Press room

Festivals, Seasons and Special Events: 

• Hidden Figures: Stephanie Rothman – Tue 29 Jul – Thu 14 Aug
• Outdoor Cinema 2025: Film nights under the stars – Wed 20 Aug – Sun 31 Aug 

Regular Programme strands:

• Experiments in Film: The Cinema of Qiu Miao-jin + ScreenTalk with 
  filmmaker Evans Chan – Sat 16 Aug
• Senior Community Screenings:
• Memoir of a Snail – Mon 4 Aug
• Santosh – Mon 18 Aug
• Relaxed Screenings:
• The Phoenician Scheme – Mon 4 Aug
• Pay What You Can Screenings – Every Fri

In August the Barbican is delighted to present a late summer programme of Outdoor Cinema 2025: Film nights under the stars. Now in its 5th year, this is a sparkling lineup of films, set in the dramatic surroundings of the Barbican Sculpture court, with a tempting selection of food stalls and bars.

Supported by Associate Partner Mastercard and Destination Partner Culture Mile BID, there’s something for all tastes, including Dune, Little Shop of Horrors, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Fire Of Love, Beau Travail, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, The Return of Godzilla, Babymother, Grave of the Fireflies and Björk’s Cornucopia.

Other highlights this month include Hidden Figures: Stephanie Rothman, which invites audiences to take a walk on the wild side, in 1970s LA, with the trailblazing Stephanie Rothman, who challenged Hollywood to create feminist works within the exploitation subgenre. Barbican Cinema presents her work, as a season, to UK audiences for the first time and is also pleased to announce that Rothman joins us for a ScreenTalk (via Zoom), after screenings of her 1973 cult classic Terminal Island and her 1974 comedy The Working Girls.

Experiments in Film presents The Cinema of Qiu Miao-jin and ScreenTalk with filmmaker Evans Chan, this is a memorial screening honouring Qiu Miao-jin, a pioneer in Taiwanese queer literature and author of Notes of a Crocodile, marking 30 years since her untimely death.

Senior Community Screenings in August include the bittersweet Oscar-nominated animation Memoir of a Snail, and the compelling thriller Santosh. Relaxed Screenings include Wes Anderson’s all-star ensemble The Phoenician Scheme, a delightful tale of comedic espionage and intrigue.

Festivals, Seasons and Special Events

Hidden Figures: Stephanie Rothman
Tue 29 July – Thu 14 Aug 
Cinema 3

Stephanie Rothman’s career began in the early 1960s when she was hired by the cult director Roger Corman, going on to make seven feature films between 1966 and 1974. At the time her work was celebrated in women’s film festivals and praised by feminist critics, but in recent years it has been re-discovered by a new generation of fans. The August programme, curated by Selina Robertson (Club des Femmes and Birkbeck) and Isabel Moir (London Film Festival), begins with The Student Nurses (US 1970), a box office hit, which took the popular ‘nurse’ sub-genre of exploitation films and imbued it with a feminist edge.

Hidden Figures is a regular Barbican Cinema strand, which celebrates filmmakers who, despite directing ground-breaking films, have been neglected in the canon of world cinema. Directors previously featured include Lina Wertmüller, Euzhan Palcy, Ha Gil-jong, Jacqueline Audry, Idrissa Ouédraogo and Binka Zhelyazkova.

August screenings: 

The Student Nurses (18*)
US 1970, Dir Stephanie Rothman, 89min
Tue 5 Aug, 6.30pm 
Cinema 3 

The first in a popular ‘Nurses’ cycle of exploitation films that other directors went on to (mis)direct. Despite working within the confines of second-wave exploitation, Rothman introduced women’s liberation ideas and subjects into her work whilst delivering box office gold for producer Roger Corman. Four nursing students finishing their education are faced with professional and personal challenges as they wade through the tumultuous and ever-changing political and social landscape of 1970s LA. 

Group Marriage (15) 
US 1972, Dir Stephanie Rothman, 82min
Thu 7 Aug, 6.30pm 
Cinema 3 

Young LA couple Chris (Aimée Eclles) and Sander (Solomon Sturges) want an open relationship but when their twosome becomes a sixsome, and the group decide to legalise their relationship in a ‘group marriage’, they attract media attention which brings trouble, prejudice and a run up against the law.  Rothman’s first film (post Corman) unfolds like a proto queer text, as polyamory, gay life and alternative, collective utopian living are delightfully explored in her first fully-fledged comedy.

The Velvet Vampire (18*)
US 1971, Dir Stephanie Rothman, 80min 
Tue 12 Aug, 6.30pm 
Cinema 3 

Young couple Lee (Michael Blodgett) and Susan (Sherry Miles) meet the mysterious Diane (Celeste Yarnall), who invites them to her secluded desert home. Little do they know that this temptress is a centuries-old vampire, becoming objects of her own desires.

