Dr Kelson finds himself in a shocking new relationship - with consequences that could change the world as they know it - and Spike's encounter with Jimmy Crystal becomes a nightmare he can't escape. In the world of The Bone Temple, the infected are no longer the greatest threat to survival - the inhumanity of the survivors can be stranger and more terrifying.

Backstage (Dir. Afef Ben Mahmoud and Khalil Benkirane)
Aida, member of a Tunisian contemporary dance troupe touring Morocco, provokes during a representation in a small Middle Atlas town, her life and stage partner Hedi, who injures her onstage triggering a series of events through a long night across a forest, on the way to the next village’s doctor.

I’m Migrant Film Festival is a month-long programme of screenings and events bringing together established filmmakers from across the SWANA Region alongside emerging filmmakers from the Arab World and platforming the most promising new talent from young directors.

Your Party Tower Hamlets is holding a "Funday Quiz" at the Genesis cinema, with Quiz Meister, Guy Shennan (proceeds to Care for Calais). 2026 looks like being politically spicy, in Tower Hamlets and beyond. There could be tough times ahead, but let's have some fun too!

Your Party Tower Hamlets has been meeting successfully since August, bringing together "new" and "old" East Enders who want to see a different kind of politics.

But as well as meetings, organising and campaigning, we want to socialise and get to know each other. We thought a quiz for a good cause would be good way of doing this - and if you haven't been to a quiz by Guy Shennan, you haven't been to a quiz!

Come as a team, or just turn up to make a team.

£2 per head.

Please join us.

From 3.30pm. The quizing will start at 4pm.

From Academy Award-winning writer-director Chloe Zhao, Hamnet tells the powerful love story that inspired the creation of Shakespeare's timeless masterpiece, Hamlet. Nominated for 7 Oscars including Best Picture and 11 Baftas including Best Film

An ocean of blood. The only hope left after The Quiet Rapture. In the rusting halls of crumbling space stations, the last remnants of humanity craft a submarine to explore the bleeding depths... and weld one soul inside to pilot it. But hope in this void is as illusionary as the starlight. This is not an expedition. It's an execution.

After being laid off and humiliated by a ruthless job market, a veteran paper mill manager descends into violence in a desperate bid to reclaim his dignity.

Washed-up revolutionary Bob (DiCaprio) exists in a state of stoned paranoia, surviving off-grid with his spirited, self-reliant daughter, Willa (Infiniti). When his evil nemesis (Penn) resurfaces after 16 years and she goes missing, the former radical scrambles to find her, father and daughter both battling the consequences of his past. Nominated for 12 Oscars including Best Picture and 14 Baftas including Best Film.

Sisters Nora and Agnes reunite with their estranged father, Gustav, a once-renowned director who offers Nora a role in what he hopes will be his comeback film. Nora turns it down, but soon discovers he's given the part to an eager young Hollywood star. Nominated for 9 Oscars including Best Picture and 8 Baftas including Best Film.

In Walt Disney Animation Studios' Zootropolis 2, detectives Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde find themselves on the twisting trail of a mysterious reptile who arrives in Zootopia and turns the mammal metropolis upside down. To crack the case, Judy and Nick must go undercover to unexpected new parts of town, where their growing partnership is tested like never before. Nominated for 1 Oscar and 2 Baftas.

Dr Kelson finds himself in a shocking new relationship - with consequences that could change the world as they know it - and Spike's encounter with Jimmy Crystal becomes a nightmare he can't escape. In the world of The Bone Temple, the infected are no longer the greatest threat to survival - the inhumanity of the survivors can be stranger and more terrifying.

From Academy Award-winning writer-director Chloe Zhao, Hamnet tells the powerful love story that inspired the creation of Shakespeare's timeless masterpiece, Hamlet. Nominated for 7 Oscars including Best Picture and 11 Baftas including Best Film

After being laid off and humiliated by a ruthless job market, a veteran paper mill manager descends into violence in a desperate bid to reclaim his dignity.

Sisters Nora and Agnes reunite with their estranged father, Gustav, a once-renowned director who offers Nora a role in what he hopes will be his comeback film. Nora turns it down, but soon discovers he's given the part to an eager young Hollywood star. Nominated for 9 Oscars including Best Picture and 8 Baftas including Best Film.

Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back. You keep dancing with the devil, one day he's gonna follow you home. Written and directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Coogler, Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan in a dual role, joined by Oscar-nominee Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O'Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Benson Miller, and Delroy Lindo. Nominated for 16 Oscars including Best Picture and 13 Batfas including Best Film.

Dr Kelson finds himself in a shocking new relationship - with consequences that could change the world as they know it - and Spike's encounter with Jimmy Crystal becomes a nightmare he can't escape. In the world of The Bone Temple, the infected are no longer the greatest threat to survival - the inhumanity of the survivors can be stranger and more terrifying.

Echoes of a Distant Home - Stories of Longing and Identity

In this screening programme, we bring together filmmakers who explore the feeling of identity in the transience created by migration and exile that leaves us balancing the home we lost and the home we created.

Featuring:

Lost In Time (Dir. Maryam Hassanein)
A docu-fiction follows 2 young Egyptian women’s journeys exploring past memories from the 60s-80s through archival home videos, audio recordings, and recreation of movie scenes.

Liminal (Dir. Reem Maghrib)
Inspired by an oral history collection that includes interviews with Syrians living in different cities in western Asia and western Europe, Liminal is a short animated film that reflects on the impact of conflict and migration on Syrian identity.

Bladi | My Country (Dir. Leila Gamaz)
Drawing on family lived experience of destitution and sleeping on the underground in 80s Paris, Bladi - My Country uses the train as a vehicle to explore how displacement feels as an embodied experience across generations. Personal and public archives are pieced together, blurring linear timeframes that speak to the haziness of memory and ongoing colonial subjugation of people we see around the world today.

In Three Layers of Darkness (Dir. Houcem Slouli)
The film follows Ghassen, a young Tunisian man, in his quest to obtain a visa, addressing the themes of immigration and perseverance against bureaucratic injustice for a fundamental right: freely moving in this world.

Bye Bye Tiberias (Dir. Lina Soualem)
Set between past and present, Bye Bye Tiberias pieces together images of today, family footage from the nineties and historical archives to portray four generations of daring Palestinian women who keep their story and legacy alive through the strength of their bonds, despite exile, dispossession and heartbreak.

I’m Migrant Film Festival is a month-long programme of screenings and events bringing together established filmmakers from across the SWANA Region alongside emerging filmmakers from the Arab World and platforming the most promising new talent from young directors.

From Academy Award-winning writer-director Chloe Zhao, Hamnet tells the powerful love story that inspired the creation of Shakespeare's timeless masterpiece, Hamlet. Nominated for 7 Oscars including Best Picture and 11 Baftas including Best Film

After being laid off and humiliated by a ruthless job market, a veteran paper mill manager descends into violence in a desperate bid to reclaim his dignity.

Washed-up revolutionary Bob (DiCaprio) exists in a state of stoned paranoia, surviving off-grid with his spirited, self-reliant daughter, Willa (Infiniti). When his evil nemesis (Penn) resurfaces after 16 years and she goes missing, the former radical scrambles to find her, father and daughter both battling the consequences of his past. Nominated for 12 Oscars including Best Picture and 14 Baftas including Best Film.

Sisters Nora and Agnes reunite with their estranged father, Gustav, a once-renowned director who offers Nora a role in what he hopes will be his comeback film. Nora turns it down, but soon discovers he's given the part to an eager young Hollywood star. Nominated for 9 Oscars including Best Picture and 8 Baftas including Best Film.

Dr Kelson finds himself in a shocking new relationship - with consequences that could change the world as they know it - and Spike's encounter with Jimmy Crystal becomes a nightmare he can't escape. In the world of The Bone Temple, the infected are no longer the greatest threat to survival - the inhumanity of the survivors can be stranger and more terrifying.

Just Like Us - Queer Stories from the SWANA Region

Unspoken for so long, queerness has always been an identity as part of the culture in the wider. SWANA Region. Whether it’s gender or sexuality, fluidity has always been accepted, until colonialism created hard binaries. In this screening, queer storytellers reclaim these suppressed identities.

