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ScrapperScrapper
Comedy202390 minsDirector: Charlotte Regan
A gorgeous and colourful heart-warming gem from Charlotte Regan, one of the best new voices in British film.

The Night of the 12thThe Night of the 12th
Drama2022114 minsDirector: Dominik Moll
A newly promoted detective is assigned to a young woman’s chilling murder in this deeply arresting crime thriller based on true events.

Great Yarmouth: Provisional FiguresGreat Yarmouth: Provisional Figures
Drama2023113 minsDirector: Marco Martins and Marco Martins
As Brexit looms on the horizon, hundreds of migrant workers arrive in the coastal town of Great Yarmouth looking for work, in Marco Martins’ damning depiction of immigrant life in a fracturing Britain.

Pretty Red DressPretty Red Dress
Drama2022110 minsDirector: Dionne Edwards
One dress changes everything for a family in Dionne Edwards’ brilliant debut. Defiant, uplifting and with music at its core.

Love LifeLove Life
Drama2022123 minsDirector: Koji Fukada
A couple find their relationship in a precarious state following a tragedy, in Kōji Fukada’s subtle portrait of the frailty of human relationships.

Name Me LawandName Me Lawand
Documentary202290 minsDirector: Edward Lovelace
Edward Lovelace explores the power of communication and community with this rapturous portrait of a young deaf Kurdish boy.

Cries and WhispersCries and Whispers
Drama197291 minsDirector: Ingmar Bergman
A dying woman (Harriet Andersson) is attended to in her rural mansion by her sisters, in Ingmar Bergman's vivid examination of the human soul.

Plan 75Plan 75
Drama2022113 minsDirector: Chie Hayakawa
Faced with a rapidly ageing population, a government in near-future Japan rolls out an unsettling agenda.

De Humani Corporis FabricaDe Humani Corporis Fabrica
Documentary2022118 minsDirector: Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Verena Paravel
The psychedelic physicality of this mortal coil – journey into the systems that comprise the human body in this fascinating sensory experience.

The Edge of the WorldThe Edge of the World
Drama193775 minsDirector: Michael Powell
Michael Powell's daring, windswept story of the inhabitants of a remote island who find their way of life threatened by a rapidly industrialising world.

Black God, White DevilBlack God, White Devil
Drama1964119 minsDirector: Glauber Rocha
Wanted for killing his boss, Manuel and his wife flee to a primordial violent region in Glauber Rocha's masterpiece and banner film of Brazil's Cinema Novo movement.

Great Yarmouth: Provisional FiguresGreat Yarmouth: Provisional Figures
Drama2023113 minsDirector: Marco Martins and Marco Martins
As Brexit looms on the horizon, hundreds of migrant workers arrive in the coastal town of Great Yarmouth looking for work, in Marco Martins’ damning depiction of immigrant life in a fracturing Britain.

The BeastsThe Beasts
Drama2022138 minsDirector: Rodrigo Sorogoyen
Denis Ménochet (Peter von Kant) stars as a small-town farmer whose idyllic lifestyle turns into a living nightmare, in this rivetingly structured, slow-burn thriller.

LOLALOLA
Science Fiction202279 minsDirector: Andrew Legge
Two sisters in WWII Britain invent a machine that can decode TV broadcasts from the future, in this irresistible found-footage sci-fi that buzzes with timeless ingenuity.

Sex Is ComedySex Is Comedy
Comedy200295 minsDirector: Catherine Breillat
A director struggles to film a difficult sex scene between two actors who happen to hate each other, in Catherine Breillat's witty exploration of intimacy coordination.

Anatomy of HellAnatomy of Hell
Drama200377 minsDirector: Catherine Breillat
Catherine Breillat's rigorously intellectual exploration of sexuality, about a woman who employs a gay man to spend days watching her naked.

The LoverThe Lover
Drama1992115 minsDirector: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Jean-Jacques Annaud's powerful, intimate, and sensual adaptation of the best-selling novel by Marguerite Duras.

The Edge of the WorldThe Edge of the World
Drama193775 minsDirector: Michael Powell
Michael Powell's daring, windswept story of the inhabitants of a remote island who find their way of life threatened by a rapidly industrialising world.

Sick of MyselfSick of Myself
Comedy202297 minsDirector: Kristoffer Borgli
She just did what! Attention-seeking Signe will do anything to keep the focus on herself, in this wildly demented comedy.

