A burned-out baseball star finds himself caught between dangerous criminal gangs in 90s New York. Thrill-ride crime drama from Darren Aronofsky.  

Burned-out baseball star, Hank Thompson finds himself dangerously caught up in the criminal underworld of ‘90s New York. Now begins a thrill-ride fight for survival between British punks, Puerto Rican streets gangs, Russian mobsters and the Jewish Mafia.

A wildly fun, high-adrenaline crime thriller from maximalist director Darren Aronofksy (Requiem for a Dream), starring Austin Butler (Elvis), Zoë Kravitz (The Batman) and Matt Smith (Doctor Who).

★★★★ – BBC. During the Covid pandemic, a smalltown sheriff and local mayor are drawn into a public standoff that threatens to ignite community division. Provocative neo-western starring Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone and Pedro Pascal.

"★★★★ – a brilliant, blood-soaked skewering of modern America" – Independent

★★★★ – BBC

★★★★ – Flickering Myth

At the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the small New Mexico town of Eddington is confronted with the consequences of global lockdown. As residents retreat into their homes, the sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) and local mayor (Pedro Pascal) are drawn into a ferocious public stand-off that threatens to ignite a powder-keg of political tension beneath the town.

A searing neo-Western from provocateur director Ari Aster (Midsommar) that trenchantly skewers the social turmoil of our times.

★★★★★ – The Times. Omar, a young Pakistani man, is reunited with his former lover Johnny (Day-Lewis) and together they attempt to turn around a laundrette business owned by Omar’s uncle.

"★★★★★ – Four decades on, the jewel still glistens" – The Times

★★★★★ – Guardian

★★★★★ – Radio Times

Screening over Leicester Pride weekend, Stephen Frears’ landmark films is set against the backdrop of Thatcher’s Britain, where British-Pakistani Omar finds new love with his childhood friend Johnny, a white street punk with a troubled past. Together they launch a fancy laundrette, but must contend with pressure from family, community prejudice and rising racial tensions.

A fun, sexy and compassionate romance radically rooted in social realism, now presented in a stunning new restoration for its 40th anniversary.

★★★★ – The Times. Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch star as wealthy couple engaged in a bitter divorce, battling it out with wicked pranks, spiteful sabotage, and gleeful chaos, in this hilariously unhinged comedy.

"★★★★ – Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch are sublime" – The Times

"★★★★ – A smart, wild, entertaining mix of droll British humour and glossy Hollywood filmmaking" – BBC

"★★★★ – funny, nasty, and unexpectedly sad" – HeyUGuys

★★★★ – Independent

Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch star as a wealthy couple battling out a bitter divorce in this hilariously unhinged comedy. As the relationship unravels, passive aggression escalates into all-out war over who gets to keep their lavish family home. Soon, the household descends into a maniacal battleground of vicious pranks, spiteful sabotage and gleeful chaos.

A wickedly droll reimagining of 80s classic The War of The Roses from the writer of Poor Things.

A New York dating consultant must choose between her perfect match and her emotionally entangled ex. A razor-sharp romantic comedy-drama about the messy truths of modern love, from the director of Past Lives.

"★★★★★ – exquisitely made" – BBC

"★★★★★ – one of the best movies of 2025" – Discussing Film

"★★★★ – razor-sharp look at the competitive marketplace of dating: both rigorously honest and idealistically romantic" – Empire

★★★★ – Flickering Myth

Following the huge success of Past Lives, Celine Song returns with a whip-smart romance about love in the consumer age. New York dating consultant Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is a talented matchmaker but her own love life is a mess. Caught between her perfect match, the wealthy, kind-hearted Harry (Pedro Pascal) and her emotionally entangled ex, John (Chris Evans), she begins to question what her heart truly values.

A sexy, razor-sharp romantic comedy-drama about the messy truths of modern love.

LAZY SUNDAY

The 12.30pm screening on Sun 17 Aug, has a Lazy Sunday option – a film and breakfast ticket for £14.95.

• Choose the Lazy Sunday ticket, join us from 11am on Sunday and simply show your ticket at the Café Bar to choose your breakfast.
• The menu can be viewed here. Each breakfast includes a tea or filter coffee.
• We suggest arriving at least an hour before the film starts to allow time to order and eat.
• Advance booking is advised to avoid disappointment, as Lazy Sunday tickets are limited.

50 years after it first terrified audiences, Steven Spielberg’s Jaws bursts back into cinemas in a 4K restoration that’s lost none of its big-screen bite! The quintesential creature feature, a showdown of man verses killer shark!

50 years after it first terrified audiences, Steven Spielberg’s Jaws bursts back into cinemas in a 4K restoration that’s lost none of its big-screen bite! When a killer shark begins terrorising the waters of a popular New England tourist town, a police officer, a marine biologist and a grizzled sea captain set out to capture the creature in an epic ocean-bound showdown between man and beast. Masterful, must-see suspense cinema at its best!

★★★★★ – Den of Geek. The extraordinary life story of an ordinary man told in reverse, genre-bending, life-affirming fantasy based on the Stephen King novella.

"★★★★★ – One of the finest Stephen King adaptations ever" – Den Of Geek

From Stephen King and Mike Flanagan comes an extraordinary tale of an ordinary man facing the end of the world. As 39-year-old Chuck Krantz (Hiddleston) confronts his final days, his life unfolds in reverse – revealing the unexpected loves, losses, and coincidences that shaped him.

A genre-defying, life-affirming journey through memory, meaning, and the strange beauty of being human.

Oscar-nominated Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl, Saltburn) is Jessica in the much-anticipated next play from the team behind Prima Facie.

Oscar-nominated Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl, Saltburn) is Jessica in the much-anticipated next play from the team behind Prima Facie.

Jessica Parks is a smart Crown Court Judge at the top of her career. Behind the robe, she is a karaoke fiend, a loving wife and a supportive parent. When an event threatens to throw her life completely off balance, can she hold her family upright?

Writer Suzie Miller and director Justin Martin reunite following their global phenomenon Prima Facie, with this searing examination of modern motherhood and masculinity.

Actor, director and screenwriter Kenton Hall leads this 6-week practical course focusing on the skills and techniques specific to film acting.

Actor, director and screenwriter Kenton Hall leads this 6-week practical course focusing on the skills and techniques specific to film acting.

You’ll explore a host of acting and performance styles, and also learn about working with directors, developing screen presence, getting an agent, auditioning, and more.

Suitable for all levels of acting experience.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Price: £80 / £70 conc / £65 Members

Tutor: Kenton Hall

Booking Information:

This 6-week course will run at Phoenix on Thursdays, 7pm – 9pm from  4 September – 9 October 2025.

You must be 18 or over to attend.

Member discount available.

Cancellation Policy:

We do not offer refunds for cancellations of bookings, except in exceptional circumstances. In the event that an advertised course is withdrawn, we will endeavour to give 7 days’ notice and a full refund will be made.

View our Learner Agreement.

ABOUT THE TUTOR

Kenton Hall is an award-winning Canadian writer, director, musician, and teacher, with numerous short and feature film credits to his name – both behind and in front of the camera. Kenton also teaches a BTEC in Creative Media Production through Leicester College and The Art of Screenwriting here at Phoenix. He has played a variety of roles on stage and screen, from Les Miserables and Muppets Most Wanted to 4th Floor of Singapore and Father to Fall. He most recently wrote, directed, and co-starred in the feature film A Dozen Summers, published the comic memoir Bisection, about living and parenting with bipolar disorder, and co-wrote the Audible Drama Getting Better, starring Rhod Gilbert, Kathryn Drysdale, and Mark Gatiss.

Help us practice our fire safety procedures! Attend a rare visit to our projection room PLUS a free cup of filter coffee/tea and a piece of cake.

Help us practice our fire safety procedures! Attend a rare visit to our projection room PLUS a free cup of filter coffee/tea and a piece of cake.

Meet one of our projectionists, learn how films and live shows are chosen and screened at Phoenix, and see 35mm alongside the latest digital projection.

A fire drill will take place during your visit, so we ask that you briefly evacuate the building when you hear the alarms, and our staff will guide you through the process.

Note: actual tour will take approx. 30 mins with additional time in the café. Please arrive promptly for a 10:30am start.

No step-free access - please note that the tour is in our projection room which is only accessible via a short staircase of 8 steps.

An intimate, first-hand perspective of life in Gaza, Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk is told through a series of video calls between filmmaker Sepideh Farsi and Palestinian photojournalist Fatma Hassona.