Featuring:

Queer Exile (Dir. Madi Awadalla)
After fleeing Egypt in the wake of the 2011 revolution, an activist seeks refuge in Berlin, yearning for a fresh start and the promise of safety and freedom. Yet, his journey leads him to a refugee camp situated in an area frequented by far-right groups staging anti-refugee demonstrations. Caught in the crossfire of hostility in his adopted home and the longing for his former life, he confronts profound questions about belonging, sacrifice, and the true meaning of freedom.

Solers United (Dir. Sara Harrak)
As grass roots womxn's football team 'Solers United' face eviction, emotions bubble between teammates, Nelly and Bills. Enter new striker Sals with looks as impressive as her footwork, Bills can't help but envy her instant connection to Nelly. As the halftime whistle blows, tensions reach a boiling point and Nelly and Bills must confront their emotions to mend their fractured bond.

Please Be Happy (Dir. Elif Gönen)
A short docu-film exploring the varying relationship dynamics within three families on the intersection of parenthood and queerness. Taking the viewer into the intimate real-life environment of its subjects, the film challenges what we consider to be “traditional” family life.

One Like Him (Dir. Caitlin McLeod)
A Jordanian man, Karim must find a way to tell his childhood friend and first love (Ramzi) the truth about what happened twenty years ago, when a single moment changed both their lives. When he can’t find the words, the conversation repeats, becoming increasingly surreal until he loses control.

Neo Nadha (Dir. May Ziadé)
Mona, a young woman in London, finds archived photographs of Arab women cross-dressing in the 1920s. Somewhere between her fantasies and reality, she starts a feverish journey of uncovering lost histories and her own identity.

Mâsk (Dir. Saba Kia)

Inspired by the aftermath of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in 2022 and the enduring weight of diaspora guilt, this film explores the invisible labour of emotional self-containment. It examines how grief, rage and helplessness are carefully edited out of public life, especially for those living safely elsewhere, expected to continue, produce and perform while history burns at home.

I Never Promised You A Jasmine Garden (Dir. Teyama Alkamli)
Tara, a queer Palestinian woman in her late 20s, attempts to suppress her internal emotional turbulence during a phone call with her best friend Sarab, with whom she is in love.

I’m Migrant Film Festival is a month-long programme of screenings and events bringing together established filmmakers from across the SWANA Region alongside emerging filmmakers from the Arab World and platforming the most promising new talent from young directors.

GIRL TRASH: CELEBRATING THE GODDESSES OF EXPLOITATION CINEMA

GIRL TRASH continues with SAVAGE STREETS (1984) where we’ll be crowning Linda Blair a GIRL TRASH GODDESS and tracing the well-worn path from controversial child star to exploitation queen.

SAVAGE STREETS is that most powerful of molotov cocktails, an iconic screen star giving her all in material that feels like a distillation of everything that ‘80s exploitation cinema threw at the screen (for better and worse). Of course, a ‘rape revenge’ film from a director with previous work for the Playboy channel would hardly seem the most promising credentials. But despite its issues, we’d risk walking down those savage streets any day if it meant we could hang out with the girl gang at the heart of the story. Co-written by LA video art pioneer Norman Yonemoto, it is of course possible that SAVAGE STREETS might just be more than its big-hair looks.

Brenda (Linda Blair) is the leader of ‘The Satins’, a close-knit girl gang who like to hang out on Hollywood Boulevard, window shop for crossbows (Chekov’s crossbow!) and collectively take care of Brenda’s deaf sister, Heather (played by future scream queen, Linnea Quigley). After a run-in with the local gang of drug dealers, ‘The Scars’, Brenda and her friends become the targets of their terrible violence. Come for the usual exploitation fare: catfights in the women’s showers, topless bath ruminating, and general male-gaze a-go-go, but stay for the Satins and the mesmerising energy of their ride or die friendship… and to watch the bad guys burn, of course.

Content warning: This film contains a lengthy scene of sexual assault, other scenes of violence against women, discriminatory language, and stereotypical depictions of deafness and disability.

