Nina and the Hedgehog’s Secret (N/C PG+) French Film Festival 2025
- RBC Film Theatre Mill Road Dumfries, Scotland, DG2 7BE United Kingdom (map)
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The Monday Night Film Club returns with a classic drama from Hungarian director István Szabó, the Oscar®-winning director of Mephisto, Hanussen and Being Julia.
Set in Hungary in the years following the end of WW2, a young boy concocts a fantasy ideal of his father who has been killed in the war. In the boy's fertile imagination, the father attains mythical and heroic qualities. Szabó's poignant cinematic ode, combining humour with a poetic nostalgia, relates historical events through the prism of personal experience, producing a film of extraordinary warmth, intimacy and power. Chosen by Hungarian critics and writers as one of the best Hungarian films of all time, Father also boasts luminous monochrome cinematography by the great Sándor Sára. In black and white | In Hungarian with English subtitles.
"Szabó's superb second feature, a major prizewinner at the time... shot and edited with all the effervescent brio of early Truffaut" Michael Brooke, MovieMail
"A beautiful study of the need for heritage... Szabó has told his story on two levels that complement each other magnificently" The New York Times
In an era of great change and great beauty emerged the character of James McNeill Whistler. Considered by some to be one of the great innovators of 19th century art, he was a contemporary of the Impressionists, much admired by Van Gogh and Manet. Boldly experimental and famously witty, Whistler disrupted the strict conventions of Victorian society in pursuit of a new cult of beauty, creating “art for art’s sake” and earning himself a place in the history of great art. He found a parallel between painting and music, and entitled many of his paintings “arrangements”, “harmonies” and “nocturnes”, emphasizing the importance of tonal harmony in his work.
His most famous painting, Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1 (1871), commonly known as Whistler’s Mother, is a revered and often parodied portrait of motherhood. It is arguably one of the most famous paintings in history and this film will unveil the artist behind the art.
Tate Britain is now holding the first major retrospective of Whistler in three decades. This blockbuster exhibition promises to reawaken the world to just how important Whistler is to art history, uniting world-famous masterpieces with rarely seen works. Exhibition on Screen will bring these stunning works and the incredible story behind them to cinemas around the world while the exhibition is still running, bringing this truly global artist to a global audience. This will be an unmissable chance to get to know this visually spectacular artist and the influence he has had on those who followed.
Made in close collaboration with Tate Britain.
Bitter Christmas is the latest film from iconic director Pedro Almodóvar. The Spanish language drama tells two alternating stories, one starring Elsa, an advertising director, in 2004, during a long weekend in December. The second takes place in 2026 and stars Raúl, a screenwriter and director who is writing a script that we soon discover is the story of Elsa, her boyfriend Bonifacio, and her friends Patricia and Natalia. Mixed with fiction, Elsa is, in a way, Raúl's alter ego, who, like him, resorts to autofiction as a solution to a long period of creative drought. He looks inside himself, and he can't help but also look at the people who make up his most intimate universe: his partner and his assistant. The film narrates the close relationship between reality and fiction, between inspiration and life, exploring the limits of autofiction and stories within stories. In Spanish with English subtitles.
On Halloween Eve at Mossy Bottom Farm, excitement turns to dismay when the clumsy Farmer ruins the pumpkin patch. Shaun tries fixing it with science experiments, but things go wrong when a wild beast appears in the woods.
Private detective Philip Marlowe is hired by a wealthy family and what seems like a straightforward case quickly spirals into a labyrinth of gambling debts, missing persons, murder, corruption and deception. Humphrey Bogart stars as PI Philip Marlowe in this classic American film noir directed by Howard Hawks. Lauren Bacall stars as Vivian Rutledge.
The Big Sleep, now 80 years old, is part of the Power, Corruption and Lies on Screen season as Hawks' brilliant noir exposes how wealth, influence and social status conceal criminality and moral decay and where every character is hiding something...
There are no adverts or trailers with this screening of The Big Sleep.
The ever popular French Film Festival returns to the RBC with a classic thriller from 1995. France’s master of suspense, Claude Chabrol, relishes every malevolent, icily controlled shot of this perfectly constructed thriller, right up to its terrifying, violent climax.
Adapted from Ruth Rendell's classic thriller, A Judgement in Stone, Chabrol transposes it to a remote French village. This iconic film has left a lasting mark on the cinematic landscape. Its influence transcends borders, shaping contemporary masterpieces like Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite. In French with English subtitles.
"Creates a palpable sense of unease that fully justifies the shockingly violent finale." - Time Out
You can see two other films by Claude Chabrol as part of the Power, Corruption and Lies on Screen season, La Femme infidèle and Le Boucher, thrillers which explore moral, rather than political, corruption and where polite society and dark secrets entwine to murderous effect.
An unforgettable road trip across Europe, from the Atlantic to Istanbul… Director Mathias Mlekuz stars in a fictionalised version of the real-life bike pilgrimage he took with his co-star and actor friend Philippe Rebbot. They travel from the west coast of France to Istanbul to pay homage to Mathias’ son Youri after his untimely and shocking death.
Filled with moments of intense emotions and occasionally bursting with laughter, this journey becomes an opportunity for these two friends to explore their friendship and pay tribute to Youri’s memory. Audience Award, best director and best music at Angoulême Francophone Film Festival 2024. In French with English subtitles.
"Bittersweet middle-aged bromance." The Guardian
There will be no adverts or trailers with this screening.
