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Pick & Mix: Signal Decay (15)

Young Barbican Events

A grainy image of a someone holding a phone with a picture of Rishi Sunak on it

Still from HufflePuff (dir. @burnermunde)

Young Barbican Pick & Mix presents Signal Decay, a screening of short films about moving through cities and finding the strange in the everyday.

Pulling together disparate works from London to Dhaka, and Brooklyn to Sheffield, the films range from deadpan snapshots of city life to surreal night drives and poetic portraits of everyday living. Together, they capture the bleary-eyed sensation of finding something to watch at 2am, flicking past a channel you didn't know existed; a restless, unpolished transmission from the overlooked and off-kilter.

Curated by London-based archivist and Barbican Young Film Programmers alum, Raageh Ali.

Age restriction: 15+

Content warning:
Occasional strong language.
Images of public unrest, which some may find distressing - fighting, rioting, people being arrested.

Access:
This is a Relaxed Screening. Live speech is captioned (human-generated) and all films come with subtitles.


£10 popcorn + beer deal
In the Cinema Cafe exclusively for Pick & Mix ticket holders.

Young Barbican Events
This event is for Young Barbican Members ages 16–29. Your ID may be checked upon arrival.

16–29? Join Young Barbican for free 

Ticket prices

Programme

Beg  
UK, 2026, dir. Mustafa Mohamoud & Arran Ashan, 2 mins 

A deadpan snapshot of a specific kind of tension on the overground; a rough sleeper approaches passersby inside the carriage, ignored by all except one… 

I Hate Jack  
UK, 2026, dir. Theo Watkins, 3 mins 

A discontented man calls into talk radio with a diatribe against midfielder Jack Grealish, which quickly unravels and curdles into something more telling. 

The Golden Postbox  
UK, 2024, dir. Julia Mervis, 4 mins 

A commemorative Olympic postbox in Sheffield becomes a strange monument to something nobody can quite name. The director Julia asks local residents their thoughts on it: receiving wistful, uncertain answers in response. 

About the curator

Raageh Ali is an archivist and film curator trained in library and information sciences. He came through the Barbican Young Film Programmers scheme, and put time into Haringey Community Cinema soon after its early formation. He has since founded 22nd Side, an independent film archive and curation project based in London. Learn more about Raageh on his website.

Access

Cinema 3 is located at Beech Street, a short distance from the Barbican Centre’s main Silk Street entrance. There are a couple of steep, dropped kerbs and an incline to negotiate between the two sites. Level access from Beech Street. 

Mobility
Cinema 3 has three permanent wheelchair spaces (two in row A and one in row C, each with companion seats next to them) and 153 fixed seats. Access to the auditorium is up a ramp. There are also several seats with step-free access (B1-15 and C1-9). 

Assistance dogs
Assistance dogs may be taken into the cinema – please tell us when booking to ensure your seat has enough space. If you prefer, you may leave your dog with a member of the foyer staff during the performance. 

Hearing facility
An infrared system for hard of hearing customers is provided in each auditorium; headsets or neck loops can be collected from foyer staff. The ticket desk counter is fitted with an induction loop.

Relaxed Screening
A relaxed event takes place in an environment that is specially tailored for a neurodiverse audience, as well as those who find a more informal setting beneficial.

The cinema environment is tailored to the needs of the audience. 

For this screening:

  • The lights are dimmed, though not off.
  • The volume level’s a little lower than usual.
  • You are free to move around, enter and exit the cinema at any time, with easy access for any wheelchair users.
  • You're free to make noise in these screenings.
  • Staff are trained and ready to assist with any help you or other audience members may need while you're at the cinema at Barbican.

A visual guide to our cinemas is available on request – just click on the Visual Stories tab on our Accessible Events page.  

All films have subtitles. This event is live-captioned (human-generated).  

For more information, please contact the Box Office or visit our Accessibility page.

Cinema 3

Location
Barbican Cinema 2 & 3 are located on Beech Street, a short walk from the Barbican’s Silk Street entrance. From Silk Street, you’ll see a zebra crossing that will take you across the road to the venue. 

Address
Beech 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.