/// GIRL TRASH celebrates the femme filmmakers of trash and exploitation cinema, hosted by Zodiac Film Club and Token Homo. All films are served with introductions, intermissions, prize giveaways, and subtitles / captions where possible. Tickets from £3.50 + fees. Adults 18+ only. Follow @zodiacfilmclub and @tokenhomo on Instagram for info and updates. Please contact the venue for access information. ///

Programme supported by Film Hub London, managed by Film London. Proud to be a partner of the BFI Film Audience Network, funded by the National Lottery. www.filmlondon.org.uk/film-hub-london

From Academy Award-winning writer-director Chloe Zhao, Hamnet tells the powerful love story that inspired the creation of Shakespeare's timeless masterpiece, Hamlet. Nominated for 7 Oscars including Best Picture and 11 Baftas including Best Film

After being laid off and humiliated by a ruthless job market, a veteran paper mill manager descends into violence in a desperate bid to reclaim his dignity.

Sisters Nora and Agnes reunite with their estranged father, Gustav, a once-renowned director who offers Nora a role in what he hopes will be his comeback film. Nora turns it down, but soon discovers he's given the part to an eager young Hollywood star. Nominated for 9 Oscars including Best Picture and 8 Baftas including Best Film.

Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back. You keep dancing with the devil, one day he's gonna follow you home. Written and directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Coogler, Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan in a dual role, joined by Oscar-nominee Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O'Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Benson Miller, and Delroy Lindo. Nominated for 16 Oscars including Best Picture and 13 Batfas including Best Film.

Dr Kelson finds himself in a shocking new relationship - with consequences that could change the world as they know it - and Spike's encounter with Jimmy Crystal becomes a nightmare he can't escape. In the world of The Bone Temple, the infected are no longer the greatest threat to survival - the inhumanity of the survivors can be stranger and more terrifying.

Genesis Poetry Slam is back this February
Love poetry, love the rhyme.

Join us at Genesis Cinema, Stepney Green 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)

Last slam was SOLD OUT, so grab your ticket quickly. If you can’t make it after booking, please contact Genesis Cinema to release your ticket.

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
• 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. 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.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/genesis-poetry-slam-february-2026-performers-tickets-1981353098454?aff=oddtdtcreator

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.

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.

See you in February

From Academy Award-winning writer-director Chloe Zhao, Hamnet tells the powerful love story that inspired the creation of Shakespeare's timeless masterpiece, Hamlet. Nominated for 7 Oscars including Best Picture and 11 Baftas including Best Film

After being laid off and humiliated by a ruthless job market, a veteran paper mill manager descends into violence in a desperate bid to reclaim his dignity.

Two colleagues become stranded on a deserted island, the only survivors of a plane crash. On the island, they must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, but ultimately, it's a battle of wills and wits to make it out alive.

Sisters Nora and Agnes reunite with their estranged father, Gustav, a once-renowned director who offers Nora a role in what he hopes will be his comeback film. Nora turns it down, but soon discovers he's given the part to an eager young Hollywood star. Nominated for 9 Oscars including Best Picture and 8 Baftas including Best Film.

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!!

A combination of concert footage from Stray Kids’ dominATE world tour with behind-the-scenes material.

It Must Be Heaven (Dir. Elia Suleiman)
ES escapes from Palestine seeking an alternative homeland, only to find that Palestine is trailing behind him. The promise of a new life turns into a comedy of errors: however far he travels, from Paris to New York, something always reminds him of home. From award-winning director Elia Suleiman, a comic saga exploring identity, nationality and belonging, in which Suleiman asks the fundamental question: where is the place we can truly call home?

I’m Migrant Film Festival is a month-long programme of screenings and events bringing together established filmmakers from across the SWANA Region alongside emerging filmmakers from the Arab World and platforming the most promising new talent from young directors.

A combination of concert footage from Stray Kids’ dominATE world tour with behind-the-scenes material.

Looking for inspiration, feedback, or a creative kickstart?

Join us at Genesis Cinema for a friendly, welcoming creative writing group open to all levels of experience. Whether you're plotting your first novel, experimenting with flash fiction, or want to start flexing your creative muscles, this is the space to share ideas, get inspired, and push your writing further. Expect lively discussions, writing prompts, and a warm community of supportive writers.

