Rentals

Sonic

Personal, powerful and lyrical, this is where music and film collide, a meeting place for rock biopics, probing documentaries, groundbreakers and old stagers.

Inspired by the hugely popular Sonic Cinema strand from the BFI London Film Festival and BFI Southbank.

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Squaring the Circle The Story of HipgnosisSquaring the Circle The Story of Hipgnosis

Documentary2022101 minsDirector: Anton Corbijn

Celebrated photographer, filmmaker, and art director Anton Corbijn's homage to the creative geniuses behind the iconic album art design studio, Hipgnosis, responsible for some of the most recognisable album covers of all time.

Rent for £3.50

Sisters with TransistorsSisters with Transistors

Documentary202186 minsDirector: Lisa Rovner

The remarkable untold story of electronic music’s female pioneers, who embraced machines and their liberating technologies to transform how we produce and listen to music today.

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WhitneyWhitney

Documentary2018120 minsDirector: Kevin Macdonald

Stunning revelations and captivating reminiscences paint a picture of the extraordinary life of singer Whitney Houston, in this in-depth portrait by acclaimed filmmaker Kevin MacDonald (Touching the Void, Marley).

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Grace Jones: Bloodlight and BamiGrace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami

Documentary2017115 minsDirector: Sophie Fiennes

Grace Jones is laid bare in this intimate and electrifying insight into the fascinating world of a pop-cultural phenomenon.

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20 Feet from Stardom20 Feet from Stardom

Documentary201387 minsDirector: Morgan Neville

This moving documentary shines a spotlight on the backing singers behind some of the great musical hits of the 21st century.

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Mystify: Michael HutchenceMystify: Michael Hutchence

Documentary2019102 minsDirector: Richard Lowenstein

Capturing his rise to super-stardom and subsequent tragic fall, Mystify gives remarkable insight into INXS lead singer Michael Hutchence and a truth he took to the grave.

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EnnioEnnio

Documentary2021156 minsDirector: Giuseppe Tornatore

A definitive portrait of Ennio Morricone, the legendary composer responsible for some of the most memorable film scores of all time.

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Laurent Garnier: Off the RecordLaurent Garnier: Off the Record

Documentary202193 minsDirector: Gabin Rivoire

Exhilarating documentary exploring the birth and rise of techno music through the eyes of one of its pioneers.

Rent for £10.00

White RiotWhite Riot

Documentary201981 minsDirector: Rubika Shah

Revolution rock! Rubika Shah’s vital documentary profiles punky reggae protest movement Rock Against Racism, from grassroots beginnings through to a major multicultural event.

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Chi-RaqChi-Raq

Musical2015127 minsDirector: Spike Lee

Spike Lee’s bold and vivacious hip-hop musical restages an ancient Greek battle-of-the-sexes in 21st-century Chicago.

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FrankFrank

Comedy201495 minsDirector: Lenny Abrahamson

Michael Fassbender is the man inside the papier-mâché head, in this fictionalised reimagining of the story of northern entertainer Frank Sidebottom.

Rent for £2.50

Bride & PrejudiceBride & Prejudice

Musical2004107 minsDirector: Gurinder Chadha

Gurinder Chadha’s Bollywood retelling of Austen’s classic romance is an all-round joy, adding colour and song to Austen’s evergreen wit.

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Poly Styrene: I Am A ClichéPoly Styrene: I Am A Cliché

Documentary202196 minsDirector: Paul Sng and Celeste Bell

The death of punk icon and X-Ray Spex frontwoman Poly Styrene sends her daughter on a journey through her mother’s archives in this intimate documentary.

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Beat GirlBeat Girl

Drama196087 minsDirector: Edmond T. Gréville

A cult classic British film about late-fifties youth-rebellion set against an intoxicating Beatnik backdrop.

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The Big MeltThe Big Melt

Documentary201371 minsDirector: Martin Wallace

Jarvis Cocker and acclaimed director Martin Wallace's feature-length elegy to the men and women who toiled in Sheffield's steelworks is a hymn to Britain's proud industrial past.

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20,000 Days on Earth20,000 Days on Earth

Documentary201493 minsDirector: Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard

The myths and minutiae of musician Nick Cave are explored in the course of this fictional portrait, following 24 hours in the life of a cultural icon.

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Song of GraniteSong of Granite

Biopic201797 minsDirector: Pat Collins

A formally audacious account of the life and times of traditional Irish folk singer Joe Heaney, combining ‘fictional’ drama, documentary footage and musical sequence

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BabymotherBabymother

Musical199877 minsDirector: Julian Henriques

Neeta and her crew rise to dancehall fame in North West London's Caribbean community, in the first Black British musical.

