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Hard Truths + ScreenTalk with Mike Leigh and Michele Austin, hosted by Rógan Graham (12A)

Preview Screening

,Cinema 1
Two women in a park - one resting her head on the shoulder of the other.

Director Mike Leigh and actor Michele Austin will join us live onstage after the film to discuss this much anticipated and heartfelt portrait of family life, from a prolific British filmmaker.

Pansy (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) is tormented by anger and depression, hypersensitive to the slightest possible offence and ever ready to fly off the handle. She criticises her husband and their adult son so relentlessly that neither bothers to argue with her. She picks fights with strangers and enumerates the world's countless flaws to anyone who will listen, especially her cheerful sister Chantal (Michele Austin), who, despite their clashing temperaments, might be the only person still capable of sympathising with her.

Hard Truths sees Mike Leigh and Marianne Jean-Baptiste reunited for the first time in nearly 30 years, since their much lauded collaboration on 1997’s Secrets & Lies, in this compassionate, tragicomic study of the contemporary world, and of human strengths and weaknesses.

ScreenTalk hosted by Rógan Graham. 

Tagged with: Cinema ScreenTalks New releases

Films can contain elements which some may find upsetting; from references to self-harm or suicide, to sexual violence or domestic abuse. The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) provides guidance to audiences, to help them choose what’s right for them and avoid what’s not. For guidance, please click here and type the film title into the search bar.

Film information
  • Release year   2024
  • Country   UK/Spain
  • Director   Mike Leigh
  • Runtime   1h 37m

Cinema 1

Location
Barbican Cinema 1 is located within the main Barbican building on Level -2. Head to Level G and walk towards the Lakeside Terrace where you’ll find stairs and lifts to take you down to the venue floor.   

Address
Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS

Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.