New voices are always welcome. Come write with us!

Sudan, Remember Us - Feature plus short

The ongoing civil war and genocide in Sudan is tragically underrepresented in the mainstream. These two films give us very different pictures from unique perspectives of an unfolding catastrophe in Sudan.

Featuring:

Sudan, Remember Us (Dir. Hind Meddeb)
‘Sudan, Remember Us’ bears witness to a lost revolution and within it unearths a tribute to the power of creativity as a tool of survival and resistance. In 2019, documentary filmmaker Hind Meddab flew to Sudan to film a sit-in protest at the Army headquarters in Khartoum. The people of Sudan were assembling, demanding reform after decades of military dictatorship. There she met a selection of young activists that she would continue to film over the course of 4 years, from the swell of hope and accomplishment following dictator Omar al-Bashir’s fall to the oppression of the military crackdown and subsequent civil war, which today, leaves Sudan in ruins. In conversations, in demonstrations, on walls, it emerges how the Sudanese tradition for poetry becomes a powerful tool for activism.

Nothing Happens After That (Dir. Ibrahim Omar)
In a diligent attempt, Thomas seeks to find a final resting place for their only child, but he is surprised that today is not the right day to do so.

I’m Migrant Film Festival is a month-long programme of screenings and events bringing together established filmmakers from across the SWANA Region alongside emerging filmmakers from the Arab World and platforming the most promising new talent from young directors.

Uneasy Balance - Two stories of Lebanese Identity and Displacement

Lebanon has always balanced its western and eastern cultures with its fragile ethnic and religious make up, and thus Lebanese identity has always been contentious. The first film discusses young Lebanese identity after the 2020 Beirut explosion and the subsequent civil unrest, and in the second film we see the identity of displaced Palestinians who have found safety in Lebanon after the 1948 Nakba.

Featuring:

The Jacket (Dir. Mathijs Poppe)
A portrait of Jamal Hindawi, a Palestinian man who lives in exile with his family in the Shatila Refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon. Together with his friends, he makes political theater about their profound connection to their homeland, Palestine, and their situation as refugees in their country of residence, Lebanon. When Jamal embarks on a journey to search for an important lost theater prop, he witnesses how the successive political and economic crises have disrupted an entire region and its people.

What if We Were Happy? (Dir. Julie-Yara Atz)
Are events cyclical? Does history repeat itself? Through the director’s eyes, we follow Lebanese photographer Nadim, street artist Roula and the director’s Syrian flatmate Haifa as they discuss being alive in Lebanon nowadays.

I’m Migrant Film Festival is a month-long programme of screenings and events bringing together established filmmakers from across the SWANA Region alongside emerging filmmakers from the Arab World and platforming the most promising new talent from young directors.

BLOOD! BOYS! BITCHY DEMONS! Soaked in the red-hot rage of the monstrous feminine, Jennifer’s Body is a cult classic of high school hell, blood baths, and boys who don’t make it home alive. But did you know that lurking beneath the carnage is a rape-revenge narrative, one that reframes girlhood itself as a fantasy of fury and justice?

Hosted by the Bloody Mary Film Club, this screening opens with an intro from writer, artist and academic Mary Morgan @msmarymorgan, whose PhD, I Want Revenge, explores violent women on screen and fantasies of vengeance.

Bloody Mary Film Club: Cult Films to Die For.

A passionate and tumultuous love story set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, exploring the intense and destructive relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw.

A passionate and tumultuous love story set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, exploring the intense and destructive relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw.

The Forgotten Civilisation

Although it is the birthplace of civilisation, Iraq’s modern history is full of destruction and violence, yet hope seems to prevail. Iraqi stories mirror this narrative. This screening will bring together two contrasting Iraqi filmmakers each focusing on manifestations of state sponsored violence but from very different perspectives.

Featuring:

Tales of the Wounded Land (Dir. Abbas Fadhel)
An intimate chronicle of the war that devastated southern Lebanon for a year and a half, this film captures the everyday lives of those caught in the storm. Through the voices of family, friends, and neighbours, it bears witness to loss, displacement, and the fragile efforts to heal, rebuild, and preserve dignity in the aftermath of destruction.

