Chester Film Society About us Chester Film Society is a member of Cinema for All, the national organisation which represents and supports the film society movement. Since we began in 1970, Chester Film Society has given the people of Chester and the surrounding areas the chance to experience some of the finer films of world cinema in a relaxing and appreciative atmosphere. Our programme this season has 18 films and all have been chosen to represent a broad selection of genres from across the world. Where the films are not in the English language there will be English subtitles. We hope that our programme of films will interest, intrigue, educate, entertain and perhaps challenge you! All of our screenings are from disc, wherever possible in Blu-ray format. Membership Membership adds strength to the Society: the cost for the 2018-19 Season is just 45 and allows free entry to all 18 film screenings. A Membership Application form may be included with this programme, otherwise ask a Committee member or download from our website (see below). You can pay online with PayPal, cheque or cash in person. Guest tickets Non-members are welcome to attend any film as Guests and tickets cost just 5. There is no need to book tickets, but we give priority to seating our Members, then subject to available seats will start admitting Guests. We ve always had capacity in the past! Venues See inside the back cover for information on our venues Contact us Just turn up at a film and ask us on the night, or you can email us, become a member or find out more in a number of ways: Website: www.chesterfilmfans.co.uk Email: info@chesterfilmfans.co.uk From the website you can also subscribe to our email newsletters Telephone: 01244 371750 for any general enquiries Chester-Film-Society @chesterfilmfan Please note that all films in the programme are subject to availability and may be subject to change.
Tuesday 11 th SEPTEMBER 2018 The Florida Project Dir: Sean Baker USA 2017 111 mins Warm, winning, and gloriously alive, Sean Baker s The Florida Project is a deeply moving and unforgettably poignant look at childhood. Set on a stretch of highway just outside the imagined utopia of Disney World, it follows precocious six-year-old Moonee and her ragtag group of friends whose summer break is filled with childhood wonder, possibility and a sense of adventure while Moonee's struggling mom and a kind-hearted motel manager protect the kids from the harsh reality that surrounds them. Doors at 6:45pm for our Season Welcome Reception with complimentary drinks and nibbles Tuesday 25 th SEPTEMBER 2018 In the Fade Dir: Fatih Akin Germany 2017 106 min Subtitled A slow-burning drama/thriller in three parts, the crime, the trial and the verdict and aftermath. Set in modern day multi-cultural Germany, the story revolves round Katja, her husband Nuri - a Turkish immigrant and a former drug dealer - and their six year old son. Diane Kruger gives a searing, brilliantly observed performance Golden Globe winner 2018 - Best Motion Picture - Foreign Language Cannes Film Festival 2017 Best Actress Diane Kruger Tuesday 2 nd OCTOBER 2018 Loveless Dir: Andrey Zvyagintsev Russia 2017 124 mins Subtitled After witnessing a brutal fight between his divorcing parents, a 12-year old boy disappears, causing more hostility and upheaval. Leviathan director Andrey Zvyagintsev produces a film of hypnotic intensity focusing on the destructive repercussions of toxic relationships. Winner: Jury Prize, Cannes Film Festival 2017 This film means to shake you and it does Peter Travers, Rolling Stone This pristine drama is a pitiless critique on Russia Robbie Collin, The Telegraph
Tuesday 16 th OCTOBER 2018 Hotel Salvation Dir: Shubhashish Bhutiani India 2016 102mins Subtitled Faced with his father's untimely and bizarre demand to go and die in the holy city of Varanasi and attain Salvation, a son is left with no choice but to embark on this journey. Filmed on a modest budget with a subtle sense of place and pace, this highly impressive debut considers mortality with a wry compassion that's rare for such a young director. A really charming movie Mark Kermode, BBC Dreamy comedy-drama smart, spellbinding and achingly relatable The Guardian Wednesday 31 st OCTOBER 2018 at 8:30pm Halloween Special at The Wicker Man the Final Cut Dir: Robin Hardy UK 1973 93 mins A devout Christian policeman investigates the disappearance of a girl from a remote Scottish island community, which turns into an eerie confrontation of religions in this classic and intelligent folk horror, with a screenplay by Anthony Shaffer. The film has great performances throughout but especially notable are Christopher Lee and Edward Woodward as the two main protagonists. The creation, loss and rediscovery of both the film and its soundtrack is as fascinating as the film itself, which will be shared in a special introduction before the screening, by Mike Graham. This version is the film as we originally intended it Robin Hardy (Director) Tuesday 6 th NOVEMBER 2018 The Death of Stalin Dir: Armando Iannucci UK/France 2017 107 mins An extreme black comedy about the mayhem following the unexpected death of Stalin. Beginning in the black days of 1953, when Russians were being rounded up daily for torture, imprisonment, exile, or execution. No one is safe. A very funny comedy about life, death and totalitarianism New York Times Superbly cast, and acted with icy and ruthless force by an A-list lineup Peter Bradshaw