Dance CrazeDance Craze
Documentary198189 minsDirector: Joe Massot
Legendary concert film that brilliantly captures the cultural phenomenon that was the 2 Tone movement, and showcases the very best of the British Ska revival.

Great Yarmouth: Provisional FiguresGreat Yarmouth: Provisional Figures
Drama2023113 minsDirector: Marco Martins and Marco Martins
As Brexit looms on the horizon, hundreds of migrant workers arrive in the coastal town of Great Yarmouth looking for work, in Marco Martins’ damning depiction of immigrant life in a fracturing Britain.

Lunana: A Yak in the ClassroomLunana: A Yak in the Classroom
Drama2019109 minsDirector: Pawo Choyning Dorji
A city-loving teacher struggling for inspiration travels to the most remote school in the world in this quietly majestic Academy Award-nominated drama.

Enys MenEnys Men
Horror202291 minsDirector: Mark Jenkin
Mark Jenkin follows Bait with this chilling, endlessly mysterious folk horror tale, beautifully shot on grainy 16mm.

JoylandJoyland
Drama2022128 minsDirector: Saim Sadiq
A conservative family in Pakistan is torn apart when a son falls in love with a transgender erotic dancer, in Saim Sadiq’s riveting queer drama.

IdaIda
Drama201482 minsDirector: Pawel Pawlikowski
The Best Film winner at the 2013 BFI London Film Festival is an exquisitely shot, moving drama about a Polish nun exploring her family past, from UK-based director Pawel Pawlikowski.

The Eight MountainsThe Eight Mountains
Drama2022147 minsDirector: Felix Van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch
An epic journey of friendship and self-discovery set against a magnificent and breath-taking Italian landscape, winner of the 2022 Cannes Jury Prize.

Flux GourmetFlux Gourmet
Comedy2022112 minsDirector: Peter Strickland
This darkly comic tale from Peter Strickland and recipient of seven BIFA nominations, is a fantastic feast for the senses, starring Asa Butterfield and Gwendoline Christie.

LuxorLuxor
Romance202086 minsDirector: Zeina Durra
Andrea Riseborough stars as an aid worker processing the trauma of working on the frontline on the Jordanian-Syrian border.

The Quiet GirlThe Quiet Girl
Drama202191 minsDirector: Colm Bairéad
A neglected girl lives a joyful summer in Colm Bairéad's Academy Award-nominated debut that combines outstanding beauty and heart-wrenching performances.

Haute TensionHaute Tension
Horror200393 minsDirector: Alexandre Aja
Alexandre Aja defined a new breed of horror by bringing the American slasher format into French cinema.
Sight and Sound Poll
Meet the elite: explore our prime selection from the definitive list of cinema's best

Les Enfants du paradisLes Enfants du paradis
Drama1945190 minsDirector: Marcel Carné
Marcel Carné's masterpiece of French cinema portrays the theatrical milieu of Paris' 'Boulevard du Crime'.

A Touch of ZenA Touch of Zen
Action and Adventure1971179 minsDirector: King Hu
King Hu's epic swordplay saga combines ghost story, martial arts mastery and Buddhist mythology to stunning, hypnotic effect.

Memories of UnderdevelopmentMemories of Underdevelopment
Drama196899 minsDirector: Tomás Gutiérrez Alea
A mesmerising and complex character study of alienation amid tumultuous social change, from one of Cuba’s greatest directors, Tomás Gutiérrez Alea.

A Man EscapedA Man Escaped
Drama1956101 minsDirector: Robert Bresson
Robert Bresson’s riveting tale of a Gestapo prisoner determined to regain his freedom, based on real events.

The GeneralThe General
Comedy192679 minsSilentDirector: Buster Keaton and Clyde Bruckman
Buster Keaton's masterpiece is widely and rightly regarded as one of the greatest comedies ever made.

Tokyo StoryTokyo Story
Drama1953136 minsDirector: Yasujirō Ozu
A constant fixture in critics' polls, Yasujirō Ozu's most enduring masterpiece is a beautifully nuanced exploration of filial duty, expectation and regret.
Phantom Threads: Powell + Pressburger in Context
Films from directors linked to the Archers’ own films

French CancanFrench Cancan
Period drama1955104 minsDirector: Jean Renoir
Based on the story of Moulin Rouge founder Charles Zidler, Jean Renoir’s tale of an impresario’s commitment to his art is a masterpiece of Technicolor brilliance.