Sahar (Dir. Kuhel Khalid)
Ali, a political activist in a state that forbids independent thought, is imprisoned in a secret detention center run by government agents. When the regime seeks to break him, they bring his wife Sahar into the same cell. Amid oppression, the couple creates tender moments that reveal the resilience of an entire people.

I’m Migrant Film Festival is a month-long programme of screenings and events bringing together established filmmakers from across the SWANA Region alongside emerging filmmakers from the Arab World and platforming the most promising new talent from young directors.

In a post-apocalyptic world, the residents of an apartment above the butcher shop receive an occasional delicacy of meat, something that is in low supply. A young man new in town falls in love with the butcher's daughter, which causes conflicts in her family, who need the young man for other business-related purposes. Followed by a panel discussion with Nick Walker of the Cult Classic Collective

The Miraculous Transformation of the Working Class Into Foreigners (Dir. Samir)
As in all industrialized European countries, social democrats and trade unions led the workers’ movement. And – although not simultaneously – these institutions had lost their impact all over western Europe by the 1980s. Racist policies succeeded in driving a wedge between immigrant and native workers. This factor, together with the de-industrialization at the end of the 1970s, led to the decline of the classical workers' movement in Switzerland as well. Today nobody talks about the ‘working class’ anymore. The term ‘worker’ has become synonymous with ‘foreigner’. Filmmaker Samir uses private family photos, animations, music clips and unseen archive material, to tell the story of migration from Switzerland’s southern neighbours in an entertaining way, from the post-war period to the present day.

I’m Migrant Film Festival is a month-long programme of screenings and events bringing together established filmmakers from across the SWANA Region alongside emerging filmmakers from the Arab World and platforming the most promising new talent from young directors.

Rachel doesn't realize she has grown up in captivity working for an advertising agency where her job is to assess Mommy 6.0, her favorite pop star in the whole entire world.

GIRL TRASH: CELEBRATING THE GODDESSES OF EXPLOITATION CINEMA

Are you brave enough for an encounter with aliens from another planet? And what is this deadly Plan 9 they speak of? Something about reanimating the world’s dead to build a zombie army and prevent humanity from destroying the Universe?!?

To celebrate our 200th BAR TRASH show, Token Homo and Zodiac Film Club are stupidly proud to present Edward D. Wood Jr’s infamously otherworldly PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE (1958) with added 4D special effects for a spectacular DIY celebration of alternative screen culture.

PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE is perhaps the quintessential BAR TRASH title. We first screened it back in Season 3: TRASH OR TREASURE?, our radical reclaiming of ‘The Golden Turkey Awards’ that rescued Edward D. Wood Jr. from history but crowned him ‘The Worst Director of All Time’. For many, Ed Wood’s films have become a benchmark for filmmaking ineptness with their supposedly ‘terrible’ acting, no-budget FX, and plot incredulity. But are they really that bad? As Jim Knipfel explains in his passionate defence of PLAN 9: “It was a singular, fast-paced, (intentionally) funny, crazy-assed sci fi / horror / conspiracy film driven by an eccentric and visionary man who wasn’t in it for the money, but simply because he loved making films” (Den Of Geek, 2013).

Which sounds like a perfect way to celebrate 200 shows with our amazing BAR TRASH community!

PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE gives us two GIRL TRASH GODDESSES, Angora-addicted and avowed cross-dresser Edward D. Wood Jr. who would go out in public dressed as ‘Shirley’, his female alter ego, and the sublime Vampira aka Maila Nurmi, actor and TV horror host, who wafts her way through the cardboard tombstones of PLAN 9 with unrivalled eeriness and panache.

Polite Warning: We will be showing PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE without subtitles from the best available digital source. Be prepared for unexpected sounds, lighting, and atmospheric effects.