"★★★★ – we must keep Fatma Hassona’s memory alive" – Little White Lies

"★★★★ – shattering memorial to Palestinian photojournalist Fatma Hassona" – Guardian

★★★★ – Financial Times

An intimate, first-hand perspective of life in Gaza, Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk is told through a series of video calls between filmmaker Sepideh Farsi and young Palestinian photojournalist Fatma Hassona. Their digital dialogue became a vital record, bearing witness to everyday life, acts of resistance and devastating loss.

In English and Arabic with English subtitles.

★★★★★ – Time Out. When Agnes’ beloved college friend Lydie comes to visit, she is forced to confront just how stuck her life has become. Through laughter, love, and honest conversation, the two begin to chart a way forward.

"★★★★★ – You will never forget this film" – HeyUGuys

"★★★★★ – Eva Victor has nothing to be sorry for with this breathtaking debut" – Time Out

"★★★★ – a warm, bitingly funny refocus of the trauma plot" – Guardian

★★★★ – Empire

When Agnes’ beloved college friend Lydie comes to visit, she is forced to confront just how stuck her life has become. As they reconnect, Agnes opens up about a past sexual assault that has quietly shaped her ever since. Through laughter, love, and honest conversation, the two begin to chart a way forward.

A smart, tender, and darkly funny indie drama about friendship, survival, and rewriting the narrative around trauma.

★★★★ – Guardian. Spike Lee’s new joint is based on Kurosawa’s 1963 film High and Low, and stars Denzel Washington as a music mogul targeted in a ransom plot.

"★★★★ – Spike Lee and Denzel Washington remake Kurosawa in fine style" – Guardian

★★★★ – Telegraph

Spike Lee’s new joint is based on Kurosawa’s 1963 film High and Low, and stars Denzel Washington as music mogul David King. When King is targeted in a ransom plot, he finds himself in a life-or-death moral dilemma.

A gripping neo-noir thriller played out across the streets of modern New York City, Highest 2 Lowest marks the fifth collaboration between Denzel and Spike.

"★★★★★ – Outstanding" – Guardian. Winner of the Best Screenplay prize at Cannes, the Dardenne brothers (The Kid with a Bike, Two Days One Night) return with this sublime social-realist drama.

"★★★★★ – Outstanding" – Guardian

Winner of the Best Screenplay prize at Cannes, the Dardenne brothers (The Kid with a Bike, Two Days One Night) return with this sublime social-realist drama that follows five adolescent mothers living at a maternal support home in Belgium. Despite their challenging upbringings, the mothers strive for a better future for themselves and their children.

In French with English subtitles.

After a suicide attempt, a Muslim man draws closer to God, but when he is forced to live with his disruptive brother, his new-found belief is tested.

Presented in partnership with Phizzical and Leicester Islamic Arts & Heritage, director Waheed Iqbal joins us for a Q&A after the screening.

After cutting short an attempt at suicide, Saif turns to religion to fill the emptiness surrounding him. To completely avoid relapsing, he is told he must be in the presence of a carer given his current state of mind, forcing Saif to move in with his troublesome brother, Ameen.

Constantly in each other’s company, the opposing views and contrasting goals escalate to the point where each brother is forced to confront themselves in ways that question their individual purpose, and whether they are prepared for the consequences of their actions.

Each month a Phoenix staff member picks a film, for September Hires and Conferencing Coordinator Lotte Coleman has chosen Lars von Trier’s superb metaphysical drama Melancholia.

"★★★★★ – Audacious, beautiful, tactful filmmaking" – Empire

★★★★★ – Financial Times

Each month a Phoenix staff member picks a film. For September Hires and Conferencing Coordinator Lotte Coleman has chosen Lars von Trier’s superb metaphysical drama Melancholia, which follows two sisters and their strained family relationships as a rogue planet hurtles towards Earth.

"I first saw this in 2011 in the early years of “new” Phoenix and it has always stayed with me. Kirsten Dunst is incredible in the lead and I love films that take on huge philosophical questions but refuse to give easy answers" - Lotte

★★★★★ – Financial Times. In this deeply moving and transformational documentary, six women return to the now abandoned Holloway Prison to take part in a women’s circle.

"★★★★★ – hugely powerful" – Financial Times

"★★★★ – collaborative documentary feels like essential viewing for policymakers" – Guardian

Six women return to the now abandoned Holloway Prison to take part in a women’s circle. Sharing some of the most intimate experiences of their lives, they each unravel what led them to prison, building an eye-opening portrait of failing systems and trauma, while discovering their extraordinary capacity to heal through sisterhood.

Directed by BAFTA Breakthrough Brit Daisy-May Hudson (Lollipop) and EMMY nominated Sophie Compton, this deeply moving and transformational film premiered at the BFI London Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award for Best Documentary.

The film will be followed by a Q&A with the director and panel discussion led by DMU Associate Professor Dr. Victoria Knight.

To Be Frank is a rockumentary film that follows the life journey of Frank Benbini (Uncle Frank) from humble beginnings on a Leicester council estate with his single working-class Mum, to internationally renowned musician, touring the world with major artists.

To Be Frank is a rockumentary film that follows the life journey of Frank Benbini (Uncle Frank) from humble beginnings on a Leicester council estate with his single working-class Mum, to internationally renowned musician, touring the world with major artists such as Fun Lovin’ Criminals, UB40 and Sinead O’Connor, and recording his own critically acclaimed music.

Fascinated by his insatiable work ethic and infectious personality, friend and filmmaker Steve Baker has been documenting Frank’s career for over ten years, capturing footage on planes, trains and automobiles, in hotels and recording studios, and at live shows of every shape and size – pubs thru festivals and stadia – recording first-hand the unfolding story of Frank's rising star, warts’n’all.

The result is a supremely entertaining film that reveals just how hard it is to succeed in the modern music industry, and how Frank Benbini has done just that against all the odds. The story of his musical journey juxtaposed skilfully against his battles with mental health issues, record labels, and an ever-changing music industry, will resonate with audiences up and down the land.

**PLEASE NOTE - Phoenix will open from 7pm and the kitchen will be closed for this event.

Join us for our regular comedy night at The Nest on the second Thursday every month, in partnership with Jokes On Us. Expect top quality acts, plus a compère, guaranteeing you an evening of midweek mirth.

Join us for our regular comedy night at The Nest on the second Thursday every month, in partnership with Jokes On Us. Expect top quality acts, plus a compère, guaranteeing you an evening of midweek mirth.

We've welcomed a host of big names in 2025, including Alistair Barrie (Perrier Award nominee); Shazia Mirza (QI, Have I Got News For You); David Eagle (winner, Leicester Square Comedian of the Year, Edinburgh Fringe Best Newcomer nominee); Sam Avery (award-winning comedian, author and Talksport presenter); Tadiwa Mahlunge (Comedy Central Live); Dee Allum (BBC New Comedy Award finalist); Kate Pinchuck (double winner at National Arts Festival); plus fabulous MC Alex Hylton (winner, 'Best Show' at Leicester Comedy Festival).

SEPTEMBER HEADLINER:

Paul Tonkinson (The Big Breakfast)

Plus more acts to be confirmed

Doors open 7.30pm, show starts at 8pm

Suitable for age 14+

Please note, line-ups may be subject to change.

Winner of the Panorama Audience Award for Best Feature Film at the Berlinale, this superb drama explores the challenges faced by Ángela, a deaf woman, who is expecting a child with her hearing partner.

Winner of the Panorama Audience Award for Best Feature Film at the Berlinale, this superb drama explores the challenges faced by Ángela, a deaf woman, who is expecting a child with her hearing partner, Héctor.

With her pregnancy anxiety compounded by her fear over communicating with her future daughter, Ángela wonders how to navigate in a world that does not cater to her child’s needs.

In Spanish with English subtitles.

A touching and uplifting story of camaraderie amongst young people trying to make a life on the margins, Brendan Canty’s raw, kinetic feature debut won the Grand Prix at this year’s Berlinale.

"★★★★ – outstanding actors and Cork landmarks shine in a moving and funny Irish drama" – Guardian

"★★★★ – an uplifting portrait of community" – The Upcoming

★★★★ – The Skinny

A touching and uplifting story of camaraderie amongst young people trying to make a life on the margins, Brendan Canty’s raw, kinetic feature debut won the Grand Prix at this year’s Berlinale.

