Press room

Barbican Cinema in September:

• Barbican Cinema 1
• Barbican Cinema On Demand

This September, Barbican Cinema is delighted to present a wealth of cinematic excellence in Cinema 1 and on Cinema on Demand.

As previously announced the Barbican’s Cinema 1 will reopen its doors to the public on Friday 4 September with a 35mm presentation of Christopher Nolan’s audacious new Sci-Fi Tenet (UK/US 2020

John David Washington and Robert Pattinson star in Tenet – screening 4 to 17 September – a captivating new thriller in which a secret agent must fight against the onset of World War Three.

With suave suits, international locations and an impressive supporting cast including Elizabeth Debicki, Kenneth Branagh, Clémence Poésy, Himesh Patel and Michael Caine, this is compelling viewing.

Barbican Cinema is also pleased to host a special screening of David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet in Barbican Cinema 1 on Monday 28 September.

In his 94 years, David Attenborough has visited every continent on the globe, exploring the wild places of our planet and documenting the living world in all its variety and wonder. Now, for the first time he reflects upon both the defining moments of his lifetime as a naturalist and the devastating changes he has seen.

After the film, audiences will have the unique chance to watch a special, exclusive conversation between Sir David Attenborough and Sir Michael Palin, filmed for broadcast in cinemas only.

Audiences returning to Cinema 1 will be welcomed back in the knowledge that safety and enjoyment are at the heart of the experience. Reduced seating will allow audiences to socially distance at two metres and fewer screenings overall will enable a regular deep-clean of the auditorium. All audiences must wear a face covering in all areas of the Barbican. Cinema tickets will be available to purchase through the Barbican website and must be shown to staff at Barbican Silk Street entrance. Cinemas 2&3 are currently undergoing refurbishment work and will reopen later in the year.
 

Cinema on Demand

Between 4 September and 9 October Barbican Cinema will present new content to stream at home or on the move for Cinema on Demand, including the new releases Real and Socrates, Susan Seidelman’s debut feature Smithereens, and Sweet September Shorts, for the Family Film Club programme; and an exclusive in-house curated season of pivotal documentaries Inner States: A Series of first person films that reveal inner personal and political truths. 

Actor turned writer/director Aki Omoshaybi establishes himself as ‘one to watch’ with his directorial debut Real (UK 2020), a love story set in inner-city Portsmouth, centred around two people working hard to keep their romance on track, while struggling to manage their owns personal hardships.

Other new releases this month include Socrates (Brazil 2020, Dir Alexandre Moratto), about a 15 year old boy living on the margins of São Paulo, who must learn to survive on his own while coming to terms with the death of his mother.

The arts programme in September features Susan Seidelman’s debut Smithereens (US 1982), a coming of age story about Wren, a teenage New Jersey punkette freshly arrived in the Big City, who latches onto any man who can help her get ahead in the New York punk scene.

A film of great jittery energy, Smithereens captures – and projects – the authentic, seedy, downtown vibe of Greenwich village in the early 80s; from the dingy locales, right down to the charity shop fashions and the dirty Converse.

Family Film Club in September presents Sweet September Shorts, a collection of charming stories about animal characters, this gentle animated selection is ideal for children 3 years plus - and is a great way of introducing them to European cinema and the French language.

Barbican Cinema is also pleased to present the first exclusive season available only on Cinema on Demand - Inner States: A series of first-person films, featuring five pivotal documentaries each expressing an interiority rarely achieved on film.

Also included in the series is an extraordinary set of free to stream short videos Lockdown States made since the beginning of the pandemic by filmmakers from India, Kashmir, Lebanon, US and Canada who have been looking inwards in relation to the exceptional circumstances affecting the entire world.

Inner States: A series of first-person films is co-curated by Gali Gold, Head of Cinema, Barbican and Alisa Lebow, Professor of Screen Media, University of Sussex.

The season, which is available to stream exclusively on Cinema On Demand from 11 to 24 September, will also include two virtual ScreenTalks: with filmmaker Jonathan Caouette on 16th September at 8pm talking about Tarnation hosted by Alisa Lebow; and on Monday 21st September at 8pm Brett Story (The Cop in Our Heads and the Cop in Our Hearts), Carol Mansour (COVID-eo Diary & My Father), Shahzaib Naik & S M Seraj (A Season in My Paradise) talking about their short films, hosted by Gali Gold.

Cinema on Demand is available to audiences across the UK with a rolling four-week programme of titles and events that reflect the Barbican’s bold and international cinema programme. Launched in July 2020, it is the first-ever streaming service to be offered by the Barbican, and builds on the popular digital content programme available through Read, Watch & Listen.

Titles will remain available for audiences to stream for 48 hours from the time of purchase, and will include closed captions and audio description where available, continuing the Barbican’s commitment to access.

Barbican Cinema on Demand is supported by the BFI FAN Resilience Fund, awarding National Lottery funding, and the Mayor of London's Culture at Risk business support fund.

CINEMA 1
Tenet (UK/US 2020 Dir Christopher Nolan 151 min) 12A, 35mm presentation
Fri 4 - Thu 17 Sep 2020
Full: £12.00 | Young Barbican: £5.00 | Barbican Members £9.60

David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet
Mon 28 Sep 2020, 19.00
Full: £20.00 | Young Barbican: £10.00 | Barbican Members £16.00

Box office: 020 7638 8891
www.barbican.org.uk

CINEMA ON DEMAND:
NEW RELEASE TITLES

Socrates
Brazil 2018, Dir Alexandre Moratto, 71 min
Available to stream: from 4 Sep, 10.00am – 2 Oct 9.59am
Pay per view: Full: £10.00 | Young Barbican: £4.00 | Barbican Members £8.00

Real (UK 2020, Dir Aki Omoshaybi, 76 min)
Available to stream: from 11 Sep, 10.00am – 9 Oct, 9.59am
Pay per view: Full: £10.00 | Young Barbican: £4.00 | Barbican Members £8.00

INNER STATES: A SERIES OF FIRST-PERSON FILMS
These films will be available to stream between 11– 24 Sep
Pay per view varies from free to £6.00

EXCLUSIVE TITLES
Smithereens (US 1982 Dir Susan Seidelman, 93 min)
Available to stream: from 25 Sep 10.00 am – 8 Oct, 9.59 am
Pay per view: Full: £6.00 | Young Barbican: £4.00 | Barbican Members £4.80

FAMILY FILM CLUB
Sweet September Shorts (U*)
Age recommendation: 3+
Available to stream from 11 Sep 10.00 am - 8th October, 9.59 am
Pay per view: £2.50