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Sing StreetSing Street

Drama2016106 minsDirector: John Carney

The third in John Carney’s trilogy of musical films is the utterly charming story a boy who escapes his troubles through fronting a pop band.

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Keyboard FantasiesKeyboard Fantasies

Documentary201960 minsDirector: Posy Dixon

After his 1986 album Keyboard Fantasies is rediscovered, a black trans musician recounts his life, from the lonely 1960s to the joy of witnessing the present.

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On the RecordOn the Record

Documentary202097 minsDirector: Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering

A searing exploration of the costs of coming forward, turning up the volume on one of the biggest #MeToo stories in the music industry.

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Searching for Sugar ManSearching for Sugar Man

Documentary201286 minsDirector: Malik Bendjelloul

The BAFTA and Oscar-winning documentary sensation uncovers the mystery behind Sixto Rodriguez, a forgotten musical hero of apartheid-era South Africa.

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Bros: After the Screaming StopsBros: After the Screaming Stops

Documentary201897 minsDirector: David Soutar

Matt and Luke Goss take on the big screen – and each other – in this candid documentary charting the reunion of 80s pop sensations Bros; an affectionate portrait that generates more than a touch of Spinal Tap-esque hilarity.

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The Man from Mo'WaxThe Man from Mo'Wax

Documentary2018116 minsDirector: Matthew Jones

The exhilarating, no holds-barred story of Mo'Wax records founder James Lavelle, one of the most enigmatic yet influential figures in British music culture.

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I've Gotta HorseI've Gotta Horse

Musical196592 minsDirector: Kenneth Hume

Great British rock and roller Billy Fury buys himself a racehorse in this colourful musical for all the family.

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The Music MachineThe Music Machine

Drama197990 minsDirector: Ian Sharp

Get Saturday night fever - North London style - with Patti Boulaye and Gerry Sundquist in this bubbly British disco drama.

Rent for £1.00

Oh Boy!Oh Boy!

195925 minsDirector: Rita Gillespie

Rock ‘n’ roll fuels Jack Good’s groundbreaking music TV show, with songs by Billy Fury, Cliff Richard and Marty Wilde.

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Ryuichi Sakamoto: CodaRyuichi Sakamoto: Coda

Documentary2017101 minsDirector: Stephen Schible

A graceful, intimate study of the legendary Japanese musician, composer, actor, writer and activist.

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Wild WestWild West

Comedy199384 minsDirector: David Attwood

Defying opposition from his conservative Pakistani family, Zaf Ayub dreams of becoming Southall's greatest gift to country & western.

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Amazing GraceAmazing Grace

Documentary201989 minsDirector: Alan Elliott and Sydney Pollack

Aretha Franklin, at the height of her powers, returns to the music which nurtured her prodigious talent.

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Jimi All Is by My SideJimi All Is by My Side

Biopic2013118 minsDirector: John Ridley

OutKast’s André Benjamin stars as Jimi Hendrix on the cusp of greatness, honing his act in Swinging London, in this revealing and alternative take on the rock biopic.

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BeatsBeats

Drama2018101 minsDirector: Brian Welsh

Best mates Johnno and Spanner head out for one last night of raving together before Johnno’s family move away, in this bittersweet coming-of-age ode to '90s subculture.

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Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowanCrock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan

Documentary2020124 minsDirector: Julien Temple

Julien Temple’s sometimes celebratory, sometimes sobering profile of The Pogues famed frontman.

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Cleo and JohnCleo and John

198255 minsDirector: Vernon Lawrence

Cleo Laine and Johnny Dankworth cook up red hot jazz together live on stage, chat about married life together, and recall lengthy musical careers.

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JugniJugni

Drama2016110 minsDirector: Shefali Bhushan

Exuberant Hindi romance about a composer searching for a golden voice, who unexpectedly falls for a vibrant younger performer.

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Pulp: A Film about Life, Death and SupermarketsPulp: A Film about Life, Death and Supermarkets

Documentary201490 minsDirector: Florian Habicht

Jarvis and co’s farewell concert is captured in Florian Habicht’s affectionate and intriguing documentary, which also acts as a profile of Pulp’s home city of Sheffield and its residents.

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Some PeopleSome People

Drama196290 minsDirector: Clive Donner

Cult 1960s musical drama about a leather boy who forms a Shadows-style guitar band.

