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May 2019 at Glasgow Film Theatre

NEW RELEASES

This month, as Glasgow Film celebrates 80 Years of Cinema at Rose Street, the GFT programme is packed with hotly anticipated new releases, including: Brady Corbett’s follow up to Childhood of a Leader, Vox Lux, starring Natalie Portman; Aretha Franklin in the spectacular documentary Amazing Grace, directed by Oscar-winner Sydney Pollack and Alan Elliot; Claire Denis’ sci-fi masterpiece High Life starring Robert Pattinson and Mia Goth; and fresh from closing Glasgow Film Festival 2019, the screen version of Kieran Hurley’s award-winning play Beats returns to the big screen. May also sees the return of more Glasgow Film Festival 2019 favourites, including: Robbie Fraser’s documentary Final Ascent following the life of legendary mountaineer Hamish MacInnes; Benedikt Erlingsson’s playful drama Woman at War, and  Joe Penna’s intense, slow-burning adventure Arctic starring Mads Mikkelsen. Also screening this month is Paul Anton Smith’s love letter to the power of film, Have You Seen My Movie?, to coincide with the 80 Years of Cinema celebrations; satirical drama Donbass; Dome Karukoski’s Tolkien, exploring the formative years of the renowned author; The Keeper, based on the incredible true story; XY Chelsea, telling the true story of whistle-blower Chelsea Manning; Jia Zhangke’s latest, a magisterial work exploring modern China, Ash Is Purest White; Josephine Decker’s explosively creative Madeline’s Madeline; Dominga Sotomayor Castillo’s award-winning coming-of-age drama Too Late to Die Young; and Christa Gallego and Ciro Guerra’s follow up to the Oscar-nominated Embrace of the Serpent, Birds of Passage, a mind-altering journey into nature, unlike anything you’re likely to have seen before.

See What’s On at GFT  

SPECIAL EVENTS

After garnering critical acclaim at Glasgow Film Festival 2019, writer-director-actor Jim Cummings will attend a Q&A at GFT after a preview screening of dark comedy Thunder Road. Also this month: co-writer/director László Nemes (Son of Saul) will attend a Q&A following a preview screening of Sunset – screening on 35mm; Cléo from 5 to 7 with a special introduction celebrating pioneering feminist filmmaker Agnés Varda, who passed away in March; Tom Jones’s documentary Asbury Park: Riot: Redemption, Rock ‘n’ Roll, telling the story of the long troubled town of Asbury Park will be followed by exclusive concert footage of Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt, Southside Johnny Lyon and the Upstage All-Stars. Fresh from Glasgow Film Festival, GFT presents a preview screening of Naziha Arebi’s Freedom Fields followed by a director Q&A; and director Rehana Rose will attend a Q&A following a screening of poignant documentary Dead Good. Plus: adapted from Kent Nerburn’s acclaimed bestseller, Neither Wolf Nor Dog will be followed by a Q&A with director Steven Lewis Simpson; the second film from legendary Chicago production collective Kartemquin Films, Inquiring Nuns, screens from a new digital restoration and will be followed by a Skype Q&A with director Gordon Quinn, hosted by Glasgow-based artist and Buzzcut founder Rosana Cade; and the latest from the unique imagination of Peter Strickland In Fabric follows the journey of a cursed dress, this screening will be followed by a director Q&A.

See all Q&A screenings.

CINEMASTERS: HIROKAZU KORE-EDA

Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda began his career as a documentary maker in the late 1980s, but it was his 1995 fiction feature debut Maborosi that set the tone for the style he would become known and loved for. His films tend to be gentle, observational dramas, often revolving around families and children. They also unfailingly offer a depth of characterisation and pure emotion that is rarely achieved by any other contemporary filmmakers.

See all CineMasters: Hirokazu Kore-eda listings

SCOTTISH MENTAL HEALTH ARTS FESTIVAL

The Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival, led by the Mental Health Foundation, takes place across Scotland from 3-26 May 2019. SMHAF celebrates the artistic achievements of people with experience of mental health problems, explores the relationship between creativity and the mind, and promotes positive mental health and wellbeing. This year, SMHAF presents Irene’s Ghost followed by a Q&A with director Iain Cunningham and guests, and Evelyn followed by a Skype Q&A with director Orlando von Einsiedel.

See all Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival listings. 

LUMINATE

Luminate, Scotland’s creative ageing organisation, delivers a diverse programme of creative events and activities throughout the year, including the biennial Luminate Festival, which returns from 1–31 May 2019. This, the 7th edition, brings two fantastic films to GFT, including David Lynch’s lyrical odyssey The Straight Story screening on 35mm.

See all Luminate listings.

BASQUE SPRING

Scotland and Basque Country are often mirrored, but much remains unknown for us about Basque language, customs and traditions. In early May, CinemaAttic present three essential films, looking at understanding the Basque conflict and rethinking land and tradition.

See all Basque Spring listings.

GFT CELEBRATE 80 YEARS OF CINEMA

This month we celebrate 80 years of cinema on Rose Street. The Cosmo, the grand single-screen cinema that became Glasgow Film Theatre in 1974, first opened its doors in May 1939. To mark the occasion, we have chosen four films that celebrate the magic, wonder and unique fascination of the cinema experience. These screenings are all offered completely free – but are now sold out. There will be a standby ticket queue on the day of each screening.

See all 80 Years of Cinema listings.

ITALIAN FILM FESTIVAL

Scotland’s annual celebration of the best in Italian cinema returns for 2019 with an exciting, wide-ranging selection, featuring work from established auteurs such as Paolo Virzì and Mario Martone, as well as emerging talents such as Laura Bispuri and Laura Lucchetti. This year’s programme blends a variety of genres and styles, and spans the peninsula.

See all Italian Film Festival listings .

 GFT May Brochure (PDF).
 GFT Listings

Full list of screenings with Q&A

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