Special Events

This classic portmanteau anthology from Amicus Productions offers five tales of terror, atrocity and poetic justice. A starry cast hams it up magnificently. See! Joan Collins being stalked by a homicidal Father Christmas. Gasp at! Peter Cushing clawing his way back from beyond the grave to exact a grisly revenge. And tremble! When Sir Ralph Richardson decides the dreadful fate of all those who da...

AFTER DARK showcases a new body of work by latex artist Michelle Mildenhall, exploring Hollywood’s iconic figures in intimate, nocturnal moments. Suspended between glamour and shadow, each piece invites the viewer to imagine what lies beyond the frame, as desire, power, and hidden stories emerge after the spotlight fades. Our ornate interior and atmospheric architecture provide a fitting backdro...

Is ancient shamanism hiding in plain sight in theatre, magic, and rock n’ roll? A talk and book launch with David Bramwell. Why do we imbue the likes of David Bowie, Bjork and Taylor Swift with god-like status? As the lights dim and performers take to the stage, is it mere escapism from our everyday lives or is there something more profound and ritualised about our need to be entertained? In...

An epic quest to unlock the mystery of an occult heirloom takes David Bramwell into the underbelly of 90’s bohemian Brighton. After inheriting a hundred-year-old moustache from an eccentric great aunt, Bramwell sets out to discover all he can about its former owner, Ambrose Oddfellow. Drawn into Brighton’s subcultures, he participates in seances, visits spiritual churches and unwittingly becomes...

AFTER DARK showcases a new body of work by latex artist Michelle Mildenhall, exploring Hollywood’s iconic figures in intimate, nocturnal moments. Suspended between glamour and shadow, each piece invites the viewer to imagine what lies beyond the frame, as desire, power, and hidden stories emerge after the spotlight fades. Our ornate interior and atmospheric architecture provide a fitting backdro...

Fritz Lang’s towering, art-deco sci-fi classic still feels fiercely modern, and glows on the big screen. Live piano soundtrack by Mike Hatchard. In a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners, the son of the city's mastermind falls in love with a working-class prophet who predicts the coming of a saviour to mediate their differences. We are thrilled to scr...

‘An intriguing sociological study of a slightly odd man’ SUNDAY TIMES A 20th-anniversary, new edit of Graham Fellows’ much loved comedy documentary It’s Nice Up North starring his alter ego John Shuttleworth. This screening tour is presented as a tribute to the late Martin Parr, the celebrated photographer who shot the movie, and whose distinctive eye is central to the movie’s charm and endurin...

We welcome BAFTA-winning director, Akinola Davies for an on-stage conversation around Black film, African film, diaspora voices and visioning soft Black male fatherhood in this one-off event before our screening of his award-winning feature debut. Hosted by screenwriter Trix Worrell, cinematographer Bani Mendy and Anna-Maria Nabirye from Afri-co-Lab. Blackity Black Launch Night: a new regular scr...

Akinola Davies Jr.’s BAFTA-winning feature debut is a vivid, beautifully realised, child’s-eye-view of a mysterious father and a country on the edge of political unrest. Nigeria, 1993: Kid brothers Remi (Chibuike Marvelous Egbo) and Akin (Godwin Chimerie Egbo) get to spend the day with their estranged father Folarin (Sope Irisu) and visit dizzying, kaleidoscopic Lagos for the first time. But Fola...

Fishnets, fabulousness and absolute nonsense. Virgin or veteran, don't dream it—see it. Audience participation gloriously encouraged. Now also showing as a tribute to the incandescent Tim Curry, the core and heart of the film. Our annual foray into the world of Frank-N-Furter, the transvestite mad scientist from outer space who is about to unveil his greatest creation. Let's do the Time Warp aga...