/// GIRL TRASH celebrates the femme filmmakers of trash and exploitation cinema, hosted by Zodiac Film Club and Token Homo. All films are served with introductions, intermissions, prize giveaways, and subtitles / captions where possible. Tickets from £3.50 + fees. Adults 18+ only. Follow @zodiacfilmclub and @tokenhomo on Instagram for info and updates. Please contact the venue for access information. ///

Programme supported by Film Hub London, managed by Film London. Proud to be a partner of the BFI Film Audience Network, funded by the National Lottery. www.filmlondon.org.uk/film-hub-london

Sumud / Life Endures: Three Stories from Palestine

As far as modern tragedies go, sadly Palestine stands out as one of the biggest injustices of our time. Yet the resilience of its people is unmatched. These three films tell stories of struggle, identity and hope through the eyes of Nakba survivors, exiled Palestinians and genocide survivors.

Featuring:

Adas Falasteen (Dir. Hamdi Khalil Elhusseini and Samar Taher Lulu)
Adas Falasteen or "Palestine Lentils" is a documentary film that tells the story of a Palestinian chef and his role in using his hobby as a shield against the famine caused by the war on Gaza, preserving the spirit of resilience and hope within his community.

Holidays in Palestine (Dir. Maxime Lindon)
Shadi, a Palestinian activist turned French citizen, returns to Wadi Rahal, near Bethlehem in occupied Palestine. The reunion is emotionally charged, and Shadi even dreams of a permanent return. Six years later, he still reminisces about these holidays and shares his story with us… Still haunted by these memories, he leads a peaceful life, far from the suffering of his homeland. Does he see and consider his exile as a surrender or as an accomplishment?

Eyes of the Forgotten (Dir. Khaled Askar)
Journey through 9 Palestinian & Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon, experiencing the raw emotions and lives of those forever impacted by destruction, displacement, and death as they navigate life under siege, yet again. Hear their stories dating all the way back to the Nakba in 1948 to the recent Israeli bombardment of Lebanon in 2024, with their pride never wavering as history continues to repeat itself.

I’m Migrant Film Festival is a month-long programme of screenings and events bringing together established filmmakers from across the SWANA Region alongside emerging filmmakers from the Arab World and platforming the most promising new talent from young directors.

Fractured Horizons: Three Stories of Migration and The Desire for Refuge

Throughout history, migration has been the most natural human movement, yet colonialism has created an unfair divide between those who have and those who have not. These films tell stories of people risking their lives for a better future in Europe.

Featuring:

This Jungo Life (Dir. David Fedele)
A collaboration between filmmaker David Fedele, and a group of young refugees and asylum seekers from Sudan and South Sudan, who are living and sleeping rough on the streets of Morocco. They call themselves "Jungo" - a name traditionally given to seasonal agricultural workers from Sudan, which is now also adopted by refugees, asylum seekers and migrants on the road. This Jungo Life seeks to tell their story from the inside: unfiltered, with authenticity and without sensationalism. A story of resilience in the face of suffering.

Game Over (Dir. Saeed Mayahy and Miriam Carlsen
The story of a diverse group of illegal Afghan youngsters, who have been left with no choice but to leave their homes and families behind, to flee as teenagers to a foreign country. Left with no one but themselves to look after one another, their incredible strength and yet extreme vulnerability surface side by side in the no-man's land between childhood and adulthood. Fearlessly, they play a dangerous game of destiny over and over again, determined to smuggle themselves into Europe - a utopia far away.

Chiedo Asilo (Dir. Ahmed Shuwehdi)
Following the story of a young boy who is observing the effect of migration in Libya and observing his uncle, who works as a human trafficker. Based on a true story.

I’m Migrant Film Festival is a month-long programme of screenings and events bringing together established filmmakers from across the SWANA Region alongside emerging filmmakers from the Arab World and platforming the most promising new talent from young directors.

Home Truths: Shorts Exploring Relationships and Private Lives

Whether it’s family relationships, marriage, or the trivial every day, human behaviour is fascinating, yet there’s always a common thread. These contrasting stories offer an intimate glimpse behind the curtains, letting us into the lives of others.

Featuring:

Hamloul (Dir. Hajar Abdeaziz)
Hamloul is a young race camel forced to retire early due to an injury. Linda Krockenberger, his keeper, is working on raising his confidence again. During a journey across Dubai desert, we’ll discover Hamloul’s unique personality and the deep bond they have developed.

