This film is part of Rentals
A Spell to Ward Off the Darkness
Visual artists Ben Rivers and Ben Russell’s mesmerising film follows an unnamed character through three phases of alternative existence, from rural commune to a black metal rock concert.
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2013 98 mins
Director: Ben Rivers
Overview
This mesmerising collaboration between visual artists Ben Rivers and Ben Russell follows an unnamed character through three seemingly disparate moments in his life: idyllic collective living on an Estonian island, in isolation in the majestic wilderness of Northern Finland; and during a concert as the singer of a black metal band in Norway.
Starring musician Robert AA Lowe (better known by his stage name Lichens), this captivating journey experiments with conventions of narrative and form, falling somewhere between fiction and non-fiction. While very much a product of the artists’ film scene, A Spell has won wide acclaim and will appeal to all admirers of alternative and transporting cinematic experiences.
Contains infrequent strong sex referencesRelated
Animation & Artists Moving Image
South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1999 81 mins
In the outrageous spinoff from the animated series, Cartman and co. inadvertently instigate a war between the US and Canada.
Behindert Behindert
Documentary 1974 98 mins Director: Stephen Dwoskin
The account of a close, personal relationship as experienced by a disabled man.
Trying to Kiss the Moon Trying to Kiss the Moon
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1994 96 mins Director: Stephen Dwoskin
Autobiographical film by the veteran disabled experimental filmmaker, Steve Dwoskin.
Tehran Taboo Tehran Taboo
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2016 96 mins Director: Ali Soozandeh
In this gorgeously animated drama, the lives of several strong-willed women and a young musician intersect in contemporary Iran.
Early Man Early Man
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2018 89 mins Director: Nick Park
In Aardman’s latest animated adventure, Caveman Dug and his pet hog, Hognog, must unite their tribe if they're are to survive the threat of pompous tyrant Lord Nooth.
This Unnameable Little Broom This Unnameable Little Broom
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1985 11 mins Director: Brothers Quay
The Brothers Quay take on the Babylonian epic of Gilgamesh, presenting the character as a childlike figure who sets a series of vicious traps to catch Enkidu, the guileless forest creature.
Discoveries
A Woman's Life A Woman's Life
Drama 2016 119 mins Director: Stéphane Brizé
Judith Chemla shines in this Guy de Maupassant adaptation, a tale spanning 20 years of a woman’s life.
Journeyman Journeyman
Drama 2016 92 mins Director: Paddy Considine
Paddy Considine directs and stars with Jodie Whittaker in this emotional knockout - the story of a boxer rebuilding his life after a near-fatal injury.
Custody Custody
Drama 2016 94 mins Director: Xavier Legrand
Myriam (Drucker) has recently left husband Antoine (Ménochet), and while she’s happy to let her 17-year-old daughter decide for herself, she’s doesn’t want her youngest, Julien (Gioria), to see a father she claims is violent. But the judge rules otherwise, and the boy becomes a pawn in a bitter parental conflict…
Reinventing Marvin Reinventing Marvin
Drama 2017 114 mins Director: Anne Fontaine
A young gay man (Finnegan Oldfield ) flourishes under the tutelage of Isabelle Huppert's drama teacher, in this stirring drama from director Anne Fontaine (The Innocents).
Mandy Mandy
Horror 2017 121 mins Director: Panos Cosmatos
Nicolas Cage wreaks revenge at the fiery gates of hell in Panos Cosmatos’ follow-up to Beyond the Black Rainbow.
Nancy Nancy
Drama 2017 86 mins Director: Christina Choe
Andrea Riseborough is extraordinary in this disquieting drama about a woman convinced that she was kidnapped as a child and might have found her real parents.
Directed by Ben Rivers
Krabi, 2562 Krabi, 2562
Drama-documentary 2019 90 mins Director: Ben Rivers
Observing locals and visitors creates a highly original portrait of the Thai tourist town of Krabi in this collaboration between award-winning directors Anocha Suwichakornpong and Ben Rivers.
The Sky Trembles and the Earth Is Afraid and the Two Eyes Are Not Brothers The Sky Trembles and the Earth Is Afraid and the Two Eyes Are Not Brothers
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2015 95 mins Director: Ben Rivers
Britain’s brilliant experimental filmmaker Ben Rivers (Two Years at Sea) presents this haunting desert parable which follows a filmmaker’s abduction and ritual humiliation.
Two Years at Sea Two Years at Sea
Documentary 2011 90 mins Director: Ben Rivers
The unconventional life of Jake Williams who lives in isolation in the Cairngorms, Aberdeenshire.
New
White Riot White Riot
Documentary 2019 81 mins Director: 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.
Nocturnal Nocturnal
Drama 2019 84 mins Director: Nathalie Biancheri
A teenage girl forms a mysterious relationship with an older man in this atmospheric debut from director Nathalie Biancheri.
The Painted Bird The Painted Bird
War 2019 169 mins Director: Vaclav Marhoul
Based on Jerzy Kosiński’s 1965 novel and a long time in the making, Václav Marhoul’s extraordinary The Painted Bird finds a lone Jewish boy on a dark odyssey towards home during wartime.
Real Real
Romance 2019 78 mins Director: Aki Omoshaybi
Aki Omoshaybi’s earnest debut explores the love between two people who work hard to keep their romance on track while struggling to manage personal hardship.
Power in Our Hands Power in Our Hands
Documentary 2015 75 mins Director: Angela Spielsinger
Ground-breaking documentary that uses archive film to tell the story of the British Deaf community’s fight for civil rights.
Socrates Socrates
Drama 2018 71 mins Director: Alex Moratto
A teenage orphan is forced to grow up quickly in this captivating story of resilience in the face of hardship.