17-year-old Christy (Danny Power) is at a crossroads. Thrown out of his comfortable suburban foster home, he’s moved in with his estranged half-brother Shane (Diarmaid Noyes) in Knocknaheeny in Cork’s working-class north side. After spending so many years apart, reuniting forces them to reconcile their turbulent past and consider what their future might be.

Downton Abbey returns to cinemas for its final curtain call. As the 1930s dawn, the Crawley family find themselves engulfed in public scandal and financial turmoil following Lady Mary’s salacious divorce.

Downton Abbey returns to cinemas for its final curtain call. As the 1930s dawn, the Crawley family find themselves engulfed in public scandal and financial turmoil following Lady Mary’s salacious divorce.

Now the household must confront social disgrace and a rapidly changing world as the new generation attempt to lead the estate into an uncertain future. A lavish last farewell bristling with warmth, wit and revelation.

Over 40 years later, the legendary Spinal Tap reunite for one last show! Lost in the rock ’n’ roll wilderness, Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins, and Derek Smalls are lured out of retirement for a one-night-only spectacular.

Over 40 years later, the legendary Spinal Tap reunite for one last show! Lost in the rock ’n’ roll wilderness, Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins, and Derek Smalls are lured out of retirement for a one-night-only New Orleans spectacular.

Expect new songs, old grudges, and a little help from some rock’n’roll friends. Turn the amps and the hearing aids way up to eleven for a gloriously geriatric blast of heavy metal hilarity.

Aliens from Planet X make an irresistible offer to the people of Earth: let them borrow Godzilla and Rodan to help defeat King Ghidorah, and in return they will provide a cure for all known human disease.

Aliens from Planet X make an irresistible offer to the people of Earth: let them borrow Godzilla and Rodan to help defeat King Ghidorah, and in return they will provide a cure for all known human disease.

But the aliens’ duplicity is soon revealed, as they deploy all three monsters in their quest to conquer Earth. This retro romp, featuring American star Nick Adams, stands as a high point in the Showa Godzilla series.

Join us for an evening of wine tasting with our supplier Woodthorpe Wines. Certified Sommelier Matthew Whitaker will guide you through a bespoke menu of hand-picked wines.

Woodthorpe Wines founder and Certified Sommelier Matthew Whitaker has been popping corks for the last 20 years in restaurants, bars and private tasting events, so you'll be able to sit back, relax and enjoy the night.

Wines with integrity from grape to glass!

Fri 12 Sep, 7pm - Bordeaux vs Burgundy

Discover what makes these two French wine regions so iconic. Discover 6 wines from the two most sought after areas of France in a guided tasting.

Fri 10 Oct, 7pm - Blind Wine challenge

Discover the art of Blind Wine Tasting. Try six wines without looking at the label, removing all preconceptions and learn why blind tasting is so important in the wine trade.

Fri 7 Nov, 7pm - From the Cellar: Premium wines of the world

*Please note tickets for this event are £35 per person.

Try some of the most fantastic wines from some of the best wine makers. Taste 6 wines all with a retail price over £50. The perfect opportunity to taste some extra special wines!

Fri 5 Dec, 7pm - Christmas Wines

A selection of wines to see you through the festive time. From the perfect morning glass of fizz to the big bold port and everything in-between.

Step into a night of music, romance, and celebration with André Rieu’s Waltz the Night Away. An all-new summer concert captured live from the stunning Vrijthof Square in his beloved hometown of Maastricht!

Step into a night of music, romance, and celebration with André Rieu’s Waltz the Night Away. An all-new summer concert captured live from the stunning Vrijthof Square in his beloved hometown of Maastricht!

Each night, the Vrijthof transforms into a grand ballroom as André and his Johann Strauss Orchestra invite audiences of all ages to waltz under the stars. With timeless melodies and beautiful waltzes, this concert will take you on a journey filled with joy, love, and heartfelt emotion.

Let yourself be swept away by one of the most romantic events of the year, bigger and more dazzling than ever, on the big screen. Bring someone special and create cherished memories as you Waltz the Night Away with André Rieu - only in cinemas this summer!

Image credit: Andre Rieu Productions. Piece of Magic Entertainment

Come behind-the-scenes! As part of Heritage Open Days, a rare opportunity to visit our projection room and see how the magic of cinema is made possible.

Come behind-the-scenes! As part of Heritage Open Days, a rare opportunity to visit our projection room and see how the magic of cinema is made possible.

Meet one of our projectionists, learn how films and live shows are chosen and screened at Phoenix, and see 35mm alongside the latest digital projection.

No step-free access - please note that the tour is in our projection room which is only accessible via a short staircase of 8 steps.

“Will leave you furious” – Guardian. Meet Matt Edwards, a lower-limb amputee boxer determined to break barriers and obtain his amateur boxing license – the crucial first step toward his dream of becoming a professional fighter.

“Will leave you furious” – Guardian

Meet Matt Edwards, a lower-limb amputee boxer determined to break barriers and obtain his amateur boxing license – the crucial first step toward his dream of becoming a professional fighter.

But the real fight isn’t just in the ring; it’s against a system that continues to put up obstacles and barriers, reflecting the everyday struggles disabled people face simply to be included in society.

Featuring leading disability advocates such as Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and 'Fury the Gladiator' (Jodie Ounsley), Fighters not only tells Matt’s story but educates and challenges a non-disabled audience to confront the deep-rooted inequalities disabled people still battle today.

Short Platform returns with an exciting showcase of short film and moving image work by Midlands-based creatives, combined with short Q&A's with the filmmakers to gain insight over how the work was made.

PLATFORM presents a selection of short films and moving image work by filmmakers and artists from the Midlands, showcasing the range of talent and perspectives in the region.

Hosted by Short PLATFORM curators Barbara B, Wayne Nelson, and Keith Allott, the evening includes micro Q&As with attending makers after each film. The night concludes in the Terrace Room with a chance to meet the artists, talk about the work, and connect with other creatives.

Short PLATFORM is a space to experience fresh work, spark conversations, and build relationships within the Midlands’ screen community.

If you would like to submit your own short film or moving image work (up to 10 minutes) for our September showcase please click here (submissions close 21/08/2025).

Come with us on a journey through the weird, the wonderful, the cult and the long forgotten... into the world of mystery film. Nobody knows what the film will be until the lights drop and the opening titles roll.

Come with us on a journey through the weird, the wonderful, the cult and the long forgotten... into the world of mystery film! Nobody knows what the film will be until the lights drop and the opening titles roll.

A Phoenix favourite that regularly sells out – book early to guarantee your seat and enjoy surprise cinema.

The Mystery Film may be any classification up to an 18 certificate. As such, these screenings are for over-18s only.

Join us upstairs in The Nest for an evening of poetry and music with Some-Antics Spoken Word.

All tickets £4

We're back after the summer break for our 99th poetry event!

We have a special feature this month in our Slam Champion 2024 John Devlin!

As always we'll have open mic, a poetry slam, the world-famous Some-Antics raffle, and of course resident DJ Ninja Bob.

10 open mic slots available.

Poetry open mic etiquette:

• 3 mins per slot

• Perform one poem

• Original material only

• No hate speech

7 slam slots available.

Slam Etiquette:

• Three minutes per poet

• Points deducted for going over time

• Two rounds of slam

• Perform one poem

• Original material only

• Audience judged

• Just for fun or rhyme to the death, either way bring a smile!

The slam winner takes home a custom Some-Antics notebook, £25 cash prize and a place in our Championship Slam 2025!

On the night tickets are available at the Phoenix box office. If the ticket price is an issue, please just let the box office or us know and we'll provide free entry for you.

To book a slot send a message to the Some-Antics page or Sammy Nour, or email [email protected]

Some-Antics video record performances which are available on their Youtube channel after the event. If you don't want your performance recorded or published, or don't want to be photographed, please let one of the team know.

A collection of short films by Palestinian filmmakers capturing the diverse experiences, challenges, tragedies and moments of resilience from the people of Gaza.

Palestine’s official entry to the 2025 Academy Awards brings dozens of emerging Palestinian artists to the fore in an urgent cry for humanity from a people under siege, and presents a unique perspective on the current reality in Gaza. The film, masterminded by legendary director Rashid Masharawi and produced by Michael Moore, captures the diverse experiences of life in the Palestinian enclave, revealing the challenges, tragedies and moments of resilience faced by its people.

A headteacher (Cillian Murphy) fights to save his school for boys with behavioural difficulties from closure as a young student battles his own violent tendencies.