La RondeLa Ronde
Drama195089 minsDirector: Max Ophuls
Ophuls’ exquisite, imaginative adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler’s play about a carousel of erotic encounters involving characters of different social status.

Black OrpheusBlack Orpheus
Romance1959107 minsDirector: Marcel Camus
Academy Award and Palme d'Or-winning adaption of the Orpheus myth, incorporating the music, costume and dance of Brazil’s Rio Festival.

After LifeAfter Life
Drama1998119 minsDirector: Hirokazu Koreeda
Koreeda's lyrical fantasy challenges the viewer to reflect on the experiences that most make life worth living.

The Wages of FearThe Wages of Fear
Crime1953153 minsDirector: Henri-Georges Clouzot
Henri-Georges Clouzot's classic, nail-biting suspense thriller won both The Golden Bear and the Palme d'Or in 1953.

The LoverThe Lover
Drama1992115 minsDirector: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Jean-Jacques Annaud's powerful, intimate, and sensual adaptation of the best-selling novel by Marguerite Duras.

Paris, TexasParis, Texas
Drama1984145 minsDirector: Wim Wenders
The late, great Harry Dean Stanton's finest role came as the near-mute Travis, on a journey across America to reunite his family, in Wim Wenders' moving tale of loss and redemption.

LeviathanLeviathan
Drama2014136 minsDirector: Andrey Zvyagintsev
Winner of Best Film at the 2014 London Film Festival, the latest film from Andrey Zvyagintsev (Elena) is a gripping study of corrupt politics in modern Russia.

The FallingThe Falling
Drama2015102 minsDirector: Carol Morley
Florence Pugh's first film teams her with Maisie Williams as teenage friends at a school cursed by mystery sickness.

RiminiRimini
Drama202290 minsDirector: Ulrich Seidl
Impeccably styled and unflinchingly grim, this darkly humorous tale of a pop star past his prime finds Ulrich Seidl at his audacious best.

All My Friends Hate MeAll My Friends Hate Me
Comedy202294 minsDirector: Andrew Gaynord
A deliciously dark comedy about social paranoia that will have you joyfully squirming in your seat.

Black Mountain PoetsBlack Mountain Poets
Comedy201685 minsDirector: Jamie Adams
Alice Lowe and Dolly Wells play criminal sisters who steal the identity of two poets, only to be charmed by the world of competition poetry.

Chameleon StreetChameleon Street
Comedy198995 minsDirector: Wendell Harris
Extraordinary, fictionalised account of real-life Michigan conman William Douglas Street which won the Grand Prix award at Sundance in 1990.

Pauline at the BeachPauline at the Beach
Comedy198295 minsDirector: Eric Rohmer
Eric Rohmer's final collaboration with the great cinematographer Néstor Almendros follows a holidaying teenager as she begins to navigate the adult world.

The SquareThe Square
Comedy2017151 minsDirector: Ruben Östlund
From director Ruben Östlund (Force Majeure) comes a satire on the hypocrisy of the art world, starring Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss and Dominic West. Winner of the Palme d'Or.

La HaineLa Haine
Drama199598 minsDirector: Mathieu Kassovitz
Mathieu Kassovitz’s landmark mid-90s drama throws a cinematic Molotov cocktail at structural racism, police brutality and media manipulation.

King of New YorkKing of New York
Crime1990103 minsDirector: Abel Ferrara
Christopher Walken is the dogged drug-lord determined to keep his empire together, in Abel Ferrara's brutally gritty crime thriller.

The HandmaidenThe Handmaiden
Period drama2016146 minsDirector: Park Chan-wook
Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, Stoker) channels Sarah Waters’ novel Fingersmith, to create a sumptuous twisty psychological thriller full of erotic intrigue.

19761976
Period drama202290 minsDirector: Manuela Martelli
An unnervingly brilliant portrait of the ways in which the Pinochet dictatorship realised its brute force and pervasive influence, from debut director Manuela Martelli. Winner of the 2022 BFI London Film Festival First Feature Competition.

Fear CityFear City
Crime198497 minsDirector: Abel Ferrara
Tom Berenger, Melanie Griffith and Billy Dee Williams star in this tough crime thriller about a talent agent who takes the law into his own hands when his strippers are targeted by a serial killer.