Based on the iconic 1967 novel by Joan Lindsay, Picnic at Hanging Rock's eerie atmosphere, stunning cinematography, and refusal to provide a definitive answer to its central mystery make it a tantalising, dreamlike masterpiece. At its heart is a mystery: three students and a school teacher disappear on an excursion to Hanging Rock, in Victoria, on Valentine's Day, 1900. The movie follows those t...

An 'unknown force' declares war against planet Earth (sounds like a good idea really) when the United Nations disobeys warnings to cease and desist in its attempts at assembling the first satellite in the atmosphere. T hings get heavy! B Movie Fan Club takes place on the last Sunday night of every month. It's an enjoyable romp into classic low-budget, horror and sci-fi films. There's free space...

Illuminating the mythical origins of the visionary, cosmic jazz artist Sun Ra, this portrait of an industrial city in the segregated South is loving, political and magical. On May 22, 1914, Herman Poole Blount arrived on Earth in Birmingham, Alabama. Some years later, he transformed into Sun Ra, one of the most extraordinary and prolific jazz musicians of his century, as well as the bearer of a v...

Brigitte Bardot channels maximum bombshell in Jean-Luc Godard’s melancholic, ultra-stylish break-up classic. Jaw-droppingly beautiful with the lushest soundtrack. Brigitte, who died at the age of 91 earlier this year, swept away cinema's staid 1950s portrayal of women, personifying a new age of sexual liberation. She was the first foreign-language star to match the level of international success...

Power. Corruption. Tax-dodging. Meet the worldwide communities dedicated to confront and dismantle the mechanics of global inequality in this symphony of resistance. Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Fredrik Gertten (Push, Bikes Vs. Cars, Big Boys Gone Bananas!*) returns with Breaking Social, an analysis of patterns of kleptocracy and extractivism around the world. The film follows some of these g...

Book all 4 Independent Visions films and get the 4th one free when using the Independent Visions Loyalty Card! An actor searches for answers after her sister’s violent death. Part non-linear ghost story, part Lynchian noir. Two sisters are separated by the expanse of death. Parker, an actor in Los Angeles, returns to her hometown in search of answers after the sudden and violent loss of her est...

Afrofuturist sci-fi odyssey starring Sun Ra. Surreal visuals meet Blaxploitation and free jazz in this rickety, but utterly charming film. And THAT music… Sun Ra and his Solar Myth Arkestra return to Earth after several years in space. Ra proclaims himself to be “the alter-destiny” and sets out to enact his plan to use music as salvation for the black community and to relocate them toa utopian col...

An Icelandic writer preserves vanishing glaciers, departed grandparents, family memories, and flowing time in his personal archives, transforming loss into a time capsule. From the Oscar-nominated director of Fire of Love, Time and Water follows Icelandic poet Andri Snær Magnason, as – facing the death of Iceland’s glaciers and the loss of his beloved grandparents – he turns his archives into a ...

Underrated during his lifetime, US photographer Peter Hujar’s powerful, piercing portraits of stars, cars and animals explore decay, sexuality and death. Through a compelling performance inspired by a recording of Hujar's own words, the film offers an intimate insight into the photographer's daily life and practice, providing viewers with a deeper understanding of the artist. “His pictures are e...

Celebrating The New Beverly; LA’s Tarantino-owned movie theatre, idiosyncratic, democratic, and geek heaven. And still championing the 35mm print! With director Q&A. In a culture where digital presentation is taking over, Out of Print celebrates the unique revival and art house cinemas where 35mm film prints are still going strong - and explores why 35mm film should be allowed to coexist with di...

The low-budget horror film that caused a Hollywood earthquake! Does this liminal-minimal icy-terror flick signpost the film industry’s future? A24 does it again but this time its monumental. Gen Z rule the return to indie cinema! Come and see the film everyone has been talking about, and witness the power of the shared big screen experience! Screaming allowed! PART OF NATIONAL CINEMA WEEKEND A...