Reuniting the director and lead of Small Things Like These and written by Max Porter (Grief Is the Thing with Feathers), this new drama stars Cillian Murphy as the eponymous Steve – headteacher of a school for boys with societal and behavioural difficulties. As Steve fights for his school’s survival, troubled student Shy navigates his own violent tendencies and fragility, torn between his past and future prospects.

One of the world’s greatest singers, Andrea Bocelli has a voice that transcends genres and generations. In this intimate portrait of the acclaimed Italian tenor, Bocelli, for the first time, tells his story in his own words.

One of the world’s greatest singers, Andrea Bocelli has a voice that transcends genres and generations. In this intimate portrait of the acclaimed Italian tenor, Bocelli, for the first time, tells his story in his own words.

Documentarian Cosima Spender follows Bocelli with unprecedented access beyond the footlights to reveal an uncompromising artist and devoted family man with a fearless passion for living.

Despite losing his sight at age 12, Bocelli dedicated his life to music and, after years spent entertaining customers in piano bars, caught the attention of the legendary Luciano Pavarotti, who heard Bocelli’s voice on a demo tape. Bocelli’s life changed dramatically with the worldwide smash hit “Time to Say Goodbye,” his astonishing duet with Sarah Brightman that catapulted him to superstardom.

With hard- fought technical mastery of his voice and his decades-long love of opera — “music’s heaven” — Bocelli would go on to perform on the world’s most prestigious stages and with diverse singing partners such as Céline Dion, Jennifer Lopez, and Dua Lipa.

Through interviews, archival performance footage, and informal gatherings with family and friends, Andrea Bocelli: Because I Believe celebrates the voice — and man — who continues to touch the hearts of millions of listeners around the world.

Leicester Jazz House return to Phoenix with a new season of performances for 2025/26, starting with John Etheridge’s Blue Spirits Trio.

Leicester Jazz House return to Phoenix with a new season of performances for 2025/26, starting with John Etheridge’s Blue Spirits Trio, led by guitar legend John Etheridge, and featuring Pete Whittaker on the organ and George Double on drums.

Etheridge rightly enjoys a glowing reputation throughout the jazz world and beyond and has been described by Pat Metheny as “one of the best guitarists in the world”. He is a prodigiously gifted and creative player whose approach to music can only be described as eclectic, his range being well illustrated by his years of touring and recording with Stephane Grappelli while simultaneously doing likewise with the legendary jazz-fusion group, The Soft Machine.

The Blue Spirits Trio came about through John’s love of electric guitar and organ combined, and a desire for a vehicle for the bluesier side of his playing. There are plenty of typical swing elements, augmented by soulful ballads, fiery funk outings all presented with warm humour by John.

“No doubting his awesome authority when he touches the guitar” – Guardian

“Never wanted to be star – just a highly respected musician like John Etheridge” – Sting

An unforgettable cinematic stage performance, the filmed version of the original Broadway production of Hamilton combines the best elements of live cinema and film to create a thrilling experience.

An unforgettable cinematic stage performance, the filmed version of the original Broadway production of Hamilton combines the best elements of live cinema and film to create a thrilling experience. Hamilton is the story of America then, told by America now.

Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and Broadway, Hamilton has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre – a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics and education.

Winner of 11 Tony Awards including Best Musical, 7 Olivier Awards including Best New Musical, the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, Hamilton stars Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr., Phillipa Soo, Daveed Diggs and Jonathan Groff.

Love Never Dies continues the story of The Phantom of the Opera. Featuring one of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s finest musical scores performed by a 21 piece orchestra, and a stunning cast of 36 including Ben Lewis and Anna O'Byrne.

Love Never Dies continues the story of The Phantom of the Opera. Featuring one of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s finest musical scores performed by a 21 piece orchestra, a stunning cast of 36 including Ben Lewis and Anna O'Byrne, over 300 incredible costumes and a magnificent set illuminated by over 5000 dazzling light bulbs.

The year is 1907. It is 10 years after his disappearance from the Paris Opera House and the Phantom has escaped to a new life in New York where he lives amongst the screaming joy rides and freak-shows of Coney Island. In this new electrically-charged world, he has finally found a place for his music to soar. All that is missing is his love - Christine Daaé.

The first Godzilla film directed by Jun Fukuda, who would go on to direct four more, is fast-paced and light in tone, and builds to a riveting race-against-time finale.

The first Godzilla film directed by Jun Fukuda, who would go on to direct four more, is fast-paced and light in tone, and builds to a riveting race-against-time finale.

On a secluded island in the South Seas, a group of castaways stumble upon a paramilitary organisation whose nefarious nuclear activities threaten the world at large—and set the stage for kaiju clashes involving Godzilla, Mothra, and the giant crustacean Ebirah.

Silents Synced pairs classic silent movies with epic rock music to bring audiences a unique big screen experience. This reimagining of the iconic Nosferatu (1922) features Radiohead’s Kid A (2000) and Amnesiac (2001) albums.

Silents Synced pairs classic silent movies with epic rock music to bring audiences a unique big screen experience. This reimagining of the iconic Nosferatu (1922) features Radiohead’s Kid A (2000) and Amnesiac (2001) albums.

An unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Nosferatu (1922) is the quintessential silent vampire film, crafted by legendary German director F. W. Murnau. Rather than depicting Dracula as a shape-shifting monster or debonair gentleman, Murnau’s Graf Orlok (as portrayed by Max Schreck) is a nightmarish, spidery creature of bulbous head and taloned claws — perhaps the most genuinely disturbing incarnation of vampirism yet envisioned.

Don’t miss out on the chance to experience this imaginative new take on an iconic horror classic!

Returning due to demand after a sell-out event in April, join star Ryland Brickson Cole Tews and the beavers as the Hundreds of Beavers UK Tour rolls into Leicester for a one-night-only special screening!

"★★★★ – joyously silly micro-budget period comedy plays out like a live-action Looney Tunes episode" – Radio Times

★★★★ – Guardian

★★★★ – Empire

Returning due to demand after a sell-out event in April, join star Ryland Brickson Cole Tews and the beavers as the Hundreds of Beavers UK Tour rolls into Leicester for a one-night-only special screening!

A freewheeling, slapstick feast following a drunken applejack salesman as he takes on an army of diabolical beavers – hundreds of them – in a fight for survival, Hundreds of Beavers won multiple awards on the festival circuit where it delighted audiences with its homages to silent comedies and classic Looney Tunes style action.

The screening will be followed by an audience Q&A with Ryland, merch signing and general beaver-based shenanigans.

Oliver Mears’ unmissable, gripping new production of Puccini’s thriller. In war-torn Rome, Floria Tosca and Mario Cavaradossi live for each other and for their art. But when Cavaradossi helps an escaped prisoner, the lovers make a deadly enemy.

In war-torn Rome, Floria Tosca and Mario Cavaradossi live for each other and for their art. But when Cavaradossi helps an escaped prisoner, the lovers make a deadly enemy in the form of Baron Scarpia, Chief of Police. At the mercy of Scarpia’s twisted desires, Tosca is forced to make a horrific bargain: sleeping with the man she hates in order to save the man she loves. Can she find a way out?

A star-studded cast includes soprano Anna Netrebko performing the role of Tosca, tenor Freddie De Tommaso as Cavaradossi, and bass-baritone Gerald Finley as Scarpia, with Music Director of The Royal Opera Jakub Hrůša conducting his first new production in the role. An alternative, modern-day Rome provides the backdrop for Oliver Mears’ unmissable, gripping new production of Puccini’s thriller.

Secret weather-control experiments create a radioactive storm and Godzilla must rescue monster hatchling Minilla from the giant mutant insects that result!

In director Jun Fukuda’s second Godzilla outing, secret weather-control experiments create a radioactive storm and Godzilla must rescue monster hatchling Minilla from the giant mutant insects that result.

Featuring a buoyant score by Masaru Sato and impressive wirework by special-effects director Sadamasa Arikawa, Son of Godzilla is lively, comic, and timely in its addressing of contemporary anxiety about worldwide food shortages.

Discover the works of some of the most celebrated and prominent LGBTQ+ filmmakers of the last few decades.

Discover the works of some of the most celebrated and prominent LGBTQ+ filmmakers of the last few decades.

The course will comprise of an overview and analysis of several queer director’s films, including works from Todd Haynes (Safe, Far From Heaven), Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name, Queer), Celine Sciamma (Portrait of a Lady on Fire), Cheryl Dunye (Watermelon Woman) and Andrew Haigh (Weekend, All of Us Strangers).

