelle Williams) and father (Paul Dano) take him to see 'The Greatest Show On Earth', he falls in love with the movies – and aspires to become a filmmaker as he reaches adolescence. But when Sammy discovers a shattering family secret, he begins to explore how the power of films can help him see the truth. "In two-and-a-half hours, a decade of Spielberg's own life flies by. An autopsy of a marriage and a homage to invention, it's a bittersweet piece of joy." *****. Empire Online Winner of Best motion Picture at The Golden Globe Awards Director: Steven Spielberg Cast: Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Paul Dano, Jeannie Berlin, Judd Hirsch, Robin Bartlett Run time: 2 hours 31 mins BOOK TICKETS FOR ALL DAYS EXCEPT SUNDAY HERE BOOK TICKETS FOR SUNDAY HERE March Highlights March is Film Festival Month! From 3rd - 19th March our screen will be devoted to bringing you the very best in World and Independent Cinema with the return of WOW: Wales One World & Borderlines Film Festivals. We have been working closely with the talented film programmers from both festivals to bring you a fantastic selection of rare cinematic treats, preview film screenings and hidden gems from across the world. With short films, Director's Q&A's and after screening discussions we hope you will join us for an immersive deep dive into the beauty & power of cinema. Tickets for WOW & Borderlines are now on sale please visit our website to find out more, view trailers & book online. VISIT OUR WEBSITE HERE  Are you ready for some big fun? The smash West End hit 'Heathers The Musical' will be coming to our screen on Tuesday 28th March.   Welcome to Westerberg High where Veronica Sawyer is just another nobody dreaming of a better day. But when she joins the beautiful and impossibly cruel Heathers and her dreams of popularity may finally come true, mysterious teen rebel JD teaches her that it might kill to be a nobody, but it is murder being a somebody… Wickedly funny and with dazzling book, music and lyrics by Kevin Murphy and Laurence O'Keefe, HEATHERS THE MUSICAL is based on the 1988 cult hit that starred Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. BOOK TICKETS HERE   Please help us to continue offering a diverse choice of films by taking this short survey We are thrilled to be supported by Film Hub Midlands through the BFI Film Audience Network with funds from The National Lottery. The aim of this support is to give everyone in the UK the opportunity to enjoy a diverse range of British & international independent films and without this support we would not be able to offer such a wide range of independent & world cinema. From time to time the BFI ask us to survey a sample of our audience so that they can continue to improve their offer and support for independent cinemas and their audiences. If you have visited kinokulture over the past few months we hope you will spare a few minutes to take this short online survey and help us to continue bringing a diverse film programme to Oswestry audiences.   TAKE THE SURVEY HERE  With Grateful Thanks! Important COVID-19 Safety Update Keeping Our Customers & Staff Safe Keeping our customers & staff safe is an ongoing priority The Government have now relaxed all Covid-19 safety rules in England but as we all know the virus has not gone away. For the ongoing safety of our staff, visitors & customers we will keep in place the majority of our Covid-19 safety measures which include: a one way system, hand sanitising stations and increased ventilation, cleaning and fogging after each screening. Out of courtesy for others we strongly encourage our customers to continue to wear face coverings when entering and moving around the building.  These measures will be under constant review. We ask everyone visiting or working in kinokulture to be aware of the latest advice from the UK Government on COVID-19, and to follow that advice to minimise the risk of the virus spreading.   If you or anyone you live with has symptoms of Covid-19 please stay home and arrange for a PCR test. Visit The Govt Website for updated news on Coronavirus Here Thank you for helping us all to keep safe.   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION We have  reduced the regular concession ticket price for 16-30's, students, jobseekers & NHS workers to £6.00 and the under 16 ticket price to £4.00. (this does not apply to Event Cinema as these prices are set by the distributors). Although we encourage online booking where possible there may be tickets available on the door (doors open 30 minutes before the screening time). Gift Vouchers & CEA Cards To order Gift Vouchers for your cinema loving family & friends please email or call us to place an order. The CEA Card is a national card scheme developed for UK cinemas by the UK Cinema Association (UKCA). The Card enables a disabled cinema guest to receive a complimentary ticket for someone to go with them when they visit a participating cinema. If you have a CEA card and require a complimentary ticket for your carer or if you have been given a kinokulture Gift Voucher please contact us on 01691 238167 to reserve your tickets or email us:  info@kinokulture.org.uk   We would like to say a huge thank you to the BFI and DCMS for their support through the Cultural Recovery Fund, to BFI Film Hub Midlands & Film Hub Wales for their continuing support through the FAN Film Audience Network: Cinema & Exhibition funds and to everyone for all the wonderful kind words of support and donations. Ruth & Ian and the kinokulture team Please visit our website for up to date Information & bookings