Films Available
Every film we screen must be licensed for non-theatrical exhibition from its distributor (or sometimes directly from its production company). This means that, though films may be available on DVD, it may not be possible or straightforward to obtain the necessary licence. However, as a film society we can sometimes license films in the pre-release window before a film is available on DVD.
This page outlines the main sources for films. Please suggest a film or email us if there are any that you think we should be screening.
We have both digital and traditional 16mm projection equipment.
To find reviews of any given film, the best place to start is the Movie Review Query Engine, and it is always worth checking the BBFC for running time and certification.
Digital
The primary lists of what is available are from:
- British Film Institute [pdf] or you can browse their website. You can also find summaries of some of the films in the earlier catalogues: November 2008 and March 2008 [pdf]
- British Federation of Film Societies (See also last year's catalogue (2008) [pdf]). There are lists of all available titles elsewhere on our website, which links through to the Movie Review Query Engine, and a similar list from last year.
- Filmbank: more mainstream films, often available in the window before DVD releases. Use the Advanced Search and set Format to "DVD", else many results will be for 16mm prints. They also have a scheme allowing use of one's own DVD copy.
- Motion Picture Licensing Company makes available tens of thousands of films from major studios and producers. Generally mainstream, but does include gems such as All about Eve and Mephisto
It is also worth looking at the Popular Titles Lists on the BFFS site compiled by the BFFS South West Group. These gives some useful ideas for films and indicate where they can be hired from.
In addition, the Independent Cinema Office organises screening days for film societies, and the lists of films available, together with some comments and audience ratings, are available:
- November 2009 and see the audience reaction scores
- April 2009
- November 2008
- March 2008
- November 2007
- March 2007
- December 2006
- March 2006
Films from the following distributors are worth looking at for availability. This is not exhaustive, and there are many other films and sources, but it is a good start:
- Park Circus
- Artificial Eye
- Revolver
- Lionsgate
- Verve Pictures
- Trinity Distribution
- Momentum Pictures
- Axiom Films
- Peccadillo Pictures
- The Works
- Vertigo Films
16mm
This is a selection of films in 16mm format that the BFI has and for which rights may be available. It is not a complete list of available 16mm titles, but gives a good sense of the collection.
| Title | Cert | Country | Year | Director | Length | On DVD? | Review | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashes and Diamonds | 12 | PL | 1958 | Wajda | 109 | Y | Time Out | NYTimes |
| Belle Noiseuse | PG | FR | 1992 | Rivette | 130 | Y | Time Out | |
| Black Narcissus | U | GB | 1947 | Powell/Pressburger | 100 | Y | Time Out | |
| Black Rain | PG | JP | 1989 | Imamura | 122 | Y | C4 | Washington Post |
| C'est la vie | 12 | FR | 1990 | Kurys | 96 | Y | Time Out | |
| Capricious Summer | A | CZ | 1968 | Menzel | 78 | Y | Time Out | NYTimes |
| Captive du desert | FR | 1990 | Depardon | 101 | N | Strictly Film School | Time Out | |
| Caravaggio | 18 | GB | 1986 | Jarman | 92 | Y | Guardian | Time Out |
| Caught | U | US | 1949 | Ophuls | 87 | N | Time Out | |
| Charles et Lucie | A | FR | 1979 | Kaplan | 97 | N | Time Out | |
| City of Sadness | 12 | TW | 1989 | Hou | 160 | N | Time Out | |
| Cycle, The | AA | IR | 1974 | Mehrjui | 103 | N | Chicago Reader | |
| Cyrano de Bergerac | U | FR | 1990 | Rappeneau | 137 | Y | Time Out | Chicago Sun-Times |
| Daughter of the Nile | PG | TW | 1987 | Hou | 83 | N | Time Out | |
| Diamonds of the Night | A | CZ | 1964 | Nemec | 66 | N | Chicago Reader | |
| Diary for my Children | PG | HU | 1982 | Meszaros | 106 | Y | Time Out | NYTimes |
| Diary for my Loves | PG | HU | 1987 | Meszaros | 130 | N | Time Out | |
| Distant Voices Still Lives | 15 | GB | 1988 | Davies | 83 | Y | Time Out | Guardian |
| Double Life of Veronique | 15 | FR | 1991 | Kieslowski | 97 | Y | Time Out | Guardian |
| Drole de drame | A | FR | 1950 | Carne | 97 | Y | Time Out | |
| Eel, The | 18 | JP | 1998 | Imamura | 116 | Y | Chicago Reader | |
| Eight and a Half | 15 | IT | 1963 | Fellini | 138 | Y | Time Out | Chicago Sun-Times |
| Fire Festival | NR | JP | 1984 | Yanagimachi | 120 | N | Time Out | Strictly Film School |
| Ginger and Fred | 15 | IT | 1986 | Fellini | 127 | Y | Time Out | |
| Good Morning Babylon | 15 | IT | 1986 | Taviani | 117 | N | Time Out | |
| L'Argent | PG | FR | 1983 | Bresson | 84 | Y | Time Out | |
| Leningrad Cowboys go America | 12 | FI | 1989 | Kaurismaki | 78 | Y | Time Out | Washington Post |
| Letter from an unknown woman | U | US | 1947 | Ophuls | 87 | Y | Time Out | |
| My Girlfriend's Boyfriend | PG | FR | 1987 | Rohmer | 99 | Y | Time Out | |
| Ossessione | PG | IT | 1942 | Visconti | 139 | Y | Time Out | Turner Classic Movies |
| Partie de Campagne | PG | FR | 1936 | Renoir | 38 | Y | Time Out | |
| Rebecca | PG | US | 1940 | Hitchcock | 130 | Y | Time Out | Guardian |
| Ronde, La | PG | FR | 1950 | Ophuls | 92 | N | Time Out | |
| Scarlet Street | PG | US | 1945 | Lang | 103 | Y | Time Out | |
| Spider's Stratagem | PG | IT | 1970 | Bertolucci | 100 | N | Time Out | Chicago Sun-Times |
| Sunday in the Country | U | FR | 1984 | Tavernier | 94 | Y | Time Out | Chicago Sun-Times |
| Tabu | PG | US | 1931 | Murnau | 82 | Y | Time Out | NYTimes |
| To Our Loves | 15 | FR | 1983 | Pialat | 99 | N | Time Out | NYTimes |
| Uncle Vanya | A | RU | 1971 | Konchalovsky | 102 | N | NYTimes | |
| Vassa | PG | RU | 1983 | Panfilov | 136 | Y | Time Out | |
| Winter's Tale | 15 | FR | 1991 | Rohmer | 114 | Y | Time Out | Chicago Sun-Times |
| Year of the Quiet Sun | 15 | PL | 1984 | Zanussi | 108 | N | Time Out | Chicago Sun-Times |
| Yeelen | PG | ML | 1987 | Cisse | 104 | Y | Time Out |