FURTHER INFORMATION

Price: £20 / £18 Members

Tutor: Connor Winterton

Booking Information:

This 1 day course will run at Phoenix on Saturday 11 October 2025, 11.30am - 5pm.

You must be 18 or over to attend.

Cancellation Policy:

We do not offer refunds for cancellations of bookings, except in exceptional circumstances. In the event that an advertised course is withdrawn, we will endeavour to give 7 days’ notice and a full refund will be made.

View our Learner Agreement.

ABOUT THE TUTOR

Dr Connor Winterton is subject area lead and lecturer in Media Studies at Loughborough College. Connor has a PhD in Media and Cultural Studies, has lectured at undergraduate level, and has taught numerous short courses at Phoenix. Connor also produces and hosts the pop culture podcast Connor-tations, available for free on Spotify, and is also a reviewer and interviewer for the online publication Borrowing Tape.

Vampires and golems. Invisible men and giant apes. From cinema’s earliest days audiences have had an almost insatiable appetite for 'creature features'. In this 4-week course we'll look at the history of monsters on screen, and ask why we’re continually drawn to them.

Vampires and golems. Invisible men and giant apes. From cinema’s earliest days audiences have had an almost insatiable appetite for 'creature features'. In this 4-week course we'll look at the history of monsters on screen, and ask why we’re continually drawn to them.

COURSE BREAKDOWN:

Week 1: A Universal Threat - The Early Days of Monster Movies

Week 2: Godzilla Vs Cinema - How Kaiju stories influenced Monster Movies Everywhere

Week 3: Plan 9 - the goofiest monsters and ghouls to trouble the silver screen

Week 4: Just When You Thought it Was Safe - Monsters in the Modern Age

Booking Information:

Price: £55 / £50 conc / £45 Members

Tutor: Kenton Hall

This 4 week course will run at Phoenix on Mondays, from 13 Oct - 3 Nov, 7pm - 8.30pm.

You must be 18 or over to attend.

Cancellation Policy:

We do not offer refunds for cancellations of bookings, except in exceptional circumstances. In the event that an advertised course is withdrawn, we will endeavour to give 7 days’ notice and a full refund will be made.

View our Learner Agreement.

ABOUT THE TUTOR

Kenton Hall is an award-winning Canadian writer, director, musician and actor. In 2015, he wrote, directed and co-starred in the feature film A Dozen Summers, now available on Netflix.
He also wrote the comic memoir Bisection, about living and parenting with bipolar disorder, co-wrote the Audible Drama Getting Better, starring Rhod Gilbert, Kathryn Drysdale and Mark Gatiss, co-adapted and co-directed for audio, the lost silent horror film London After Midnight (starring Art Malik) and wrote the Doctor Who musical spin-off Children of the Circus and its novelisation. Somewhere in between he released the triple album Idiopath as Kenton Hall & The Necessary Measures.

Sally Hodgson is a Nottingham-based freelancer who recently moved from film marketing and distribution into the costume department for film and TV. This session offers practical advice on career change, breaking into new departments, and building a sustainable path in production, ideal for creatives considering a shift or expanding department knowledge in the screen industries.

Sally Hodgson is a Nottingham-based freelancer who recently moved from film marketing and distribution into the costume department for film and TV.

She independently distributed feature-length documentaries and was one of the UK’s first Producers of Marketing & Distribution, a role focused on connecting films with audiences through inventive strategies. Sally has mentored filmmakers and presented on crowdfunding, independent distribution, and audience development at events including SxSW, Edinburgh Film Festival and Sheffield Doc/Fest.

Her move into costume has seen her gain credits on BFI-funded shorts, indie and studio features, and TV hits such as DI Ray, Phoenix Rise, and Hullraisers.

This session offers practical advice on career change, breaking into new departments, and building a sustainable path in production, ideal for creatives considering a shift or expanding department knowledge in the screen industries.

Edgar Allan Poe is synonymous with all things gothic and cinema has taken full advantage. But there is more to Poe than horror – from the very first detective stories to science fiction and poetry, not to mention his own turbulent life and times. We’ll delve deep into Poe’s canon and his influence on the silver screen.

Edgar Allen Poe is synonymous with all things gothic and cinema has taken full advantage. But there is more to Poe than horror – from the very first detective stories to science fiction and poetry, not to mention his own turbulent life and times. We’ll delve deep into Poe’s canon and his influence on the silver screen.

COURSE BREAKDOWN

Week 1: Poe's Monsters - a look at the influence of Poe on classic monster movies

Week 2: Houses, Pits and Palaces - Poe's creepiest morality plays on screen

Week 3: The Lost Detective - The Strange Case of C. Auguste Dupin

Week 4: A Most Peculiar Character - Edgar Allen Poe himself on Screen

FURTHER INFORMATION

Price: £55 / £50 conc / £45 Members

Tutor: Kenton Hall

Booking Information:

This 4 week course will run at Phoenix on Thursdays, 16 October -– 6 Nov 2025, 7pm - 8.30pm.

You must be 18 or over to attend.

Cancellation Policy:

We do not offer refunds for cancellations of bookings, except in exceptional circumstances. In the event that an advertised course is withdrawn, we will endeavour to give 7 days’ notice and a full refund will be made.

View our Learner Agreement.

ABOUT THE TUTOR

Kenton Hall is an award-winning Canadian writer, director, musician and actor. In 2015, he wrote, directed and co-starred in the feature film A Dozen Summers, now available on Netflix. He also wrote the comic memoir Bisection, about living and parenting with bipolar disorder, co-wrote the Audible Drama Getting Better, starring Rhod Gilbert, Kathryn Drysdale and Mark Gatiss, co-adapted and co-directed for audio, the lost silent horror film London After Midnight (starring Art Malik) and wrote the Doctor Who musical spin-off Children of the Circus and its novelisation. Somewhere in between he released the triple album Idiopath as Kenton Hall & The Necessary Measures.

Godzilla vs. Hedorah finds the King of the Monsters fighting an alien life form that arrives on Earth and steadily grows by feeding on industrial waste.

Intended to address the crisis levels of pollution in postwar Japan, Godzilla vs. Hedorah finds the King of the Monsters fighting an alien life form that arrives on Earth and steadily grows by feeding on industrial waste.

Director Yoshimitsu Banno infuses the film with equal parts ecological horror, humorous monster antics, and sixties psychedelia straight out of San Francisco, making for a truly unique—and divisive—entry in the series.

Nadine Sierra summits another peak of the soprano repertoire as Amina, who sleepwalks her way into audiences’ hearts in Bellini’s poignant tale of love lost and found.

Following triumphant Live in HD performances in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, Verdi’s La Traviata, and Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, Nadine Sierra summits another peak of the soprano repertoire as Amina, who sleepwalks her way into audiences’ hearts in Bellini’s poignant tale of love lost and found.

In his new production, Rolando Villazón—the tenor who has embarked on a brilliant second career as a director—retains the opera’s original setting in the Swiss Alps but uses its somnambulant plot to explore the emotional and psychological valleys of the mind. Tenor Xabier Anduaga co-stars as Amina’s fiancé, Elvino, alongside soprano Sydney Mancasola as her rival, Lisa, and bass Alexander Vinogradov as Count Rodolfo. Riccardo Frizza takes the podium for one of opera’s most ravishing works, which will be transmitted live from the Met stage to cinemas on October 18.

We're honoured to host the UK premiere of Milestone: Streets Paved with Gold - a powerful new film honouring the Windrush generation and the Caribbean migration experience in Britain, adapted from Victor Richards’ acclaimed one-man play.

We're honoured to host the UK premiere of Milestone: Streets Paved with Gold - a powerful new film honouring the Windrush generation and the Caribbean migration experience in Britain. Adapted from Victor Richards’ acclaimed one-man play, this 60-minute cinematic journey follows Augustus Cleveland Johnson from his 1948 arrival in England through decades of resilience, family, culture, and identity.

Blending voiceover, vivid recreations, and historical archives, the film immerses viewers in a heartfelt tribute to a generation that helped shape modern Britain. Filmed across Leicester and the Midlands, it's a moving, sensory celebration of Caribbean-British heritage.

There will be special guest appearances on the evening and the screening will be followed by an after party in our Café Bar.

Five-time Olivier Award winner Imelda Staunton (The Crown) joins forces with her real-life daughter Bessie Carter (Bridgerton) for the very first time, playing mother and daughter in Bernard Shaw’s incendiary moral classic.