With psychedelic visuals and surreal dream sequences, Rothman foregrounds sexual agency and pleasure, exploring the shifting values of the early 70s as erotic tensions arise in the California desert. 

Rothman plays with the conventions of the genre, prioritising a feminist perspective and playful exploration of gender roles by subverting the common trope of the male vampire, thereby allowing Diane to project her dark feminine desires.

The Working Girls (15) + ScreenTalk with Stephanie Rothman (via Zoom)
US 1974, Dir Stephanie Rothman, 80min
Thu 14 Aug, 6.15pm 
Cinema 3 

The Working Girls captures Rothman’s heart and politics, as three young single women in Los Angeles look for their place in the world. Each character reflects the challenges and misogyny Rothman faced as a female filmmaker in 1970s Hollywood. 

Although set during a chronic recession, seen today, the film oozes a distinctly dreamy Californian carefreeness and lightness, punctuated throughout with Rothman’s razor-sharp humour. Rothman’s final film leaves us imagining what could have been, if her filmmaking career had not been curtailed by a lack of opportunities. 

To view the full press release: 
www.barbican.org.uk/our-story/press-room/hidden-figures-stephanie-rothman 

Outdoor Cinema 2025 

Film nights under the stars 

Wed 20 Aug – Sun 31 Aug 
Barbican Sculpture Court 

The Barbican Cinema Curators have put together an original line-up from some of the best visual storytellers of our time, with films from David Lynch, Wes Anderson, Claire Denis, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Koji Hashimoto, Julien Henriques, Isao Takahata, and Sara Dosa, that demand to be seen on the big screen.
 
Outdoor Cinema 2025 opens Wed 20 August with Dune, David Lynch’s cult adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel, which is a thrilling and unique sci-fi extravaganza by one of cinema’s most exciting visionaries. 

Running over 11 days, the series closes on Sun 31 August with the beloved cult musical Little Shop of Horrors, about a nerdy florist trying his luck at finding romance with the help of a giant man-eating plant, which is complemented with a catchy soundtrack and cameos from Steve Martin, Jim Belushi and Bill Murray.

Outdoor Cinema 2025 is supported by Associate partner Mastercard and Destination Partner Culture Mile BID. 

Full programme:

Dune (12A)
USA 1984, Dir David Lynch, 131min
Wed 20 Aug, 8.30pm
Barbican Sculpture Court

Decades after its mixed reception, Dune can now be reevaluated as a truly unique and thrilling sci-fi extravaganza by one of cinema’s most exciting visionaries. The production design and visual effects, not least the scenes with the gigantic sandworms, and the extraordinary, Oscar-nominated sound design make for an incredible cinematic spectacle.

This screening is part of the Barbican’s wider Frequencies: the sounds that shape us​ season.

Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (12A)
Thailand 2010, Dir Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 109min 
Thu 21 Aug, 8.30pm 
Barbican Sculpture Court

Exploring themes of memory, afterlife and reincarnation, this is an intense, dreamlike journey into another world, including a memorable encounter with a forlorn princess and a talking catfish. The film deservedly won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. 

This screening is part of the Barbican’s wider Frequencies: the sounds that shape us​ season.

Love & Basketball (12A)
USA 2000, Dir Gina Prince-Bythewood, 124min 
Fri 22 Aug, 8.30pm 
Barbican Sculpture Court

Monica (Saana Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps) are two childhood friends who fall in love whilst following their joint passion for basketball. This semi-autobiographical drama is a great triumph for Black female representation both on and off-screen, that also brought a much-needed female gaze to the sports movie canon. 

The Return of Godzilla (12A*) + recorded intro by kaiju expert Steven Sloss
Japan 1984, Dir Director: Koji Hashimoto, 103min
Sat 23 Aug, 8.30pm 
Barbican Sculpture Court

Koji Hashimoto’s reboot returned to the dark roots of the first film, updating the film’s sociopolitical commentary for the late Cold War era. Here, the radioactive monster returns to wreak destruction on Japan and subsequently inflames tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union. The imaginative special effects and 1980s aesthetics update Godzilla for a new era.

This screening is part of the Barbican’s wider Frequencies: the sounds that shape us​ season.

Fantastic Mr. Fox (PG)
USA 2009, Dir Wes Anderson, 87min 
Sun 24 Aug, 8.30pm 
Barbican Sculpture Court

A heist caper stitched with corduroy and velvet-pawed uprising; Fantastic Mr. Fox is as clever in spirit as it is in style. Joined by an all-star cast, including Meryl Streep, Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman, George Clooney’s smooth-talking Mr. Fox – a charismatic schemer with a taste for adventure and expertly toasted cider – cannot resist one more heist. 

Babymother (15)
UK 1998, Dir Julien Henriques, 82min 
Tue 26 Aug, 8.30pm 
Barbican Sculpture Court

Shot on location in Harlesden, North London, Anita (Anjela Lauren Smith) is a young mother who dreams of becoming a dancehall star. The rhythms of London’s reggae scene are woven through Julien Henriques’ stylish and pioneering film.