This dark and mesmerising collection of horror and thriller shorts showcases the extraordinary power of animation to illuminate the shadowy corners of the human imagination. This screening is part of Manipulate Arts’ Autumn Animation Season.
Each film delves into the depths of fear, obsession, and the unknown, transforming intangible nightmares into hauntingly beautiful visual experiences. Through a blend of striking artistry and storytelling, creators from around the world unravel cautionary tales that warn of human folly, bring to life the monsters lurking within, and paint chilling visions of futures twisted by our own desires and mistakes. Together, these animated works remind us that sometimes, the most terrifying worlds are the ones we create ourselves. The programme will feature films from four continents, including some of the most exciting titles on the current festival circuit.
This programme has been selected by Manipulate Arts and presented in partnership with ArtsD&G. Manipulate Arts’ Autumn Animation Season is supported by Film Hub Scotland, part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network, awarding funding on behalf of Screen Scotland and the BFI National Lottery.
In the seedy underbelly of 18th-century Paris, money is king. Nothing is sacred – even love itself can be bought for the right price. A native of this hedonistic underworld, Manon is caught between twin desires when she falls in love with the student Des Grieux. Steadfast and devoted, he offers the possibility of an honourable life. Yet, the riches promised by the world of Parisian society remain tempting...
Manon’s inner turmoil and struggle for survival lie at the devastating heart of Kenneth MacMillan’s 1974 adaptation of Abbé Prévost’s novel. In this signature work of The Royal Ballet, MacMillan’s nuanced understanding of human psychology makes for an unflinching look into the moral degradation of Manon’s Paris, while all its decadence and decay are brought to life through Jules Massenet’s score and Nicholas Georgiadis’s designs.
A leading member of the French New Wave, who came to be regarded as the 'French Hitchcock', for many years Claude Chabrol's classic thrillers have been missing from UK screens. A mid-career masterpiece within Chabrol's remarkable run of bourgeois psychological thrillers, La Femme infidèle traces the fallout following a husband’s discovery of his wife’s affair and his quiet, unnerving and devastating act of revenge. In French with English subtitles.
La Femme infidèle is part of the Power, Corruption and Lies on Screen Season, a themed run of films exploring how power can be misused, how corruption develops, and how truth can be manipulated. Alongside classics like The Big Sleep and All the President's Men the season brings together three of Chabrol’s most disturbing works, from La Femme infidèle, 1970's impeccable Le Boucher and 1995's La Cérémonie (based on Ruth Rendell's novel A Judgement in Stone), these are thrillers which explore moral, rather than political, corruption and where polite society and dark secrets entwine to murderous effect.
Josh O’Connor (The Crown; Challengers) leads the cast in this searing revival of Clifford Odets’ knockout American classic.
1930s New York, at the height of the Depression. Joe Bonaparte is a gifted young violinist with a future in music, until a chance at fame and fortune lures him into the brutal world of professional boxing. He must confront what he’s willing to sacrifice, who he’s willing to become and how to find his place in a world that demands he choose a side.
Filmed live from the Almeida Theatre and featuring a live string quartet, Olivier Award-winner Sam Yates (Vanya) directs this propulsive drama exploring ambition, identity, and the high price of success. Golden Boy will not be broadcast live via satellite.
This production may include flashing lights, which may impact customers with photosensitive epilepsy.
Set against the backdrop of mass protests in Paris, Case 137 follows Stéphanie, a meticulous internal affairs investigator assigned to investigate a teenager critically injured by police fire. Stéphanie is tasked with uncovering the truth, but her inquiry collides with institutional resistance and pressure mounts as the case turns personal, forcing her to confront the fragile lines between truth, loyalty, and justice. In French with English subtitles.
Case 137 is part of our Power, Corruption and Lies on Screen Season, a themed run of films exploring how power can be misused, how corruption develops, and how truth can be manipulated. You can see films like All The President's Men, Klute, and The Parallax View as well as rereleases of several of legendary French director Claude Chabrol's films which explore moral, rather than political, corruption and where polite society and dark secrets entwine to murderous effect.
A private investigator uncovers a conspiracy that reaches from municipal planning to the very foundations of power in Los Angeles. Widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, Chinatown is a defining statement on corruption—where truth is elusive, justice is compromised, and power always wins. Chinatown was nominated for 11 Academy Awards at the 47th Academy Awards (1975), tying for the most nominations that year but won only Best Original Screenplay for screenwriter Robert Towne.
The Power, Corruption and Lies on Screen Season is a themed run of films exploring how power can be misused, how corruption develops, and how truth can be manipulated.
From the makers of Coraline, Wildwood is a sweeping, darkly magical adventure about Prue, a young girl who journeys into a hidden forest to rescue her younger brother. Along the way she encounters warring factions, extraordinary creatures, and a world unlike anything she's ever known.
From Oscar®-nominated and BAFTA®-winning LAIKA, Wildwood is a sweeping adventure about love, sacrifice, and the magic that reveals itself when we dare to look beyond the familiar.
Under the oppressive heat of the Spanish sun, the fiercely independent Carmen attracts the attention of Don José. She warns him not to fall in love with her, but his obsession knows no bounds. Damiano Michieletto’s searing production returns, casting scorching light on the lust, violence and destructive desire of Bizet’s ever-popular opera.
An all-star cast brings this white-hot drama to life, with Ginger Costa-Jackson in the fiery title role, alongside Russell Thomas as the jealous and despairing Don José. Following his 2023 Royal Opera debut, Sesto Quatrini returns to conduct Bizet’s electrifying and sensual score.