Five-time Olivier Award winner Imelda Staunton (The Crown) joins forces with her real-life daughter Bessie Carter (Bridgerton) for the very first time, playing mother and daughter in Bernard Shaw’s incendiary moral classic.

Vivie Warren is a woman ahead of her time. Her mother, however, is a product of that old patriarchal order. Exploiting it has earned Mrs. Warren a fortune – but at what cost? Filmed live from the West End, this new production reunites Staunton with director Dominic Cooke (Follies, Good), exploring the clash between morality and independence, traditions and progress.

Learn how to get the most out of your film in the edit suite with this guide to the art of film editing, led by tutor Keith Allott.

Learn how to get the most out of your film in the edit suite with this guide to the art of film editing, led by Keith Allott (Badshoes Film).

Over 8 sessions you’ll explore topics including editing techniques, visual style, colour grading and mastering, along with basic graphics and special effects using freely available, low cost software.

NOTE: You'll be using Final Cut Pro (and possibly Premiere Pro too) throughout the course.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Price: £105 / £95 conc / £87 Members

Tutor: Keith Allott

Booking Information:

This 8-week course will run on Thursdays, 7pm – 8.30pm, from 23 October – 11 December 2025.

You must be 18 or over to attend.

Member discount available.

Cancellation Policy:

We do not offer refunds for cancellations of bookings, except in exceptional circumstances. In the event that an advertised course is withdrawn, we will endeavour to give 7 days’ notice and a full refund will be made.

View our Learner Agreement

ABOUT THE TUTOR

Keith Allott is an award-winning narrative, documentary and abstract filmmaker with his own production company, Badshoes Film. His work has screened at film festivals across the world since 1997 including BAFTA qualifying screenings at Aesthetica and Encounters. As a producer he works with young people to create their own films and has helped them to screen and win awards through Into Film, the British Youth Council and multiple festivals including the BFI and INDI’s. He currently teaches film production and theory at De Montfort University International College and is working on several short and feature length projects.

An alien invasion prompts a tag-team battle between Godzilla and Anguirus (the planet protectors) and King Ghidorah and new monster Gigan.

An alien invasion prompts a tag-team battle between Godzilla and Anguirus, the planet protectors, and King Ghidorah and the new monster Gigan, a cyborg with scythe-like claws, an abdominal buzz saw, winglike back fins, and pincerlike mandibles.

In this action-packed film, which veers from the sublime to the ridiculous, the cockroachlike aliens—disguised as humans—use Gigan and King Ghidorah as weapons of conquest in their plot to take over a contaminated Earth.

Get ready for the ultimate rock experience as Bat Out of Hell roars onto the big screen this Halloween!

Get ready for the ultimate rock experience as Bat Out of Hell roars onto the big screen this Halloween!

The cast of the West End production will bring Jim Steinman and Meat Loaf’s iconic anthems to life, including I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That), Paradise By The Dashboard Light, Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad, Dead Ringer For Love, and, of course, Bat Out of Hell.

Bat out of Hell -The Musical promises a spectacle that will leave you breathless! This heart-pounding experience, with a powerhouse eight-piece live band on stage, delivers a new production with sprawling multi-level platforms to transport you from Raven’s bedroom to the underground world of the Lost in a visual feast that pushes the boundaries of live theatre

With its enchanting setting and spellbinding score, the world’s most popular opera is as timeless as it is heartbreaking.

With its enchanting setting and spellbinding score, the world’s most popular opera is as timeless as it is heartbreaking.

Franco Zeffirelli’s picture-perfect production brings 19th-century Paris to the Met stage as Puccini’s young friends and lovers navigate the joy and struggle of bohemian life. Soprano Juliana Grigoryan is the feeble seamstress Mimì, opposite tenor Freddie De Tommaso as the ardent poet Rodolfo. Keri-Lynn Wilson conducts the November 8 performance, which will be transmitted live from the Met stage to cinemas worldwide.

This affectionate portrayal of village life combines exuberant good humour and brilliantly inventive choreography in what is undoubtedly Ashton’s love letter to the English countryside.

Lise, the only daughter of Widow Simone, is in love with the young farmer Colas, but her mother has far more ambitious plans for her. Simone hopes to marry her off to Alain, the son of the wealthy proprietor Thomas. Desperate to marry Colas rather than Alain, Lise contrives to outwit her mother’s plans.

65 years after its premiere, The Royal Ballet presents Frederick Ashton’s La Fille Mal Gardée. This affectionate portrayal of village life combines exuberant good humour and brilliantly inventive choreography in what is undoubtedly Ashton’s love letter to the English countryside. La Fille Mal Gardée whisks us away into pastoral bliss with Ferdinand Hérold’s cheerful score and Osbert Lancaster’s colourful designs.

Nuclear testing unleashes mayhem on the undersea kingdom of Seatopia. To exact revenge, Seatopia unleashes Megalon, a gigantic beetle with the ability to fire ray beams and napalm bombs.

Nuclear testing unleashes mayhem on the undersea kingdom of Seatopia, causing a series of environmental disasters that nearly wipes out Rokuro, the schoolboy protagonist at the centre of this film.

To exact revenge, Seatopia unleashes Megalon, a gigantic beetle with the ability to fire ray beams and napalm bombs. Meanwhile, Rokuro’s brother creates Jet Jaguar, a flying robot with a built-in moral compass. The inevitable matchup of Godzilla and Jet Jaguar versus Megalon and Gigan decides the world’s fate.

We're delighted to welcome Leicester Jazz House back to Phoenix for a new season of performances for 2025/26, this month featuring The Brandon Allen Quartet.

We're delighted to welcome Leicester Jazz House back to Phoenix for a new season of performances for 2025/26, this month featuring The Brandon Allen Quartet – a dynamic group that performs contemporary arrangements of standard repertoire and jazz classics as well as original material.

The longstanding musical partnership of saxophonist Brandon Allen and pianist Tim Lapthorn is at the core of this project. The addition of Jeremy Brown (bass) and Chris Higginbottom (drums) has proved to be a potent mix, the group creating an explosive blend of melodic improvisation, heavy swing and emotional freedom and spontaneity.

The group repertoire is inspired by swing, bop, latin music, contemporary jazz and above all else, the experience of life right now.

Line-up:

Brandon Allen – Saxophone

Tim Lapthorn – Piano

Jeremy Brown – Bass

Darren Becket – Drums

“Rock-solid and exciting performances capturing the essence of the classic jazz quartet at its finest.” – London Jazz News

“Allen and Lapthorn both play with power and conviction, their solos fluent and consistently imaginative.” – The Jazzmann

Extreme Cinema examines the cultural, aesthetic, and ethical boundaries of cinema that shocks, unsettles, and challenges audiences. What makes a film ‘extreme’? Is it purely a matter of graphic content, or something more complex?

Extreme Cinema, led by Dr Connor Winterton, will examine the cultural, aesthetic, and ethical boundaries of cinema that shocks, unsettles, and challenges audiences. What makes a film ‘extreme’? Is it purely a matter of graphic content, or something more complex?

Using a range of controversial case studies — including Irreversible (2002), Martyrs (2008), The Human Centipede (2009), 9 Songs (2004), and Happiness (1998) — we’ll navigate the spectrum of extremity in relation to violence, sex, trauma, and taboo. Alongside close textual analysis, the course will engage with the politics of representation and censorship, encouraging critical reflection on spectatorship, ethics, and affect.

Designed for those with a strong stomach and an open mind, Extreme Cinema is not only about the films themselves, but what they reveal about society, power, and the boundaries of taste.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Price: £20 / £18 Members

Tutor: Dr. Connor Winterton

Booking Information:

This one day course will run at Phoenix on Saturday 15 Nov, 11.30am - 5pm.

You must be 18 or over to attend.

Cancellation Policy:

We do not offer refunds for cancellations of bookings, except in exceptional circumstances. In the event that an advertised course is withdrawn, we will endeavour to give 7 days’ notice and a full refund will be made.

View our Learner Agreement.

ABOUT THE TUTOR

Dr Connor Winterton is course leader and lecturer in Media Studies at Loughborough College, and has previously worked as an Associate Lecturer in Media and Communications at Birmingham City University. Connor is also an active researcher, and their main expertise lies in representations of gender and sexuality in contemporary media. However, they have many interests in the fields of film and media, which range from auteur cinema to audiences and spectatorship.

Godzilla’s evil twin Mechagodzilla first reared its head in this Jun Fukuda–directed film.