This screening is part of the Barbican’s wider Frequencies: the sounds that shape us​ season.

Grave of the Fireflies (12A)
Japan 1988, Dir Isao Takahata, 89min 
Wed 27 Aug, 8.30pm 
Barbican Sculpture Court 

Michio Mamiya’s heartbreaking score washes over this exquisite animation, bringing a rich depth of emotion to the story of Seita (Tsutomu Tatsumi) and Setsuko (Ayano Shiraishi), a boy and his younger sister who are left homeless during bombing raids, forced to find ways to survive amidst the devastation.

Fire Of Love (PG)
Canada/ USA 2022, Dir Sara Dosa, 98min 
Thu 28 Aug, 8.30pm 
Barbican Sculpture Court

Maurice and Katia Kraftt were two volcanologists and explorers who died doing what they loved – unravelling the mysteries of volcanic eruptions. Awe-inspiring imagery and deeply immersive soundscapes allow us to experience the incredible explosive power of volcanoes up close, assembled from several hours of previously unseen 16mm film.

Beau Travail (15)
France 1998, Dir Claire Denis, 93min
Fri 29 Aug, 8.30pm 
Barbican Sculpture Court

Voted one of the 10 best films of all time in a recent Sight & Sound poll, Beau Travail delves into the tensions within a French Foreign Legion, when the arrival of a handsome young soldier provokes a crisis in Galoup, a grizzled sergeant-major (Denis Lavant). Jealous and inexplicably shaken, Galoup resolves to destroy the younger man. 

This screening is part of the Barbican’s wider Frequencies: the sounds that shape us​ season.

Björk’s Cornucopia (12A)
Portugal 2025, Dir Ísold Uggadóttir, 98min
Sat 30 Aug, 8.30pm 
Barbican Sculpture Court

Björk’s latest concert film is an electrifying experience; one that is underscored by a poignant socio-political message about the need for climate change action. A fantastical, fungi-inspired set design, wild floral and aquatic visuals and stunning costumes designed by Balmain's Olivier Rousteing and Iris van Herpen.

This screening is part of the Barbican’s wider Frequencies: the sounds that shape us​ season.

Little Shop of Horrors (PG)
USA 1986, Dir Frank Oz, 105min 
Sun 31 Aug, 8.30pm
Barbican Sculpture Court

Frank Oz’s adaptation of the off-Broadway smash hit musical is a mega-blast of fun and is crammed with showstopping hits. Rick Moranis plays Seymour, a nerdy guy working in a failing florist, who longs for the love of his colleague, Audrey (Ellen Greene). In the shop’s basement, Seymour secretly nurtures a strange plant, which he names Audrey II, 
which brings in new customers and revitalises the business but, to his alarm, grows into a bloodthirsty monster…

To view the full press release: 
www.barbican.org.uk/our-story/press-room/outdoor-cinema-2025

Regular Programme Strands

The Cinema of Qiu Miao-jin (15) + ScreenTalk with filmmaker Evans Chan
Sat 16 Aug, 2pm 
Cinema 3 

Deeply influenced by cinema, Miao-jin wove film into her writing and quietly explored filmmaking herself. The program features Ghost Carnival (1994), a poignant story about identity and mortality, and The Love and Death of Montmartre (2019), a hybrid documentary reflecting on Miao-Jin’s impact on Taiwan’s LGBTQ+ culture.

Curator Eleanor Lu introduces the event, with a post-screening discussion led by the filmmaker Evans Chan.
 

Senior Community Screenings:
Welcoming 60+ cinema goers to watch the latest new releases every other Monday morning: 

Memoir of a Snail (15) 
Australia 2024, Dir Adam Elliot, 94min
Mon 4 Aug, 11am
Cinema 2 

A tragicomedy from Academy Award-winning animator Adam Elliot, recounting the life of a melancholic woman called Grace Pudel - a hoarder of snails. This is a poignant and hilarious chronicle of the life of an outsider finding her confidence and silver linings amongst the clutter of everyday life.

Santosh (15)
UK/France/Germany 2024, Dir Sandhya Suri, 127min
Mon 18 Aug, 11am
Cinema 2 

Young widow Santosh inherits her husband’s job as a police officer in the rural bad lands of India, in this thrilling tale of moral conflict from British-Indian director Sandhya Suri. 


Relaxed Screenings
Relaxed screenings take place in an environment that is specially tailored for a neurodiverse audience, as well as those who find a more informal setting beneficial:

The Phoenician Scheme (15) (AD)

US 2025, Dir Wes Anderson, 101min
Mon 4 Aug, 6.10pm 
Cinema 3

One of the most anticipated films of the year, Wes Anderson returns with an all-star ensemble in this tale of comedic espionage and intrigue.