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The Stone Roses: Made of StoneThe Stone Roses: Made of Stone

Performance201396 minsDirector: Shane Meadows

Avid Stone Roses fan Shane Meadows records the reunion of the pivotal 1990s rock band, in this heartfelt and inspiring documentary

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On the RoadOn the Road

Drama-documentary2017121 minsDirector: Michael Winterbottom

Michael Winterbottom’s sexy and idiosyncratic tour film follows 2018 Mercury Prize winners Wolf Alice, merging thrilling live footage with a fictional backstage romance.

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Only Lovers Left AliveOnly Lovers Left Alive

Romance2014123 minsDirector: Jim Jarmusch

Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton star as ageless, blood-drinking lovers in Jim Jarmusch’s clever, funny and sexy vampire tale.

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We Are the Best!We Are the Best!

Drama201398 minsDirector: Lukas Moodysson

A raucous coming-of-age comedy about three schoolgirls who form a punk band in 1982 Stockholm, from director Lukas Moodysson (Show Me Love).

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Hit So HardHit So Hard

Documentary2011103 minsDirector: P. David Ebersole

Patty Schemel, one-time drummer of grunge band Hole, recounts her turbulent years on tour with the band, piecing together a compelling tale of rock and roll excess, and the personal story of one woman’s survival.

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Whitney: Can I Be MeWhitney: Can I Be Me

Documentary2017101 minsDirector: Nick Broomfield and Rudi Dolezal

Documentary titan Nick Broomfield turns his gaze to the troubled pop star whose sensational voice masked an inner identity crisis.

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The Possibilities Are EndlessThe Possibilities Are Endless

Documentary201483 minsDirector: Edward Lovelace and James Hall

A moving and haunting account of singer Edwyn Collins’s long and difficult recovery from a stroke.

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Dread Beat and BloodDread Beat and Blood

Biopic197944 minsDirector: Franco Rosso

Vibrant documentary portrait of dub poet and activist Linton Kwesi Johnson, fighting racism with the spoken word on the streets of 1970s Brixton.

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Pop PiratesPop Pirates

Children's198458 minsDirector: Jack Grossman

Home taping almost kills music as a schoolboy band's dreams of talent show glory may be scuppered by video piracy.

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How to Build a GirlHow to Build a Girl

Drama2019104 minsDirector: Coky Giedroyc

Beanie Feldstein stars as a young rock journalist in this coming-of-age comedy, based on the novel by Caitlin Moran.

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I Used To Be Normal: A Boyband Fangirl StoryI Used To Be Normal: A Boyband Fangirl Story

Documentary201893 minsDirector: Jessica Leski

A glitter-covered, cross-generational love letter to boybands and the girls who love them that will have you bopping along.

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Inside Llewyn DavisInside Llewyn Davis

Drama2013100 minsDirector: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

The Coen brothers’ funny, melancholic elegy to early 1960s folk music follows a struggling songwriter through a winter’s worth of misdeeds, mishaps and lost cats.

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GüerosGüeros

Drama2014111 minsDirector: Alonso Ruizpalacios

A teenager is banished to his brother in Mexico City, from where a road trip is planned to track down an elusive musician.

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VS.VS.

Drama201899 minsDirector: Ed Lilly

A foster teen channels his rage into rap in Ed Lilly’s urgent freestyling drama.

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KanarieKanarie

Drama2018124 minsDirector: Christiaan Olwagen

A Boy George-obsessed smalltown boy joins the South African Defence Force army choir, in this quirky Apartheid-era musical drama.

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Midnight BreaksMidnight Breaks

1988113 minsDirector: Laurens C. Postma

Big Audio Dynamite’s Don Letts made his acting debut in this gripping, gritty 1990 drama of dreads, drugs, and music business corruption.

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All Night LongAll Night Long

Drama196291 minsDirector: Basil Dearden

Othello is transposed to the 1960s Soho jazz scene as a malevolent drummer sows mistrust between husband-and-wife jazz luminaries.

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The Optimists of Nine ElmsThe Optimists of Nine Elms

Drama1973106 minsDirector: Anthony Simmons

Peter Sellers is superb in a warm, wistful family drama, in which two Battersea kids forge an unlikely alliance with a faded music hall star.

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BreadBread

Drama197168 minsDirector: Stanley A. Long

A fun tale of hippies and rock and roll directed by the legendary Stanley Long and featuring cult British rock bands Juicy Lucy and Crazy Mabel.

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ExtremesExtremes

Documentary197181 minsDirector: Anthony Klinger and Michael Lytton

In-your-face 70s documentary exploring the lives of Hell's Angels, hippies, skinheads, rudeboys, mods and drug addicts.

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