What's On

FIGHT LIKE A GIRL – UK PREMIERE EVENT Including Live Q&A with Ama Qamata & Matt Leutwyler Hosted by Lesley Sackey

Award-winning boxing drama from director Matthew Leutwyler is more than a film. It is a story of survival, identity, and reclaimed power.

Set in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, the film follows a young woman who escapes forced labour in an illegal mine and discovers strength, community, and purpose inside a women’s boxing club built for survivors of war and gender-based violence.

Starring Ama Qamata and Hakeem Kae-Kazim, the film blends raw cinematic storytelling with real lived experience, shot on location in North Kivu with women whose realities mirror the story on screen. At its heart, this is not just about fighting in a ring. It is about what it means to fight for yourself.

Inspired by the life of Balezi “Kibomango” Bagunda, a former child soldier turned boxing champion who built spaces for women to reclaim strength, the film also stands as a tribute to his legacy following his tragic death during conflict in eastern Congo.

Following the screening, audiences will be invited to an exclusive live Q&A featuring lead actor Ama Qamata - internationally recognised for her breakout performances and growing global profile - alongside director Matt Leutwyler, whose work brings raw emotion and authenticity to the screen.

The discussion will be hosted by former GB gold medallist boxer Lesley Sackey, whose own work empowering women through boxing and recovery programmes makes her uniquely connected to the film’s themes of courage, recovery, and reclaiming strength.

Five Stars from UK Film Review: “immersing the viewer into a new world, deep in the DRC, that few have experienced or seen before”

Cath Clarke, The Guardian: “Fiercely authentic”

“A powerful, heart-wrenching true story”

“Earnest heartfelt drama that doesn’t look away from the horror, but chooses to focus on the strength and resilience of women and girls.” programmes makes her uniquely connected to the film’s themes of courage, recovery, and reclaiming strength.

A biopic exploring the life of Michael Jackson, from his Jackson 5 beginnings and extraordinary talent to his status as the biggest entertainer, promising an honest look at his triumphs, struggles, and iconic performances, starring his nephew Jaafar Jackson as Michael, with Colman Domingo & Nia Long as his parents, directed by Antoine Fuqua.

After breaking the mysterious "One Wish Willow" to win his crush's heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.

Celebrate Genesis' 27th Birthday with a special selection of our favourite films of all time. Tickets are £3.50 and you will be able to get a regular popcorn and drink combo for £5.00 Impoverished priest Harihar Ray leaves his rural Bengal village in search of work. His wife, Sarbojaya, looks after their rebellious daughter, Durga, and young son, Apu. The children enjoy the small pleasures of their difficult life.

Celebrate Genesis' 27th Birthday with a special selection of our favourite films of all time. Tickets are £3.50 and you will be able to get a regular popcorn and drink combo for £5.00 After years of diplomatic silence between the United States and Cuba, Castro opens the port of Mariel Harbor, Cuba, to thousands emmigrating to the United States in search of the American dream. Shrewdly, Castro also unlocks the overpacked prisons, allowing hordes of criminals to join the refugees. Tony Montana, a small time hood, is one of them. In Florida, Montana connects with gangster Frank Lopez, and guns his way through the sun washed streets of Miami where he finds power, wealth and passion. He kills Lopez and marries his mistress, Elvira. Montana, better known as "Scarface," soon becomes the leader of a bloody cocaine-smuggling empire but at a terrible cost to his sister, Gina and his loyal friend, Manny. However, like that of others before him, Montana's reign is brief and a violent end is guaranteed as rival gangster compete to become the next drug lord.

The Mandalorian and Grogu embark on their most thrilling mission yet in Lucasfilm’s all-new Star Wars adventure. The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Djin Djarin and his young apprentice Grogu.

Miranda Priestly navigates her career amid the decline of traditional magazine publishing. She faces off against Emily Charlton, her one-time assistant, now a high-powered executive for a luxury group, with advertising dollars that Priestly desperately needs.

A biopic exploring the life of Michael Jackson, from his Jackson 5 beginnings and extraordinary talent to his status as the biggest entertainer, promising an honest look at his triumphs, struggles, and iconic performances, starring his nephew Jaafar Jackson as Michael, with Colman Domingo & Nia Long as his parents, directed by Antoine Fuqua.

After breaking the mysterious "One Wish Willow" to win his crush's heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.

Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.

The Mandalorian and Grogu embark on their most thrilling mission yet in Lucasfilm’s all-new Star Wars adventure. The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Djin Djarin and his young apprentice Grogu.

Miranda Priestly navigates her career amid the decline of traditional magazine publishing. She faces off against Emily Charlton, her one-time assistant, now a high-powered executive for a luxury group, with advertising dollars that Priestly desperately needs.

Charlie (Robert Pattinson) first spotted Emma (Zendaya) at a coffee shop one fall afternoon and somehow worked up the nerve to say hello. What started out as a trainwreck ended with them exchanging numbers—which led to three hour phone calls about everything and nothing, lazy Sundays camped out in parks and bookstores, and late-night diner runs where Emma ordered burgers so rare they were practically mooing. Two years of laughing until their ribs hurt later, and they're ready to make it official, but the happy young couple's stability is put to the test when an unexpected turn of events sends their wedding week spiraling out of control.