Godzilla’s evil twin Mechagodzilla first reared its head in this Jun Fukuda–directed film.

A robot designed by aliens to conquer Earth, the enduringly popular villain has since been resurrected by Toho Studios several times. With the help of earnest direction, spectacular pyrotechnics, and guest appearances by veteran genre actors, this film recaptures the feel of the sixties Godzilla movies.

Mystery, intrigue, beauty, passion, murder – this new dramatic biography from multi-award-winning filmmakers David Bickerstaff and Phil Grabsky shines a new light on Caravaggio.

Five years in production, this is the most extensive film ever made about one of the greatest artists of all time – Caravaggio. Featuring masterpiece after masterpiece and with first-hand testimony from the artist himself on the eve of his mysterious disappearance, this beautiful new film reveals Caravaggio as never before.

Multi-award-winning filmmakers David Bickerstaff and Phil Grabsky delve into the hidden narratives of Caravaggio’s life, piecing together clues embedded within his incredible art. The intriguing self-depictions within his works — sometimes disguised, sometimes in plain sight — offer a rare window into his psyche and personal struggles. Join us as we unravel the story of one of history’s most brilliant, complex and controversial figures.

Soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen stars as the title heroine, a young noblewoman in search of love on her own terms.

On November 22, Strauss’s elegant romance brings the glamour and enchantment of 19th-century Vienna to cinemas worldwide in a sumptuous production by legendary director Otto Schenk that “is as beautiful as one could hope” (The New York Times).

Soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen stars as the title heroine, a young noblewoman in search of love on her own terms. Radiant soprano Louise Alder is her sister, Zdenka, and bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny is the dashing count who sweeps Arabella off her feet.

Olivier Award-winner Jack Lowden (Slow Horses, Dunkirk) is joined by Emmy and BAFTA-winner Martin Freeman (The Hobbit, The Responder) in the critically acclaimed and subversively funny new play by David Ireland.

Olivier Award-winner Jack Lowden (Slow Horses, Dunkirk) is joined by Emmy and BAFTA-winner Martin Freeman (The Hobbit, The Responder) in the critically acclaimed and subversively funny new play by David Ireland.

After years in the 12-step programme of Alcoholics Anonymous, James becomes a sponsor to newcomer Luka. The pair bond over black coffee, trade stories and build a fragile friendship out of their shared experiences. But as Luka approaches step five – the moment of confession – dangerous truths emerge, threatening the trust on which both of their recoveries depend.

Finn den Hertog directs the provocative and entertaining production filmed live from @sohoplace on London’s West End.

In Godzilla’s last gasp of the Showa era, aliens retrieve Mechagodzilla’s remains and rebuild it, in the hope of defeating Godzilla for possession of planet Earth.

In Godzilla’s last gasp of the Showa era, aliens retrieve Mechagodzilla’s remains and rebuild it with the aid of an unhinged biologist (a scenery-chewing Akihiko Hirata), in hopes of defeating Godzilla for possession of planet Earth.

This film marked the return of director Ishiro Honda, who had retired years earlier, disheartened by the increasingly kid-friendly approach of the series. For this final entry, Honda steers the King of the Monsters back into grim territory, interweaving an alien-invasion plot with a tale of tragic romance.

This enchanting ballet by The Royal Ballet’s Founding Choreographer Frederick Ashton will transport you into an ethereal world where a sprinkling of fairy dust makes dreams come true.

Stuck at home and put to work by her spoiled Step-Sisters, Cinderella’s life is dreary and dull. Everything changes when she helps a mysterious woman out...With a little bit of magic, she is transported into an ethereal new world – one where fairies bring the gifts of the seasons, where pumpkins turn into carriages, and where true love awaits.

This enchanting ballet by The Royal Ballet’s Founding Choreographer Frederick Ashton is a theatrical experience for all the family and will transport you into an ethereal world where a sprinkling of fairy dust makes dreams come true.

Join André Rieu for his 2025 Christmas Concert – “Merry Christmas” and experience joyful carols, beautiful waltzes, and plenty of surprises – it’s the ultimate Christmas cinema event!

Join André Rieu for his 2025 Christmas Concert – “Merry Christmas” and experience joyful carols, beautiful waltzes, and plenty of surprises – it’s the ultimate Christmas cinema event!

With his fabulous Johann Strauss Orchestra, and special guests including the sensational Emma Kok and over 400 brass players bringing the majestic sound of Christmas, André’s concert is bursting with warmth, laughter, and holiday cheer.

Christmas is André’s favourite time of year - and he can’t wait to share this spectacular concert with you, only in cinemas!

Giordano’s passionate tragedy stars tenor Piotr Beczała as the virtuous poet who falls victim to the intrigue and violence of the French Revolution.

Giordano’s passionate tragedy stars tenor Piotr Beczała as the virtuous poet who falls victim to the intrigue and violence of the French Revolution.

Following their celebrated recent partnership in Giordano’s Fedora in the 2022–23 Live in HD season, Beczała reunites with soprano Sonya Yoncheva as Chénier’s aristocratic lover, Maddalena di Coigny, with baritone Igor Golovatenko as Carlo Gérard, the agent of the Reign of Terror who seals their fates. Met Principal Guest Conductor Daniele Rustioni takes the podium to lead Nicolas Joël’s gripping staging, which will be transmitted live from the Met stage to cinemas on December 13.

Featuring Tchaikovsky’s most familiar melodies and brought to life by Julia Trevelyan Oman’s exquisite designs, The Nutcracker is sure to be a festive firecracker for all ages.

The magician Herr Drosselmeyer needs to save his nephew. Hans-Peter has been transformed into a Nutcracker; the only way to save him is for the Nutcracker to defeat the Mouse King and find a girl to love and care for him. A flicker of hope comes in the form of the young Clara, whom Drosselmeyer meets at a Christmas party. With some magic, a cosy Christmas gathering turns into a marvellous adventure.

Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker has enchanted audiences since its 1984 premiere by the Company. Featuring Tchaikovsky’s most familiar melodies and brought to life by Julia Trevelyan Oman’s exquisite designs, The Nutcracker is sure to be a festive firecracker for all ages.

For gorgeous melody, spellbinding coloratura, and virtuoso vocal fireworks, I Puritani has few equals.

For gorgeous melody, spellbinding coloratura, and virtuoso vocal fireworks, I Puritani has few equals.

On January 10, the first new Met production of Bellini’s final masterpiece in nearly 50 years - a striking staging by Charles Edwards, who makes his company directorial debut after many successes as a set designer - arrives in cinemas worldwide.

The Met has assembled a world-beating quartet of stars, conducted by Marco Armiliato, for the demanding principal roles. Soprano Lisette Oropesa and tenor Lawrence Brownlee are Elvira and Arturo, brought together by love and torn apart by the political rifts of the English Civil War, with baritone Artur Ruciński as Riccardo, betrothed to Elvira against her will, and bass-baritone Christian Van Horn as Elvira’s sympathetic uncle, Giorgio.

As intimate as it is sumptuous, La Traviata features some of opera’s most famous melodies, and is a star vehicle for its leading soprano role sung by Ermonela Jaho.

At one of her lavish parties, celebrated Parisan courtesan Violetta is introduced to Alfredo Germont. The two fall madly in love, and though hesitant to leave behind her life of luxury and freedom, Violetta follows her heart. But the young couple’s happiness is short-lived, as the harsh realities of life soon come knocking.

As intimate as it is sumptuous, La Traviata features some of opera’s most famous melodies, and is a star vehicle for its leading soprano role sung by Ermonela Jaho. In director Richard Eyre’s world of seductive grandeur, the tender and devastating beauty at the centre of Verdi’s opera shines bright.

Olivier Award-winner Hiran Abeysekera (Life of Pi) is Hamlet in this fearless, contemporary take on Shakespeare’s famous tragedy.

Olivier Award-winner Hiran Abeysekera (Life of Pi) is Hamlet in this fearless, contemporary take on Shakespeare’s famous tragedy.

Trapped between duty and doubt, surrounded by power and privilege, young Prince Hamlet dares to ask the ultimate question – you know the one.

National Theatre Deputy Artistic Director Robert Hastie (Standing at the Sky’s Edge, Operation Mincemeat) directs this sharp, stylish and darkly funny reimagining.

Silents Synced pairs classic silent movies with epic rock music to bring audiences a unique big screen experience. Buster Keaton’s 1924 comedy classic is reimagined with R.E.M. 's alt-rock masterpieces Monster (1994) and New Adventures in Hi-Fi (1996).