Chaotic, post-apocalyptic cyberpunk thriller executive produced by Hastings’ own Trix Worrell. With cameo appearances by Iggy Pop and Lemmy. This gritty, British post-apocalyptic sci-fi horror tells the tale of a reactivated head of a cyborg, able to rebuild and re-arm itself, which goes on a violent rampage in a sculptress’ apartment. Celebrated for its claustrophobic atmosphere, industrial a...

Cinema is obsessed with cyborgs, androids and replicants that mirror our deepest hopes and fears. Book launch and illustrated talk with Piers Bizony, author of Robots on Screen. Since 1927, when Fritz Lang's coldly graceful ‘False Maria’ first mesmerised audiences in Metropolis, cinema has been obsessed with mechanical mirrors of humanity: cyborgs, androids, replicants, and robots that look and th...

Electric Palace is delighted to present our Andrew Kötting Weekend, a celebration of films by the internationally recognised filmmaker and artist. We will kick-start the weekend festival with a selection of award-winning short films followed by a director's Q and A, hosted by writer, Nicholas Johnson: SMART ALEK – 1993 – 20 minutes Andrew Kötting (Gallivant, Swandown) Sean Lock (pre Comedy Geniu...

Andrew Kötting’s complex docu-essay about his daughter Eden, who has Joubert syndrome, steps outside conventional filmmaking grammar. The Memory Blocks takes the viewer on a wild visual journey, using a neurodivergent perspective that reveals how memories shift and transform, challenging our understanding of how we recall and process past experiences. This gala screening celebrates the Hastings ...

Andrew Kötting’s complex docu-essay about his daughter Eden, who has Joubert syndrome, steps outside conventional filmmaking grammar. The Memory Blocks takes the viewer on a wild visual journey, using a neurodivergent perspective that reveals how memories shift and transform, challenging our understanding of how we recall and process past experiences. This gala screening celebrates the Hasti...

When British filmmaker Andrew Kötting decided to tour the perimeter of Great Britain with his grandmother 'Big Granny' Gladys and his daughter Eden, he brought a film crew along. The result is this humorous and picturesque documentary. Starting at Bexhill-on-Sea and with an intermission at John O’Groats for a natter and drinks. En route they get to meet Keith Leech, Andy Hemsley and other Jack-...

Copywriter Richard Russell has been dreaming up ads for 40 years. He wrote the most awarded commercial in advertising history and once made a cinema audience burst into applause. Here he presents a hand-picked collection of brilliant TV commercials – forgotten beauties and unseen crackers – accompanied by insights and analysis that give you a sneaky peek behind the advertising curtain. Come and ...

Curious capybaras, mushroom chefs, woodland creatures and an affectionate crocodile; a collection of (mostly wordless) magical tales for tiny people. Kickstart National Cinema Weekend by introducing your kids to the joy of big screen cinema. This collection of short films will entertain younger children (3+) with a variety of stories and styles from around the world. Featuring curious capybara...

Curious capybaras, mushroom chefs, woodland creatures and an affectionate crocodile; a collection of (mostly wordless) magical tales for tiny people. Kickstart National Cinema Weekend by introducing your kids to the joy of big screen cinema. This collection of short films will entertain younger children (3+) with a variety of stories and styles from around the world. Featuring curious capybara...

Meet a robot bee, a hand-made piano, and a very naughty little wolf in this collection of short films perfect for those aged 7+. This collection of short films from France, Portugal, Germany, Czech Republic and the UK uses a range of animation techniques to explore the different ways curiosity drives characters forward, each learning something about themselves and the world around them. A litt...

Jack Skellington, king of Halloweentown, is confused by the concept of Christmas Town. Tim Burton’s cult, tune-packed favourite. Get ready for Halloween with our spooky Family Friday, plus FREE workshop before the film led by teacher and animator, Silas Money.