Tuesday 13 th NOVEMBER 2018 A Fantastic Woman Dir: Sebastián Lelio Chile 2017 102 mins Subtitled A young transgender woman s life is shattered after the death of her older lover in ambiguous circumstances. Lonely and vulnerable Marina (Daniela Vega) is then subjected to a series of hostile and intrusive interrogations which add to the agony of her bereavement. Vega gives a passionate portrayal of unparalleled intelligence and dignity. Winner, Best Foreign Language Film, 2018 Academy Awards A sublime study of love, loss and the trans experience Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian Tuesday 20 th NOVEMBER 2018 Thelma Dir: Joachim Trier Norway 2017 114 mins Subtitled A college student starts to experience extreme seizures while studying at a university in Oslo, Norway. She soon learns that the violent episodes are a symptom of inexplicable, and often dangerous, supernatural abilities. Thelma plays with genre tropes in unexpected ways, delivering a thoughtful, twisty supernatural thriller with a lingering impact. An example of a wonderful type of fantasy/sci-fi film, the sort of movie that both clearly deals in allegory and is still effective on its surface Both a moving allegory and a compelling film Vanity Fair Tuesday 4 th DECEMBER 2018 The Killing of a Sacred Deer Dir: Yorgos Lanthimos USA 2016 121 mins Brought to you by the director of The Lobster, this story, based on the ancient Greek play Iphigenia at Aulis by Euripides, features Steven, a charismatic surgeon, who is forced to make an unthinkable sacrifice after his life starts to fall apart, when the behaviour of a teenage boy he has taken under his wing turns sinister. A film that slinks around your subconscious like a hungry panther The Telegraph
Tuesday 11 th DECEMBER 2018 Paddington 2 preceded by our Christmas reception! Dir: Paul King UK 2017 105 mins Settled in with the Brown family, Paddington is a popular member of the community who spreads joy and marmalade wherever he goes. One day he spots a book in an antique shop -- the perfect present for his beloved aunt's 100th birthday. When a thief steals the prized book, Paddington embarks on an epic quest to unmask the culprit before Aunt Lucy's big celebration. Paddington 2 should be prescribed as an antidote to anyone who finds the madness of the modern world a bit wearing Empire Magazine Tuesday 8 th JANUARY 2019 Aurore (I Got Life!) Dir: Blandine Lenoir France 2018 90 mins Subtitled Separated from her husband, Aurore also loses her job and if that isn t enough she learns that she will soon be a grandmother. She suddenly realizes that society is pushing her gently onto a sideline, and Aurore is cast adrift on a mini-odyssey, reassessing age, race, social status and the importance of sex. Blandine Lenoir s lovely, intricate film tackles a subject that rarely gets addressed in art - Donald Clarke, Irish Times Tuesday 22 nd JANUARY 2019 The Square Dir: Ruben Östlund Sweden 2017 148 mins Subtitled The pretentious, elite art world clashes uncomfortably with altruism and a social conscience when gallery director Christian (Claes Bang) introduces a highly unusual installation. Soon his personal politics are challenged by a strange string of unexpected and shocking events. Winner, Palm d Or, Cannes Film Festival 2017 Winner, Best Film and Best Director, European Film Awards 2017 A strange mix of pop and profundity Mark Kermode
Chester Film Society presents SATURDAY 9th FEBRUARY 2018 SATURDAY 9th FEBRUARY 2018 at Film Quiz Short films Food Prizes! This annual event is open to all, not just Film Society members, so invite your friends along! The evening will include our famous Wall Film Quiz, Raffle, Caption Competition and Music Quiz. Some great prizes to be won! Throughout the evening a selection of short films will be shown for your entertainment. Food will be included in the price of the ticket. Tickets will be on sale nearer the time
Tuesday 5 th FEBRUARY 2019 The Breadwinner Dir: Nora Twomey Ire/Can/Lux 2017 94mins Based on the best-selling novel by Deborah Ellis, this Oscar-nominated animated drama is set in 2001; Afghanistan is under the control of the Taliban. When her father is captured, a determined young girl (Parvana) disguises herself as a boy in order to provide for her family. An appeal for women's rights and a celebration of the creative spirit Variety Nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 2018 Academy Awards. Tuesday 19 th FEBRUARY 2019 Faces, Places Dir: Agnès Varda, JR France 2017 94mins Subtitled A documentary recording how Agnès Varda, one of the leading lights of France's honoured French New Wave, and professional photographer and muralist, J.R., partake on a special art project. They