Every night a shepherd reads aloud a murder mystery, pretending his sheep can understand. When he is found dead, the sheep realize at once that it was a murder and think they know everything about how to go about solving it.

A biopic exploring the life of Michael Jackson, from his Jackson 5 beginnings and extraordinary talent to his status as the biggest entertainer, promising an honest look at his triumphs, struggles, and iconic performances, starring his nephew Jaafar Jackson as Michael, with Colman Domingo & Nia Long as his parents, directed by Antoine Fuqua.

After breaking the mysterious "One Wish Willow" to win his crush's heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.

Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.

The Mandalorian and Grogu embark on their most thrilling mission yet in Lucasfilm’s all-new Star Wars adventure. The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Djin Djarin and his young apprentice Grogu.

Miranda Priestly navigates her career amid the decline of traditional magazine publishing. She faces off against Emily Charlton, her one-time assistant, now a high-powered executive for a luxury group, with advertising dollars that Priestly desperately needs.

Charlie (Robert Pattinson) first spotted Emma (Zendaya) at a coffee shop one fall afternoon and somehow worked up the nerve to say hello. What started out as a trainwreck ended with them exchanging numbers—which led to three hour phone calls about everything and nothing, lazy Sundays camped out in parks and bookstores, and late-night diner runs where Emma ordered burgers so rare they were practically mooing. Two years of laughing until their ribs hurt later, and they're ready to make it official, but the happy young couple's stability is put to the test when an unexpected turn of events sends their wedding week spiraling out of control.

Every night a shepherd reads aloud a murder mystery, pretending his sheep can understand. When he is found dead, the sheep realize at once that it was a murder and think they know everything about how to go about solving it.

A variety night of dreamy alternative comedy from the best up-and-coming acts you’ve been sleeping on - all from the comfort of the Genesis Bar.

Your hosts Finlay and Joe (Sketch Off Finalists 2024) present for you the sketch, clowning, character and musical comedy acts of your dreams. See comedians of all stripes performing material old and new, guaranteed to get you giggling. And enjoy it all whilst sipping on our signature Dream Juice™ cocktail.

Come down, settle in and snuggle up at Slept On Comedy. It’s a dream come true.

@sleptoncomedy @finlayandjoe

A biopic exploring the life of Michael Jackson, from his Jackson 5 beginnings and extraordinary talent to his status as the biggest entertainer, promising an honest look at his triumphs, struggles, and iconic performances, starring his nephew Jaafar Jackson as Michael, with Colman Domingo & Nia Long as his parents, directed by Antoine Fuqua.

After breaking the mysterious "One Wish Willow" to win his crush's heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.

Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.

The Mandalorian and Grogu embark on their most thrilling mission yet in Lucasfilm’s all-new Star Wars adventure. The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Djin Djarin and his young apprentice Grogu.

Miranda Priestly navigates her career amid the decline of traditional magazine publishing. She faces off against Emily Charlton, her one-time assistant, now a high-powered executive for a luxury group, with advertising dollars that Priestly desperately needs.

Charlie (Robert Pattinson) first spotted Emma (Zendaya) at a coffee shop one fall afternoon and somehow worked up the nerve to say hello. What started out as a trainwreck ended with them exchanging numbers—which led to three hour phone calls about everything and nothing, lazy Sundays camped out in parks and bookstores, and late-night diner runs where Emma ordered burgers so rare they were practically mooing. Two years of laughing until their ribs hurt later, and they're ready to make it official, but the happy young couple's stability is put to the test when an unexpected turn of events sends their wedding week spiraling out of control.

Every night a shepherd reads aloud a murder mystery, pretending his sheep can understand. When he is found dead, the sheep realize at once that it was a murder and think they know everything about how to go about solving it.

Bruce LaBruce plays himself in this 1994 ‘cautionary bio-pic’ about a gay pornographic filmmaker who’s hit a rut. Stuck being too avant-garde for the porn industry and too sleazy for the arthouse cinema circuit, Bruce hasn’t been able to make himself the next Warhol until he runs across Googie, an up-and-cumming lesbian porn director who promises to help him. But will she really give him his big renaissance or is Bruce just being exploited as a butt double?

Blending elements of pornography, avant-garde cinema and documentary filmmaking into a series of films-within-a-film (and with a cameo by Vaginal Davis) the film blurs how all of these forms of moving image blur the lines between fiction and reality. Inspired by LaBruce’s own early years and presented as a digital restoration carried out by TIFF, Super 8 1/2 is messy, sexy and funny window into the queer underground scene of 90s Canada.

Films that F*ck is an irregular screening series exploring the queer intersections of pornography and moving image culture. It is organised by Siavash Minoukadeh

A biopic exploring the life of Michael Jackson, from his Jackson 5 beginnings and extraordinary talent to his status as the biggest entertainer, promising an honest look at his triumphs, struggles, and iconic performances, starring his nephew Jaafar Jackson as Michael, with Colman Domingo & Nia Long as his parents, directed by Antoine Fuqua.

After breaking the mysterious "One Wish Willow" to win his crush's heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.

Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.

The Mandalorian and Grogu embark on their most thrilling mission yet in Lucasfilm’s all-new Star Wars adventure. The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Djin Djarin and his young apprentice Grogu.

Miranda Priestly navigates her career amid the decline of traditional magazine publishing. She faces off against Emily Charlton, her one-time assistant, now a high-powered executive for a luxury group, with advertising dollars that Priestly desperately needs.

Charlie (Robert Pattinson) first spotted Emma (Zendaya) at a coffee shop one fall afternoon and somehow worked up the nerve to say hello. What started out as a trainwreck ended with them exchanging numbers—which led to three hour phone calls about everything and nothing, lazy Sundays camped out in parks and bookstores, and late-night diner runs where Emma ordered burgers so rare they were practically mooing. Two years of laughing until their ribs hurt later, and they're ready to make it official, but the happy young couple's stability is put to the test when an unexpected turn of events sends their wedding week spiraling out of control.

Every night a shepherd reads aloud a murder mystery, pretending his sheep can understand. When he is found dead, the sheep realize at once that it was a murder and think they know everything about how to go about solving it.

Having thwarted Bowser's previous plot to marry Princess Peach, Mario and Luigi now face a fresh threat in Bowser Jr., who is determined to liberate his father from captivity and restore the family legacy. Alongside companions new and old, the brothers travel across the stars to stop the young heir's crusade.

Synopses:

- Matinta (Dir. Fernando Segtowick; 20’; 2010) - In a fishing village in the Amazon, a local woman falls ill for no apparent reason, arousing suspicion. Is it a curse? A haunting? Felício searches desperately for a cure for her illness. Only then can he save his wife’s life and find peace of mind. In his quest, he will uncover things that may haunt him forever.

- Amazônia Sem Garimpo (Tiago Carvalho e Julia Bernstein; 6’30''; 2022) - Amazônia Sem Garimpo is a Brazilian animated film that tells the story, from an indigenous perspective, of the contamination of rivers by mercury used in illegal gold mining. The film shows how the poison affects fish and human health, causing serious illnesses, and highlights the struggle of the indigenous peoples to stop gold mining.

- Amazônia, A Nova Minamata? (Dir. Jorge Bodanzky; Doc; 76’; 2022) - This documentary follows the Munduruku people’s struggle to curb the destructive impact of gold mining on their ancestral territory, whilst revealing how Minamata disease, caused by mercury contamination, now threatens the inhabitants of the entire Amazon region.

About the Festival:

- The Amazon Film Festival is an independent initiative by Mekaron Filmes and the Instituto Cultural Amazônia Brasil, dedicated to the dissemination, exchange, inclusion and cultural education of Amazonian cinema since 2005. Over the past 20 years, it has visited five countries and 26 cities, screened 400 films and reached over 50,000 people.

Over two decades, the Festival has grown and reached a global audience, travelling throughout the Brazilian Amazon, French Guiana, France, Germany and Portugal, and screening hundreds of films.

As well as promoting the region, its people and its culture, the Festival puts the Amazon on the agenda in a wide variety of settings, thereby fostering surprising encounters between various cultures and northern Brazil, connecting ideas and people through cinema.

The project, which was awarded the title of ‘best cultural exchange initiative between Brazil and Europe’ by MINC (Brazil’s Ministry of Culture) in its second edition in 2006, is now in its 11th edition and is coming to London for the first time.

With the support of local partners Cine Brazil and Brazil Matters, the London edition of the Festival will hold five sessions across five different venues, screening 11 titles – short and feature-length films – alongside discussions and the exhibition “And Now the People Know – Mercury contamination in the Amazon as seen through the eyes and hands of Brazil’s Munduruku indigenous people” by photographer Letícia Valverdes, in collaboration with Munduruku indigenous people from the Sawre Muybu territory.

The 11th Amazon Film Festival is a production of Mekaron Filmes and Instituto Cultural Amazônia Brasil, with the support of Instituto Guimarães Rosa, Secult-Pa, Cine Brazil, Brazil Matters, Associação de Amizade Italia-Brasile, Forum Culturel Brésil Suisse, Caraminhola Produções Artísticas, and other important local partners contributing to the success and scope of the project in four different countries.

This event is a part of the UK/Brazil Season of Culture 2025-26 - year-long cultural exchange between the two countries that showcases the diverse and vibrant arts sectors of both nations

Amidst the turmoil of geopolitical crisis and the stockpiling of supermarket goods, an insecure film industry is encountering an existential threat from Pay TV and the challenge of seducing jaded audiences back into movie theatres… And it’s only 1962!

Cult film night BAR TRASH continues our 13th sensational season — SCREAM FOR YOUR LIVES! — With Joe Dante’s keenly nostalgic tribute to William ‘King of Gimmicks’ Castle, MATINEE (1993).

MATINEE tells the story of an old-school cinema showman Lawrence Woolsey — played brilliantly by a cigar-chomping John Goodman — trying to promote his latest low-budget schlocker, MANT! Desperate to open MANT! to big numbers, Woolsey accidentally schedules a preview screening — complete with a marauding actor in a malfunctioning ant costume — in Key West, Florida on the eve of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Just as Roger Corman in 1958 rushed his sci-fi film WAR OF THE SATELLITES into production to exploit America’s fears of the space race, so Woolsey must find a way of making movies matter at a time of global insecurity.