Silents Synced pairs classic silent movies with epic rock music to bring audiences a unique big screen experience. Buster Keaton’s 1924 comedy classic is reimagined with R.E.M. 's alt-rock masterpieces Monster (1994) and New Adventures in Hi-Fi (1996).

In this sublime comedy teetering between reality and illusion, Buster Keaton stars as a film projectionist who dreams of becoming a detective. He uses his limited skills when he is framed by a rival for stealing his girlfriend’s father’s pocket watch. Keaton reportedly broke his neck performing one of the many dangerous practical stunts in the film.

Whether you’re a movie lover or a rock music fan this is an experience you won’t want to miss!!

Olivier-award winning ballet triptych capturing the heart of Virginia Woolf’s uniquely artistic spirit.

Virginia Woolf defied literary conventions to depict rich inner worlds – her heightened, startling and poignant reality. Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor leads a luminous artistic team to evoke Woolf’s signature stream of consciousness writing style in this immense work that rejects traditional narrative structures. Woolf Works is a collage of themes from Mrs Dalloway, Orlando, The Waves and Woolf’s other writings. Created in 2015 for The Royal Ballet, this Olivier-award winning ballet triptych captures the heart of Woolf’s uniquely artistic spirit.

The quintessential Romantic ballet of love, betrayal and redemption.

The peasant girl Giselle has fallen in love with Albrecht. When she discovers that he is actually a nobleman promised to another, she kills herself in despair. Her spirit joins the Wilis: the vengeful ghosts of women hell-bent on killing any man who crosses their path in a dance to the death. Wracked with guilt, Albrecht visits Giselle’s grave, where he must face the Wilis – and Giselle’s ghost.

Peter Wright’s 1985 production of this quintessential Romantic ballet is a classic of The Royal Ballet repertory. Set to Adolphe Adam’s evocative score and with atmospheric designs by John Macfarlane, Giselle conjures up the earthly and otherworldly realms in a tale of love, betrayal and redemption.

Celebrating the 250th anniversary of their births, this unmissable new documentary explores Turner and Constable’s intertwined lives and legacies alongside the groundbreaking Tate exhibition.

Celebrating the 250th anniversary of their births, this unmissable new documentary explores Turner and Constable’s intertwined lives and legacies alongside the groundbreaking Tate exhibition.

Two of Britain’s greatest painters, J.M.W. Turner and John Constable were also the greatest of rivals. Born within a year of each other, both used landscape painting to reflect the changing world around them.

Tate Britain is bringing these two greats together for a groundbreaking exhibition, in London from November 2025 to April 2026, and Exhibition on Screen once again has exclusive and privileged access to bring their extraordinary art and remarkable stories to the big screen in February so that you can enjoy both film and exhibition together. Discover unexpected sides to both artists with intimate views of sketchbooks and personal items and insights from leading experts.

After years of anticipation, a truly unmissable event arrives in cinemas worldwide on March 21 as the electrifying Lise Davidsen tackles one of the ultimate roles for dramatic soprano.

After years of anticipation, a truly unmissable event arrives in cinemas worldwide on March 21 as the electrifying Lise Davidsen tackles one of the ultimate roles for dramatic soprano: the Irish princess Isolde in Wagner’s transcendent meditation on love and death.

Heroic tenor Michael Spyres stars opposite Davidsen as the love-drunk Tristan. The momentous occasion also marks the advent of a new, Met-debut staging by Yuval Sharon—hailed by The New York Times as “the most visionary opera director of his generation” and the first American to direct an opera at the famed Wagner festival in Bayreuth—as well as Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s first time leading Tristan und Isolde at the Met. Mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova reprises her portrayal of Brangäne, alongside bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny, who sings Kurwenal after celebrated Met appearances in Wagner’s Der Fliegende Holländer and Ring cycle. Bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green makes an important role debut as King Marke.

The triumphant third chapter of Wagner's Ring cycle.

Raised by a scheming dwarf and unaware of his true family origins, a young man embarks on an epic journey. Soon, destiny brings him face-to-face with a shattered sword, a fearsome dragon and the cursed ring it guards, and a Valkyrie forced into enchanted slumber...

Moments of transcendent beauty and heroic triumph sparkle in the third chapter of Wagner’s Ring cycle, brought to life under Barrie Kosky’s inspired eye following his spectacular Das Rheingold (2023) and Die Walküre (2025). Andreas Schager, in his much-anticipated debut with The Royal Opera, stars as Siegfried’s titular hero, alongside Christopher Maltman’s towering Wanderer, Peter Hoare’s treacherous Mime and Elisabet Strid’s radiant Brünnhilde. Antonio Pappano conducts, drawing out the unspoken tensions and ethereal mysticism of Wagner’s dynamic score.

Mozart’s fantastical opera glitters in David McVicar’s enchanting production.

Princess Pamina has been captured. Her mother, the Queen of the Night, tasks the young Prince Tamino with her daughter’s rescue. But when Tamino and his friendly sidekick, Papageno, embark on their adventure, they soon learn that when it comes to the quest for love, nothing is as it really seems. Guided by a magic flute, they encounter monsters, villains, and a mysterious brotherhood of men – but help, it turns out, comes when you least expect it.

Mozart’s fantastical opera glitters in David McVicar’s enchanting production. A star cast including Julia Bullock as Pamina, Amitai Pati as Tamino, Huw Montague Rendall as Papageno, Kathryn Lewek as the Queen of the Night, and Soloman Howard as Sarastro, led by French conductor Marie Jacquot in her Covent Garden debut.

Following her acclaimed 2024 company debut in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, soprano Asmik Grigorian returns to the Met as Tatiana, the lovestruck young heroine in this ardent operatic adaptation of Pushkin.

Following her acclaimed 2024 company debut in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, soprano Asmik Grigorian returns to the Met as Tatiana, the lovestruck young heroine in this ardent operatic adaptation of Pushkin, which will be transmitted live from the Metropolitan Opera stage to cinemas worldwide on May 2.

Baritone Igor Golovatenko reprises his portrayal of the urbane Onegin, who realizes his affection for her all too late. The Met’s evocative production, directed by Tony Award–winner Deborah Warner, “offers a beautifully detailed reading of … Tchaikovsky’s lyrical romance” (The Telegraph).

Take a journey through the life of a true icon, discover her art, and uncover the true story of the rebellious, passionate and turbulent life of Frida Kahlo.

“I never paint dreams or nightmares. I paint my own reality.”

Frida Kahlo is a phenomenon, arguably the world’s favourite female artist and beloved by young and old. Exhibition on Screen’s award-winning film – first released during covid to a restricted audience - is back by popular demand with an exciting new addition from the blockbuster transatlantic exhibition from Tate Britain and MFA Houston 'Frida Kahlo: the Making of an Icon'.

Who was Frida Kahlo? Everyone knows her face but who was the woman behind the bright colours, the big brows and the floral crowns? Take a journey through the life of a true icon, discover her art, and uncover the true story of her rebellious, passionate and turbulent life.

Making use of the latest technology to deliver previously unimaginable quality, we take an in-depth look at key works throughout her career. Using letters Kahlo wrote to guide us, this definitive film reveals her deepest emotions and unlocks the secrets and symbolism contained within her art.

Image credit: The Two Fridas, 1939, Frida Kahlo, Museo de Arte Moderno, Photo © Bridgeman Images

The season comes to a close with a live transmission of American composer Gabriela Lena Frank’s first opera, a magical-realist portrait of Mexico’s painterly power couple Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

On May 30, the Metropolitan Opera’s 2025–26 Live season comes to a close with a live transmission of American composer Gabriela Lena Frank’s first opera, a magical-realist portrait of Mexico’s painterly power couple Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, with libretto by Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Nilo Cruz.

Fashioned as a reversal of the Orpheus and Euridice myth, the story depicts Frida, sung by leading mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard, leaving the underworld on the Day of the Dead and reuniting with Diego, portrayed by baritone Carlos Álvarez. The famously feuding pair briefly relive their tumultuous love, embracing both the passion and the pain before bidding the land of the living a final farewell. Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts the Met-premiere staging of Frank’s opera, a “confident, richly imagined score” (The New Yorker) that “bursts with color and fresh individuality” (Los Angeles Times). The vibrant new production, taking enthusiastic inspiration from Frida and Diego’s paintings, is directed and choreographed by Deborah Colker.