MuscleMuscle
Thriller2019111 minsDirector: Gerard Johnson
A directionless call centre salesman gets more than he bargained for when he joins a local gym, in Gerard Johnson's stunning dissection of masculinity.
British Cinema
The brightest of our national cinema, from established classics to new wonders

Days of the Bagnold SummerDays of the Bagnold Summer
Comedy201986 minsDirector: Simon Bird
Simon Bird’s directorial debut is a warm and witty graphic novel adaptation about a single librarian trying to reconnect with her introverted, metalhead teenage son.

Blue JeanBlue Jean
Drama202297 minsDirector: Georgia Oakley
A closeted PE teacher reckons with her identity during Thatcherite Britain in Georgia Oakley’s delicate yet gripping BAFTA-nominated debut.

Bullet BoyBullet Boy
Drama200586 minsDirector: Saul Dibb
Ashley Walters impresses in the hard-hitting Hackney drama that’s still one of the best of Britain’s black urban crime films.

PressurePressure
Drama1978121 minsDirector: Horace Ové
Hailed as Britain's first black feature film, Pressure is a hard-hitting, honest document of the plight of disenchanted black youths in 1970s London.

UnrelatedUnrelated
Drama200896 minsDirector: Joanna Hogg
On a Tuscan break a fortysomething woman finds herself drawn to the company of a group of partying teens, including a young Tom Hiddleston (in one of his earliest roles).

BeastBeast
Drama2018106 minsDirector: Michael Pearce
The hunt for a Jersey serial killer sparks a dangerous awakening in a young woman (Jessie Buckley, in her feature debut) in this astonishing psycho-sexual thriller, which sets all the senses aflame.

PickpocketPickpocket
Drama195976 minsDirector: Robert Bresson
Bresson’s hugely influential study of a petty thief in late 50s Paris is one of his most widely acclaimed films.

The New GirlfriendThe New Girlfriend
Melodrama2014108 minsDirector: François Ozon
Ruth Rendell provides the source novel for this delicious tale of deception and identity, from the master of mischievous melodrama, François Ozon.

Let the Sunshine InLet the Sunshine In
Drama201795 minsDirector: Claire Denis
Director Claire Denis gives a wry account of an artist’s search for love, in this witty black comedy starring Juliette Binoche.
The 400 BlowsThe 400 Blows
Drama1959100 minsDirector: François Truffaut
François Truffaut’s French New Wave landmark is one of the greatest movies about adolescence.

Anatomy of HellAnatomy of Hell
Drama200377 minsDirector: Catherine Breillat
Catherine Breillat's rigorously intellectual exploration of sexuality, about a woman who employs a gay man to spend days watching her naked.

La HaineLa Haine
Drama199598 minsDirector: Mathieu Kassovitz
Mathieu Kassovitz’s landmark mid-90s drama throws a cinematic Molotov cocktail at structural racism, police brutality and media manipulation.

ClemencyClemency
Drama2019112 minsDirector: Chinonye Chukwu
Alfre Woodard is quietly devastating as a weary prison warden presiding over her twelfth execution, in this Sundance-winning death row drama.

LonesomeLonesome
Drama202299 minsDirector: Craig Boreham
Fleeing a mysterious scandal in his hometown, rancher Casey heads to Sydney in search of shelter and connection. There he meets the similarly wounded Tib in this erotic Australian drama.

Her Last AffaireHer Last Affaire
Drama193668 minsDirector: Michael Powell
Michael Powell's 'society drama’ involving suspicion, clandestine romance and presumed murder, and glorious comic double-act from Googie Withers and John Lurie.

RodeoRodeo
Drama2022106 minsDirector: Lola Quivoron
French debut director Lola Quivoron revs up with a ferocious tale of a woman kickstarting a new life in the world of guerrilla motocross racing.

GodlandGodland
Drama2022143 minsDirector: Hlynur Pálmason
With his third feature, Hlynur Pálmason (A White, White Day) delivers a breathtakingly inventive and ambitious historical epic, set in mid-19th-century Iceland.

A White, White DayA White, White Day
Drama2019109 minsDirector: Hlynur Pálmason
Iceland’s finest actor Ingvar Sigurðsson gives a heart-breaking and Cannes award-winning performance as widowed cop who becomes increasingly obsessed with his wife’s death.
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British Cinema
From established classics to new discoveries, from the mainstream to the bizarre, we celebrate the breadth and diversity of British cinema.

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3 of the best from the world's greatest filmmakers, themes and cinematic movements.

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