MATINEE will be introduced with a sensational exposé of the TRUE shocking history of movie exhibition gimmicks by queer film fanatic, Token Homo. A must for all film fans! Absolutely not to be missed! WOULD ALL PATRONS PLEASE NOTE: if you dread loud noises in the movie theatre, YOU MUST NOT see this talk!

Polite notice: We are showing MATINEE with subtitles from the best available digital source.

/// BAR TRASH is a celebration of cult and curious cinema, hosted by queer film fanatic Token Homo and friends. Films are served with themed drinks, introductions, intermissions, prize giveaways, and subtitles / captions where possible. Tickets from £3.50 + fees. Adults 18+ only. Follow @tokenhomo or visit tokenhomo.com for all the gory details ///

A biopic exploring the life of Michael Jackson, from his Jackson 5 beginnings and extraordinary talent to his status as the biggest entertainer, promising an honest look at his triumphs, struggles, and iconic performances, starring his nephew Jaafar Jackson as Michael, with Colman Domingo & Nia Long as his parents, directed by Antoine Fuqua.

After breaking the mysterious "One Wish Willow" to win his crush's heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.

The Mandalorian and Grogu embark on their most thrilling mission yet in Lucasfilm’s all-new Star Wars adventure. The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Djin Djarin and his young apprentice Grogu.

Miranda Priestly navigates her career amid the decline of traditional magazine publishing. She faces off against Emily Charlton, her one-time assistant, now a high-powered executive for a luxury group, with advertising dollars that Priestly desperately needs.

Charlie (Robert Pattinson) first spotted Emma (Zendaya) at a coffee shop one fall afternoon and somehow worked up the nerve to say hello. What started out as a trainwreck ended with them exchanging numbers—which led to three hour phone calls about everything and nothing, lazy Sundays camped out in parks and bookstores, and late-night diner runs where Emma ordered burgers so rare they were practically mooing. Two years of laughing until their ribs hurt later, and they're ready to make it official, but the happy young couple's stability is put to the test when an unexpected turn of events sends their wedding week spiraling out of control.

Every night a shepherd reads aloud a murder mystery, pretending his sheep can understand. When he is found dead, the sheep realize at once that it was a murder and think they know everything about how to go about solving it.

A biopic exploring the life of Michael Jackson, from his Jackson 5 beginnings and extraordinary talent to his status as the biggest entertainer, promising an honest look at his triumphs, struggles, and iconic performances, starring his nephew Jaafar Jackson as Michael, with Colman Domingo & Nia Long as his parents, directed by Antoine Fuqua.

Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton) joins Éanna Hardwicke (The Sixth Commandment) and Siobhán McSweeney (Derry Girls) in John Millington Synge’s riveting play of youth and self-discovery.

Pegeen Flaherty’s life is turned upside down when a young man walks into her pub claiming that he’s killed his father. Instead of being shunned, the killer becomes a local hero and begins to win hearts, that is until a second man unexpectedly arrives on the scene…

Filmed live on stage at the National Theatre, Caitríona McLaughlin directs this darkly funny tale full to the brim with secrets.

After breaking the mysterious "One Wish Willow" to win his crush's heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.

Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.

The Mandalorian and Grogu embark on their most thrilling mission yet in Lucasfilm’s all-new Star Wars adventure. The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Djin Djarin and his young apprentice Grogu.

Miranda Priestly navigates her career amid the decline of traditional magazine publishing. She faces off against Emily Charlton, her one-time assistant, now a high-powered executive for a luxury group, with advertising dollars that Priestly desperately needs.

Charlie (Robert Pattinson) first spotted Emma (Zendaya) at a coffee shop one fall afternoon and somehow worked up the nerve to say hello. What started out as a trainwreck ended with them exchanging numbers—which led to three hour phone calls about everything and nothing, lazy Sundays camped out in parks and bookstores, and late-night diner runs where Emma ordered burgers so rare they were practically mooing. Two years of laughing until their ribs hurt later, and they're ready to make it official, but the happy young couple's stability is put to the test when an unexpected turn of events sends their wedding week spiraling out of control.

Every night a shepherd reads aloud a murder mystery, pretending his sheep can understand. When he is found dead, the sheep realize at once that it was a murder and think they know everything about how to go about solving it.

Having thwarted Bowser's previous plot to marry Princess Peach, Mario and Luigi now face a fresh threat in Bowser Jr., who is determined to liberate his father from captivity and restore the family legacy. Alongside companions new and old, the brothers travel across the stars to stop the young heir's crusade.

From acts of subtle defiance to mass movements protesting state repression, queer history is replete with rich traditions of resistance. This propulsive programme unites queer struggles past and present, real and imagined, where glimpses into liberated futures flicker into view. Across a trans kung fu enclave and Filipinx organising in 90s New York, resistance manifests as the sustained, collective labour of nurturing bonds and building sanctuaries.