travel around France in a special box truck equipped as a portable photo booth and printing facility as they take photographs of people around the country. A guide to how we can find something so much more beautiful in what we see every day. Cinema from the Spectrum Tuesday 5 th MARCH 2019 Call Me By Your Name Dir: Luca Guadagnino Italy 2017 129 mins Seventeen-year-old Elio (Timothée Chalamet) is spending the summer of 1988 with his family at their villa in Lombardy. The arrival of handsome, American guest Oliver (Armie Hammer) brings both focus and disquiet to the languorous Italian summer, especially for Elio and his burgeoning sexual awareness. Light, joyful, yet emotionally devastating Olly Richards, Empire Winner, Best Actor (Timothée Chalamet), New York Film Critics Circle Awards 2017
The 33 rd Chester International Film Festival at Chester Sunday 10 th March to Wednesday 20 th March 2019 Full details of films and dates will be announced nearer the time Photograph: Peter Cook
Tuesday 26 th MARCH 2019 Shoplifters Dir: Hirokazu Kore-eda Japan 2018 102mins Subtitled After one of their shoplifting sessions, Osamu and his son come across a little girl in the freezing cold. At first reluctant to shelter the girl, Osamu s wife agrees to take care of her after learning of the hardships she faces. But what first appears to be an easy-going drama slowly crinkles into something more delicate and profound. A rich, satisfying film from the director of Our Little Sister. Winner Palme d Or, Cannes Film Festival 2018 Grosvenor Museum A great portrayal of ordinary folks' struggles and haunted pasts Tuesday 9 th APRIL 2019 Land of Mine Dir: Martin Zandvliet Denmark 2015 116mins Subtitled Bringing to light a little-known and far from honourable chapter of Danish history, this convincingly-acted and insanely tense film tells the story of a group of young German POW s in post WW2. They are forced to clear a beach of thousands of land mines under the watch of a Danish Sergeant who slowly learns to appreciate their plight. A harrowing look at life after war The Observer Grosvenor Museum Land of Mine has won numerous awards, including Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Danish Film at the Bodil Awards. Tuesday 23 rd APRIL 2019 Mountains May Depart Dir: Zhangke Jia China 2015 126 mins Subtitled An ambitious tale of social upheaval in modern-day China. Set over three time periods, and spanning 25 years, it involves a young woman loved by two men, one rich and the other poor. At once an intimate drama and a decades-spanning epic that leaps from the recent past to the present to the speculative near-future, this is an intensely moving study of how China's economic boom, and the culture of materialism it has spawned, has affected the bonds of family, tradition, and love. Mountains May Depart speaks with taciturn eloquence British Film Institute Grosvenor Museum
Our venues For our season film programme, we will be at three venues: from 11 th September 2018 until 5 th March 2019, Storyhouse for our Halloween Special on 31 st October, then at The Grosvenor Museum for our last three films from 26 th March 2019 to 23 rd April 2019. St. Mary s Creative Space St Mary s Hill, Chester, CH1 2DW The Grosvenor Museum 27 Grosvenor Street, Chester CH1 2DD The venue is accessible for wheelchair users and there is a disabled toilet. There is no induction loop. There is full independent access to the ground floor via a street level lift A few wheelchair spaces are available at the rear of the theatre. A fixed loop hearing system. Parking There is ample parking in the large Castle Square car park in front of the Crown Court building which is still free in the evenings! There is alternative Pay & Display parking at The Little Roodee. St Mary s Creative Space: Follow the path through the gap to the left of the Crown Court building and you will see St Mary s on your right. The Grosvenor Museum: Exit the car park on to Castle Street and turn left. The turn right into Grosvenor Street and you will find the Museum is on your right.
FILM AND EVENTS DIARY FOR 2018-19 September 2018 Tuesday 11 th The Florida Project + Season Welcome Reception SM Tuesday 25 th In the Fade SM October 2018 Tuesday 2 nd Loveless SM Tuesday 16 th Hotel Salvation SM Wednesday 31 st The Wicker Man Halloween Special at 8:30pm SH November 2018 Tuesday 6th The Death of Stalin SM Tuesday 13th A Fantastic Woman SM Tuesday 20th Thelma SM December 2018 Tuesday 4th The Killing of a Sacred Deer SM Tuesday 11th Paddington 2 Christmas Special SM January 2019 Tuesday 8th Aurore (I Got Life!) SM Tuesday 22nd The Square SM February 2019 Tuesday 5th The Breadwinner SM Saturday 9th SOCIAL NIGHT SM Tuesday 19th Faces Places SM March 2019 Tuesday 5th Call Me By Your Name SM Sunday 10 th March to Weds 20 th March 33rd CHESTER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL at Tuesday 26 th Shoplifters GM April 2019 Tuesday 9 th Land of Mine GM Tuesday 23 rd Mountains May Depart GM Venues: SM SH Storyhouse GM Grosvenor Museum All films start promptly at 7:30pm unless indicated otherwise