Haj Ahmed (Dir. Sayed Mousavi)
Ahmed goes back home to his mother Afsoon, who is celebrating his return after a long absence. Both mother and son will have to keep up their lies about this absence in order to save their reputation amongst their relatives.

It’s Not About Ketchup (Dir. Nasser Saeed)
It's Not About Ketchup is a documentary that delves into the intricate lives of a couple facing a challenge in their relationship. Centered around a seemingly trivial issue – their relationship with ketchup – but it has deeper dimensions. The film captures the essence of their journey, portraying the nuanced dynamics of love and understanding.

Reviving Eman (Dir. Feras Awad)
Inspiring story of an Emirati paramedic whose career was unexpectedly terminated by a debilitating injury. Determined to continue helping others, she directs her passion into becoming a certified rescue diver and paramedic Instructor, embracing new challenges, and finding fulfillment doing what she loves. A tale of resilience and courage.

Zahra (Dir. Hadi Shatat)
A worker in a clothing factory, pregnant in the last days, finds herself in need of money to have a C-section delivery, which leads her to discover the tragic existence in a community of individuality.

Umm Salama The Matchmaker (Dir. Mariam Alawadhi)
As Umm Salama finally persuades her stubborn daughter Salama to consider marriage, she embarks on a journey to find the perfect suitor for her daughter. However, as Salama starts considering potential suitors, Umm Salama’s conflicting emotions cloud her judgment, leading to unexpected outcomes.

Shame (Dir. Fatema Al Mansoori)
Mahra's attempt to flee from home is abruptly halted when her mother catches her. In the ensuing intense confrontation, Mahra is faced with a pivotal choice: accept her predetermined fate or summon the strength to assert her independence and forge her own destiny.

Self Commitment (Dir. Aseel Ihssan Yaseen)
The stories of women in the world are similar, regardless of their differences and believing in their humanity means believing in our similarity as human beings. These pictures emerge due to a mixture of social heritage, the economic situation that affects both sexes and therefore women, the law which stands against women in some cases, traditions and decision-makers who believe that women are sex machines and servants.

I’m Migrant Film Festival is a month-long programme of screenings and events bringing together established filmmakers from across the SWANA Region alongside emerging filmmakers from the Arab World and platforming the most promising new talent from young directors.

I’m Migrant: Koutaiba al Janabi (Dir. Yamam Nabeel)
I’m Migrant: Nabeel Yasin (Dir. Yamam Nabeel)

I’m Migrant is a documentary portrait series of exiled Iraqi artists that lends its name to the festival. Created by the festival’s founder, Yamam Nabeel, it tells the stories of the cultural and personal homeland created by artists away from Iraq. These two episodes are with the Iraqi poet Nabeel Yasin, whose voice carried the nation’s hopes and Koutaiba Al Janabi whose films tell the stories of the suffering the Iraqi people have endured.

I’m Migrant Film Festival is a month-long programme of screenings and events bringing together established filmmakers from across the SWANA Region alongside emerging filmmakers from the Arab World and platforming the most promising new talent from young directors.

Comedian James Acaster unleashes his infectious energy as he explores his love/hate relationship with stand-up - while welcoming a heckle or two. Filmed in Truro, Dublin, and Northampton, we see how this experiment panned out in front of three very different audiences. James Acaster is one of the UK's most exciting and original standup comedians, with sold out UK tours and specials on Netflix (Repertoire series), he has become one of the most well-known faces on the UK comedy scene. He is a best-selling author, actor (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire), and a co-host of the hugely popular Off Menu Podcast.

Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) and Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Hard Truths) feature in a five-star, triumphantly acclaimed new production of Arthur Miller’s classic play, from visionary director Ivo Van Hove (A View from the Bridge). One family, the heart of the American dream. When wartime delivers profits for Joe, it comes at a price when his partner is charged with criminal manufacturing deals, and his eldest son goes missing in action. Will peacetime bring peace of mind, or will he be confronted by the consequence of his actions? Filmed live from the West End, Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You), Tom Glynn-Carney (House of the Dragon), and Hayley Squires (I, Daniel Blake) also feature in this disturbingly prescient play.