The Martial Forest
Exiled from society, a kung fu master leads a queer collective of fighters.
dir. J Triangular | Taiwan, Colombia | 2025 | 8min

BECAUSE OF YOU: A History of Kilawin Kolektibo
This documentary traces the history of the trailblazing Filipinx queer collective Kilawin Kolektibo, who were active in New York in the 1990s.
dir. Barbara Malaran, Desireena Almoradie | USA | 2025 | 35min

Elegy for the Lost
This lyrical essay film explores sexual identity and power in contemporary China.
dir. William Hong-xiao Wei | France, Spain, UK | 2025 | 30min

Take Care, Till Springtime
A queer Chinese medicine practitioner heals after being brutalised by the police.
dir. Yi Shi | Canada, China | 2025 | 22min

Curatorial idea by Holly Rowley, as part of Up Next: Future Film Curators Lab 2025/26

As part of Queer East 2026, a cross-disciplinary festival that showcases boundary-pushing LGBTQ+ cinema, live arts, and moving image work from East and Southeast Asia and its diaspora communities.

Now restored in 4K, this first screen adaptation of Pai Hsien-Yung’s groundbreaking 1983 novel Crystal Boys tells the story of A-Qing, a high school student who is thrown out of his family home after being discovered having sex with a man. A-Qing heads to the gay cruising ground of Taipei New Park, where he finds refuge with a group of fellow queer outcasts. The film’s heady mix of dreamlike fantasy, hysterical melodrama, and glitzy nightclub scenes creates a camp, surreal mood. Yet director Yu Kan-Ping succeeds in capturing the emotional rawness of A-Qing’s experience, and from our 21st century perspective, offers a nostalgic documentation of real-life sites in Taipei’s historical cruising scene, now long gone. Stunningly shot and restored to include previously censored material, this stylistically dazzling adaptation can now be appreciated in its full, hallucinatory glory.

Genesis Cinema and SwingdanceUK invite you along to our monthly Swing dance night!
Learn the steps Swing Dance Class 7.30-8.30pm with Simon!
Followed by dancing led by resident DJ Simon Selmon & guest DJs playing great dance music of the 30s, 40s & 50s & beyond for Lindy Hop, Jitterbug, Jive, Shag & Balboa dancers!
A chilled atmosphere where you can meet friends, relax, enjoy a drink or a tasty pizza and dance the night away!

7.30pm Beginners Lindy Hop Class Pre-booking recommended
8.30pm Dancing with resident DJ Simon 'Mr Kicks' Selmon & special guest DJs - all welcome!

Last Entry 9.30 pm

Website: https://swingdanceuk.com/socials/some-like-it-swing/

Told from the perspective of queer parents and children, these short films cast an attentive gaze on the complexity of family dynamics. Alternative possibilities for kinship blossom in decaying cinemas and darkened forests, where love and obligation are tangled up in knots of ambivalence. From childhood to parenthood, dealing with family doesn’t seem to get any easier, but unexpected moments of connection can illuminate the way.

Delay
A gay father tries to attend his straight son’s wedding.
dir. Hanxuan Wang | China, USA | 2025 | 15min

Papa’s Coding Day
A boy saves up money to buy his Papa a day off.
dir. Michael Pogoy | Philippines | 2025 | 18min

Toad Song
Seeking to find his tadpoles a new home, a boy stumbles upon a family secret.
dir. Qin Qin | USA | 2025 | 15min

What’s softest in the world rushes and runs over what’s hardest in the world.
Queerness, nature, and Daoism intersect in this hybrid documentary about parenthood in Singapore.
dir. Charmaine Poh | Singapore | 2024 | 15min

Honey, My Love, So Sweet
A boy learns about love through cinema.
dir. JT Trinidad | Philippines | 2025 | 20min

Content Note: contains depictions of sex

As part of Queer East 2026, a cross-disciplinary festival that showcases boundary-pushing LGBTQ+ cinema, live arts, and moving image work from East and Southeast Asia and its diaspora communities.

Samidoun: The Steadfast Women of Palestine is a powerful short documentary that shares the voices and lived experiences of eight Palestinian women—including a student, a surgeon, a teacher, a journalist, as well as lawyers and musicians—as they navigate life under occupation. Through their stories, the film offers an intimate and deeply human portrait of resilience, dignity, and everyday acts of resistance.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A, creating space for reflection and conversation and inviting audiences to engage more deeply with the women’s stories.

Set in Port-au-Prince, In Haiti is a powerful 44-minute documentary offering an intimate portrait of everyday life amid political instability and uncertainty. Through close encounters with residents navigating daily survival – and a rare, on-the-ground conversation with controversial gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier – the film explores resilience, faith, and community in a city too often reduced to headlines.

Blending observational footage with immersive imagery, In Haiti brings audiences closer to the lived realities of contemporary Haiti, foregrounding voices and perspectives rarely seen on screen.

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion and Q&A moderated by Carine Hejazi (Haitian Support Group), with director Tomasz Kunicki, and Haitian Chamber members Wilford Marous and Michelet Romulus.

Organised by Tapokea, a UK-based independent production and distribution company focused on socially engaged cinema and underrepresented perspectives.

