March 8th is International Women's Day (IWD), a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.
It's a great time to highlight that at all times, not just to mark IWD, we strive to screen films made by women, and indicate this in our programme listings with an 'F-Rating': applied to all films which are directed by women and/or written by women.
In the first couple of weeks in March, we're showing lots of films not just directed or written by women, but with also women at the forefront of the action.
Find out about what's coming up in the selection we've chosen for you, including Beau Travail - voted the 7th Greatest Film of All Time! Book now...
Scrapper
 • Instagram photos and videos.png "Scrapper")
Thursday 29 February 11am and 7:30pm.
Plus, Parent and Baby screening on Friday 01 March at midday*
"Like a cold treat on a hot day, Scrapper delivers two scoops of a sweet father-daughter dramedy best consumed when in need of a hug." Rotten Tomatoes
We could all do with a hug, and Charlotte Regan's spirited, moving, Grand Jury Prize-winning dramedy is frequently hilarious.
Georgie, a dreamy 12-year-old girl, lives happily, secretly alone in her London flat, filling it with magic. Suddenly, her estranged father turns up and forces her to confront reality...
Our Thursday morning screenings are a snip at £7.50 a ticket, which includes a hot drink!
*New parent? Come along to our new monthly 'Parent and Baby screenings' - see Scrapper with your babe on Friday 1 March at midday.
Tish
Friday 01 March and Sunday 03 March, 7:30pm
A gripping portrait of story of working-class photographer Tish Murtha, whose passion captured the impact of Thatcherism and Austerity Britain.
Starring Maxine Peake, Tish is a love letter from a daughter to her mother. But also a love letter to those forgotten and left on the scrapheap. The images she captured with her Olympus camera, now hang in the Tate Modern.
Family Fridays: Brave
Friday 01 March, 4pm
The first Disney movie to be directed by a woman, Brave won Brenda Chapman an Oscar and a Golden Globe for her film based on her own little girl, Emma - a free spirited girl just like her mum!
Hosted by Rebecca Fifield, this Family Fridays screening will include readings and activities inspired by 'Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls' as part of our International Women's Day celebrations.
Doors open at 3.30pm for the craft activity. The film starts at 4pm and the event ends at 6pm, so a great opportunity to relax and unwind after a busy week. All Family Fridays tickets are just £5, so bring the family for a great night out.
Club Camp: Sunset Boulevard
Saturday 2 March, 7.30pm
Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond, an aging silent film queen, and William Holden as the struggling writer who is held in thrall by her madness, created two of the screen's most memorable characters in Sunset Boulevard. Winner of three Academy Awards, director Billy Wilder's orchestration of the bizarre tale is a true cinematic classic.
Presented by our very own silver-haired showgirl, Pupin De Vert (pictured) and includes pre-show Diva inspired activities plus act-along opportunities.
Dress up if you feel so inclined!
Book now for Sunset Boulevard >>
Beau Travail
Sunday 3 March, 11am
Voted 7th Greatest Film of All Time by the Sight & Sound critics' poll, directed by French film director and screenwriter, Claire Denis, Beau Travail has been called one of the greatest films of the 1990s and of all time!
As one of the two female directors who will feature in our Classic Sundays greatest films of all time poll, this is a reminder that the female gaze is still underrepresented in film lists and awards.
The Eternal Daughter
Thursday 07 March, 11am & 7.30pm
Tilda Swinton stars in this gothic mystery from acclaimed filmmaker Joanna Hogg, in which a middle-aged artist daughter and her elderly mother must confront long-buried secrets when they return to their former family home, a once-grand manor that has become a nearly vacant hotel brimming with mystery.
Book now for The Eternal Daughter >>
Barbie
Saturday 09 March, 7:30pm
Oscar contender, Greta Gerwig, directs Oscar-nominated actress Margot Robbie in the smash hit film of last summer, Barbie.
Raid your closets, scour the racks of Dandy Vintage for some dazzling threads, and join us in Barbie Land for our extra special dress-up screening of Barbie for International Women's Day — we want to see your finest, pinkest outfits, whether you’re a Barbie or a Ken.
Join us for the smash hit summer blockbuster that made fun of the patriarchy with wit and visual excess - feminism never looked so popular!
Mothering Sunday screening: Hidden Figures
Sunday 10 March, 11am
Putting women centre stage on Mothering Sunday, head out with your mum if you can, or take your kids along to this family friendly screening of Hidden Figures, based on the untold true story of a team of African-American female mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the US space program, shining a spotlight on racial and gender rights.
Starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner, and Kirsten Dunst, the film's message conveys that genius has no race, strength has no gender and courage has no limit.
Book now for Hidden Figures >>
About F-Rated Films
From the F- Rating website:
"The F-Rating is applied to all films which are directed by women and/or written by women. If the film also has significant women on screen, it receives a TRIPLE F-Rating, a gold standard. The rating allows audiences to “vote with your seat” and proactively choose to go and see F-Rated films.
The F-Rating is applied to films by cinemas and film festivals giving filmgoers an easily identifiable label so they can choose films that fairly represent women on screen and behind the camera. Highlighting these films sends a clear message to distributors, producers and funders that women can and should have more than just a supporting role within the industry.
Why we need the F-Rating
The stories we see on screen need to be told by a broad spectrum of people to represent our diverse culture. Without change, we will train the next generation to recognise mostly white males as the protagonists and the ones in control of the cameras, scripts and budgets.
As well as equality on screen and behind the camera, more female film critics from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities need to be welcomed into the industry so that opinion and feedback is balanced. The gender pay gap is also evident in the industry. By helping women gain recognition we can empower them to negotiate the contracts and salaries they deserve and help close the gap.
In real life women are not primarily just eye candy, princesses, dumb blondes, nagging wives or victims. They are engineers, heroes, trailblazers, surgeons and rulers. We need to see a massive increase in roles that reflect women’s real place in society in order to give a true representation of 50% of the population."
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