Relive 80s teatimes with DM, Penfold and Greenback with this classic cartoon James Bond parody. With David Jason and Terry Scott! Danger Mouse, a talented secret agent, and his faithful sidekick, Ernest Penfold, heroically thwart the evil plans of Baron Silas Greenback from their hidden headquarters under a pillar box on Baker Street. This fun-filled James Bond parody featured the familiar voices...

Defiant, brilliant, and untameable, artist Leonora Carrington refused to live by anyone’s rules but her own. In the charged atmosphere of 1930s Paris, she falls under the spell of the surrealist movement - and into a passionate, volatile love affair with the German artist Max Ernst. Together, they create a world where art and life blur, surrounded by icons like André Breton and Salvador Dalí, an...

Underrated during his lifetime, US photographer Peter Hujar’s powerful, piercing portraits of stars, cars and animals explore decay, sexuality and death. Through a compelling performance inspired by a recording of Hujar's own words, the film offers an intimate insight into the photographer's daily life and practice, providing viewers with a deeper understanding of the artist. “His pictures are e...

Exhibition on Screen's cinematic celebration of arguably Britain's most popular artist, focussing on his 2012 and 2016 RA exhibitions. To celebrate the life of exceptional artist David Hockney, the Exhibition on Screen 2017 film is returning to UK cinemas for a limited run. Widely considered Britain’s most popular artist, David Hockney is a global sensation with exhibitions in London, New York, ...

Power. Corruption. Tax-dodging. Meet the worldwide communities dedicated to confront and dismantle the mechanics of global inequality in this symphony of resistance. Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Fredrik Gertten (Push, Bikes Vs. Cars, Big Boys Gone Bananas!*) returns with Breaking Social, an analysis of patterns of kleptocracy and extractivism around the world. The film follows some of these g...

Andrew Kötting’s complex docu-essay about his daughter Eden, who has Joubert syndrome, steps outside conventional filmmaking grammar. The Memory Blocks takes the viewer on a wild visual journey, using a neurodivergent perspective that reveals how memories shift and transform, challenging our understanding of how we recall and process past experiences. This gala screening celebrates the Hastings ...

Celebrated photographer and activist Misan Harriman documents protest movements driving change across the globe, from Black Lives Matter to the ongoing fight for Palestinian liberation. This documentary follows Harriman as he highlights the resilience of grassroots movements, where they diverge and what they have in common, showcasing the potential of their collective power. With historical co...

Akinola Davies Jr.’s BAFTA-winning feature debut is a vivid, beautifully realised, child’s-eye-view of a mysterious father and a country on the edge of political unrest. Nigeria, 1993: Kid brothers Remi (Chibuike Marvelous Egbo) and Akin (Godwin Chimerie Egbo) get to spend the day with their estranged father Folarin (Sope Irisu) and visit dizzying, kaleidoscopic Lagos for the first time. But Fola...

Steven Soderbergh pits Ian McKellen against Michaela Coel in a dark comedy about art, criticism and forgery. Julian Sklar (McKellen) was once a star of London’s 1960’s and 70’s pop art explosion, but he hasn’t painted in decades and has been broke for years. Desperate for an inheritance, his two estranged children hire Lori, an art restorer and former forger (Coel), to pose as a prospective ass...

You remind me of the babe! Bowie-meets-Henson in this wild and dark fairytale with plenty of twisty turns. Description written by Young Electrics: Labyrinth is a visually spectacular family favourite, featuring David Bowie in tights (he also created the dreamy soundtrack). The Goblin King (Bowie) sends 16-year-old Sarah through his labyrinth, filled with illusions and deceptions in order to ...

The rise of the teenager! Find teddy boys, coffee bars, pop stars and a Brighton and Liverpool frothing with late-50s/early 60s subcultures. BFI National Archive presents Living for Kicks. Step into the burgeoning British youth culture of the 1950s and 60s with this selection of excerpts from the BFI National Archive’s Associated-Rediffusion collection. Launched in 1955 as part of the fledgling ...