In 2022, four Sudanese filmmakers, along with a British director-writer, began filming the lives and dreams of five very different citizens in Khartoum: Street boy Lokain (12) and his best friend Wilson (11) embark on a mission in Khartoum’s rubbish dumps to buy two beautiful shirts Khadmallah (28) a single mum and tea vendor engages her daily clientele in gossip and cardamom coffee whilst studying math to start her dream business Jawad (30) is a Sufi Rastafarian resistance volunteer who rides a motorcycle and protests for a civilian government against the military Civil servant Majdi (45) escapes office life by racing pigeons with his son.

When filming started, the Sudanese were faced with a military leadership that had brought down the previous civilian government. Soon, however, war broke out between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, displacing over ten million people.

The filmmakers and participants escaped to East Africa but continued their innovative cinematic storytelling, combining animation, green screen reconstructions, and documentary ‘dreamscapes’ to tell their stories.

Filmed on location with donated iPhones, the four emerging Sudanese filmmakers (Anas Saeed, Rawia Al Hag, Brahim Snoopy and Timeea M. Ahmed) capture the stark realism of one of Africa's great cities as it is consumed by turmoil and war.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A.

On the first Thursday of the month, every month, the Genesis Poetry Slam is an electric night of spoken word performances. There will be laughter, there might be tears, there will definitely be rhymes and rhythms.

Whether you’re here to perform or simply to listen, you’ll be part of one of the friendliest, most supportive slam communities around. We don’t have that reputation for nothing.

The Genesis Poetry Slam has been running for over 15 years, and is London’s only three-round poetry slam. Up to 12 poets compete in a night of competitive poetry, to see who makes it to the final round and can claim the title of slam champion for the month.

Join us for another electric night of spoken word as poets battle it out for a place in our December Grand Final.

Genesis Cinema, Stepney Green
Doors 18:45 / Slam starts 19:30
Audience tickets: £1 (advance booking essential)

On the night, sink into a comfy sofa, grab a cocktail or a pie, and watch some of the finest poets bring their words to life.

AUDIENCE
Tickets are £1 and must be booked in advance. Whether you’re a poetry lover or brand new to spoken word, you’ll be warmly welcomed.

POETS

There are two ways to sign up for a slam slot:
Pre sign-up: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/112945284141
On the night

We’re always working to keep the process fair and accessible, and this is the best format we’ve found so far.

Pre sign-up:
Sign up via the Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/112945284141. These slots are strictly first come, first served and fill fast. If you secure a pre sign-up slot, you do not need to buy a ticket – your name will be on the door.

On the night:
If pre sign-up slots are full, we may release a limited number of on-the-night slots, again first come, first served.

If you have a pre sign-up slot, please arrive by 7.00pm to keep it. Any unclaimed slots will be offered to poets on the reserve list. To keep things fair, if the slam has started and you haven’t checked in, you won’t be able to perform.

SLAM RULES

No props.
No costumes.
Reading from paper or phone is fine.
No hate.

And remember:
The points are not the point…
THE POINT IS THE POETRY.

In light of The Criterion Collection adding John Singleton’s Hood Trilogy to its catalogue, The Culture Crypt magazine presents an exclusive screening of the trilogy’s romance-swept second instalment, Poetic Justice. Starring musicians Tupac Shakur and Janet Jackson at the height of their commercial ascent, the 1993 film follows a coming-of-age tale centred on young adults in their 20s grappling with grief, friendship, toxic relationships and love—all while navigating the challenges of everyday life.

To commemorate the legacy of Poetic Justice, The Culture Crypt team will host a brief introduction highlighting the film’s lasting impact as a Black romantic blockbuster and its broader influence on African American cinema and hip-hop culture.

WORM comes to Genesis Cinema.

The roadshow continues with a special screening at Genesis.

Written and directed by Ned Caderni, Worm is a slow-burn psychological folk horror set over the course of a weekend in a remote Welsh country house, where a couple’s anniversary is unsettled by a series of emails sent from the account of a deceased ex-boyfriend. Quiet, atmospheric, and deeply unsettling, the film explores grief, memory, and the persistence of the digital afterlife.

The screening will feature a short introduction, followed by a Q&A with director Ned Caderni, actors Freddie Acaster and Joshua Dowden, and Director of Photography Edward Glynne Jones, hosted by Claire Harrison of Category H Film Club.

“One of the most refreshing debuts in British arthouse cinema in recent memory.” - High On Films

“Worm could become a perpetual attraction.” - Cinema Year Zero

“A stylised and thematically rich feature.” - Culture Film Publication

Join us for the third stop on the Worm roadshow.

Please note: The film features sequences including strobe lighting.

In 70s Great Britain, a gay teacher is forced to hide his sexuality by day while living his secret life by night.

EMPORIUM PRO WRESTLING RETURNS TO GENESIS CINEMA!
GET READY FOR THE EMPORIUM HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT

London’s wildest, weirdest, most explosive night out is back… and this time, it’s bigger, louder, and completely unhinged.

After debuting last year, Emporium Pro Wrestling returns to tear up reality once again — delivering a night of gravity-defying lucha libre, hard-hitting character chaos, and pure, cinematic spectacle like you’ve NEVER seen before.

June 12th marks the start of the Emporium Championship Tournament — a knockout battle where 8 of Emporium’s finest collide for gold, with only 4 advancing to the finals in July.
Who will rise? Who will fall? Who will make the next round and who will etch their name into history? You don’t want to miss this.

But this isn’t just wrestling.

Emporium featured London’s best “did that just happen?!” cabaret acts, shocking moments, full-throttle entertainment, and total theatrical madness.

Let the chaos begin… are you ready?

Tickets will fly faster than a top-rope dive so grab yours now.

Whether you’re a wrestling die-hard or a chaos tourist, Emporium Pro Wrestling is not to be missed.

EMPORIUM: THE AFTERS
THE FREE AFTERPARTY WITH ALL TICKETS THAT WON’T TAP OUT

When the final bell rings, the night is far from over.

Emporium: The Afters takes over Genesis Cinema’s private bar, transforming it into a full-blown free party. Rub shoulders with the wrestlers, swap the ring for the dancefloor, and lose yourself to late-night anthems by wrestler DJs, as everyone tear it up ‘til 2AM.

Costumes. Characters. Party.
It’s still very real to us… and it doesn’t stop ‘til the lights come on.

Live show. Full-on party. Total mayhem — and it’s all FREE with your tickets

Genesis Cinema, Bethnal Green
Seated by: 7:45PM
Show Starts: 8:00PM
Approx. Finish: 10:30PM

EMPORIUM: THE AFTERS
Start: 10:30PM
Finish: 2:00AM

This event is strictly 18+

Accessibility enquiries: info@genesis-cinema.co.uk | 0207 780 2000
General enquiries: emporiumprowrestling@gmail.com

Please Note:
• All ticket sales are final. No refunds or exchanges unless the event is cancelled.
• Match card subject to change. While we strive to deliver the advertised lineup, unforeseen circumstances may require substitutions. The show will always maintain the same high quality of action, energy, and entertainment.
• Loud noises & strobe effects may be used throughout the event.

FOLLOW THE CARNAGE
Instagram: @emporiumprowres
Facebook: @emporiumprowres
X: @emporiumprowres

EMPORIUM PRO WRESTLING RETURNS TO GENESIS CINEMA!
GET READY FOR THE EMPORIUM HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT

London’s wildest, weirdest, most explosive night out is back… and this time, it’s bigger, louder, and completely unhinged.

After debuting last year, Emporium Pro Wrestling returns to tear up reality once again — delivering a night of gravity-defying lucha libre, hard-hitting character chaos, and pure, cinematic spectacle like you’ve NEVER seen before.

June 12th marks the start of the Emporium Championship Tournament — a knockout battle where 8 of Emporium’s finest collide for gold, with only 4 advancing to the finals in July.
Who will rise? Who will fall? Who will make the next round and who will etch their name into history? You don’t want to miss this.

But this isn’t just wrestling.

Emporium featured London’s best “did that just happen?!” cabaret acts, shocking moments, full-throttle entertainment, and total theatrical madness.

Let the chaos begin… are you ready?

Tickets will fly faster than a top-rope dive so grab yours now.

Whether you’re a wrestling die-hard or a chaos tourist, Emporium Pro Wrestling is not to be missed.

EMPORIUM: THE AFTERS
THE FREE AFTERPARTY WITH ALL TICKETS THAT WON’T TAP OUT

When the final bell rings, the night is far from over.

Emporium: The Afters takes over Genesis Cinema’s private bar, transforming it into a full-blown free party. Rub shoulders with the wrestlers, swap the ring for the dancefloor, and lose yourself to late-night anthems by wrestler DJs, as everyone tear it up ‘til 2AM.

Costumes. Characters. Party.
It’s still very real to us… and it doesn’t stop ‘til the lights come on.

Live show. Full-on party. Total mayhem — and it’s all FREE with your tickets

Genesis Cinema, Bethnal Green
Seated by: 7:45PM
Show Starts: 8:00PM
Approx. Finish: 10:30PM

EMPORIUM: THE AFTERS
Start: 10:30PM
Finish: 2:00AM

This event is strictly 18+

Accessibility enquiries: info@genesis-cinema.co.uk | 0207 780 2000
General enquiries: emporiumprowrestling@gmail.com

Please Note:
• All ticket sales are final. No refunds or exchanges unless the event is cancelled.
• Match card subject to change. While we strive to deliver the advertised lineup, unforeseen circumstances may require substitutions. The show will always maintain the same high quality of action, energy, and entertainment.
• Loud noises & strobe effects may be used throughout the event.

FOLLOW THE CARNAGE
Instagram: @emporiumprowres
Facebook: @emporiumprowres
X: @emporiumprowres

Join the London Vaporetto Shorts Film Festival for a screening of “On The Edge Of Your Seat” — a powerful collection of short dramas that will grip you from the very first frame.
From emotional chaos to heart-pounding tension, expect unforgettable performances, original storytelling, and some surprising ingredients…

With an introduction and Q&A with the filmmakers.

Lineup:
“Happy Anniversary” directed by Isabella Salvetti
“Fudge Sunday” directed by Georgia Wilde
“Bricked” directed by Will Stepney
“The Last Ingredient” directed by Lorenzo Coglia
"Jährlinge” directed by Jonathan Schaller
“Le Faremo Sapere” directed by Beppe Tufarulo
“Worst. Experience. Ever.” directed by Alex Boutell

Join the London Vaporetto Shorts Film Festival for a screening of “Try Not To Laugh” — a collection of short films guaranteed to keep the smiles coming.
Whether it’s dry, dark, awkward, or completely unhinged, this programme brings together comedy in all its forms. Come ready to laugh, there won’t be a straight face in the audience.

With an introduction and Q&A with the filmmakers.

Lineup:
“The Test” directed by Benjamin Sutton
“Dreaming Ric” directed by Alex de Cortada
“Full Tank” directed by Jonathan Williams
“Periods are brutal” directed by Isa Geblescu
“Di Primo Pelo” directed by Domenico Cicerone
“The Parking inspector” directed by Sian Crowe
“Bag Ladies” directed by Harry Syed
“Odd socks” directed by David Ledger

Ellen Ripley is rescued by a deep salvage team after being in hypersleep for 57 years. The moon that the Nostromo visited has been colonized, but contact is lost. This time, colonial marines have impressive firepower, but will that be enough? Followed by a group discussion in the bar area with Nick Walker of the Cult Classic Collective

Two disc jockeys have a friend's murder to solve in the fringe-group melting pot of 1977 London.

Two young strangers from Hong Kong find their lives intertwined as they seek asylum in Britain.

Voidance follows Alana Toro in her final assessment to become an ATIC agent. Inside a simulated space station bar, she must prevent a terrorist attack before it happens. Each failed attempt allows her to restart the scenario, but with limited chances to get it right.

As Alana navigates a cast of guarded and unpredictable patrons, gaining trust proves as difficult as identifying the threat itself. With each attempt, new details emerge and assumptions shift, forcing her to rethink who she can rely on.

As the pressure builds, Alana is pushed towards an unorthodox solution, one that may challenge everything ATIC expects of her.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A.

BAFTA Award-winner Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread) joins Aidan Turner (Rivals) in a striking new staging of Christopher Hampton’s celebrated adaptation of the classic novel, where among the glittering salons of the super-rich, one misstep can mean ruin. Marquise de Merteuil is a master in the art of survival. Alongside the magnetic Vicomte de Valmont, they turn seduction into strategy and weaponise desire. But when their alliance collapses into rivalry, the battle between them threatens to destroy everyone in their path. Filmed live on stage at the National Theatre, Marianne Elliott (Angels in America) directs this thrilling game of love, lies, and social warfare.

There is a Glastonbury that exists only in memory before the BBC arrived, before phone masts and wall-to-wall coverage, before tickets sold out in minutes, before it all changed. A Glastonbury where dancing in a field was, quite sincerely, considered a radical act. That world is gone. But it was filmed. Shot in Panavision CinemaScope at the 1993 festival, the last of the great old-school Glastonburys, Glastonbury The Movie captured the real thing: not the headline acts on the Pyramid Stage, but the stone circle at sunrise, the rave tents and wandering performers, the parachute games and the Krishna food queues. The Verve at their very first festival appearance. Spiritualized spending their entire fee on a fireworks display. A cast of thousands, completely themselves. No voiceover. No talking heads. No presenter telling you how to feel. Just Glastonbury, as it was. Unfiltered, unnarrated, and unlike anything else in British music film. Hailed as “a masterpiece” by Mike Leigh and selected for eight international film festivals, Glastonbury The Movie: The 30th Anniversary Cut has been rebuilt in 4K from the original Panavision negatives, new scenes added, new Dolby 5.1 mix, every frame restored. The result is extraordinary. Back on the big screen. Thirty years on. Followed by a Q&A with Director, Robin Mahoney

Join We Are Black Journos (WABJ) for an exclusive screening of the highly acclaimed film, Sinners, at the iconic Genesis Cinema!

We are thrilled to be returning to East London’s favorite independent cinema for our third partnership event. This evening is designed to bring our community together to celebrate Black excellence in film and journalism while enjoying a cinematic masterpiece in a stunning setting.

The screening will follow on with a short discussion panel and open Q&A, followed by mingling. As a thank you, goodie bags will be provided for all guests, as a thank you from WABJ!

A full-day cinematic event celebrating the legacy of Bruce Lee.
The programme opens with the documentary LONGSTREET - A PHILOSOPHY IN MOTION, exploring Bruce Lee's involvement in the landmark series, followed by a screening of the original episode "THE WAY OF THE INTERCEPTING FIST."
This is followed by the premiere screening of the feature documentary BRUCE LEE: THE MAKING OF THE BIG BOSS.
The event concludes with a special presentation of THE BIG BOSS, screened from a DCP (Digital Cinema Package) of the original Mandarin version.
All screenings take place on a giant cinema screen for the ultimate big-screen experience, in a retro cinema setting inspired by the classic movie-going experience of the 1970s.
Fully approved by the Bruce Lee Estate and in support of the Bruce Lee Foundation.
Includes access to all screenings across the full-day event