Cinema in Manchester and the North

Tom Grieve, Cinema Editor

Last Updated 16 October 2020

There are no shortage of film festivals for cinema fans to dig into this month. Organisers have had to adapt this year, but its a testament to their ingenuity that so many of our favourite festivals are returning in one form or another.

The BFI London Film Festival is up North properly this year, following last year’s wildly popular satellite screening of Peterloo at HOME. While much of the festival is available online, this time around they are also bringing a selection of brand new titles to HOME, Showroom and Everyman cinemas. Previews of the likes of Francis Lee’s Ammonite and Josephine Decker’s Shirley are amongst a host of exciting films on offer.

Sheffield Doc/Fest continues its hybrid programme, with online streaming offered alongside in-person events. Meanwhile, the local heroes behind Grimmfest have arranged an entirely online festival packed with the kinds of horrors that have made it such a success. Also online, Manchester Animation Festival returns with a programme suitable for families, animation buffs, industry professionals and enthusiasts alike.

We are so grateful to National Lottery players, The National Lottery, DCMS and Arts Council England for supporting our freelance writers during this crisis. This means that, although venues remain shut and campaigns cancelled, our writers can be reengaged to help arts organisations and artists across the North of England share their online content with our culture-hungry readers.

Here are our picks

1. FilmFear 2020: Scream Now, Think Later at HOME

HOME

FilmFear 2020 at HOME Manchester, Manchester and online, 28 October–1 November 2020, from £5 - Book now

HOME presents a season of thought-provoking horror from around the world.

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2. Black History Month Film Programme at HOME

HOME

Black History Month at HOME 2020 at HOME Manchester, Manchester, Until 31 October 2020 - Book now

HOME’s Black History Month programming features Spike Lee, Black Panther, Idris Elba, Paul Robeson and much, much more.

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3. The Village Screen: Halloween Screenings at Peak Cavern

The Village Screen: Halloween Screenings at Peak Cavern, Until 31 October 2020, from £22 - Book now

Horror movies in an underground cave — a.k.a. the perfect Halloween cinema experience.

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4. Manchester Animation Festival

Manchester Animation Festival

Manchester Animation Festival, online, 15–30 November 2020, from £5 - Book now

Grab your plasticine and get inspired. Manchester Animation Festival goes online with a selection of exciting new films, family workshops and industry events.

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5. She Dies Tomorrow – Streaming on Curzon Home Cinema

She Dies Tomorrow, online, Until 31 October 2020, from £9.99 - Book now

Amy Seimetz’s darkly fascinating film follows a group of friends in Los Angeles as they succumb to the contagious belief that they have less than 24 hours to live. Not quite horror, not quite sci-fi, this ominous new drama deserves to be seen.

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6. Sheffield Doc/Fest

Sheffield Doc/Fest, online, Until 30 November 2020, free entry - Visit now

Sheffield Doc/Fest goes online. One of the UK’s finest film festivals invites you to explore world class non-fiction from the comfort of your own home.

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Cinema Until 31 March 2021, from £9.99

Portrait of a Lady on Fire – Streaming on Mubi

Brittany, France 1770. Portrait painter Marianne (Merlant) is commissioned to paint the wedding portrait of Héloïse (Haenel), a reluctant bride to be who has just left the convent.

Dogs Don't Wear Pants at HOME Manchester.

Cinema Until 20 March 2021, from £9.99

Dogs Don’t Wear Pants – Streaming on Curzon Home Cinema

Heart surgeon Juha has lived life at an unengaged distance since his wife’s passing. And although it is often debilitating, his grief also throws up some rather surprising sexual urges.

System Crasher at HOME, Manchester - director Nora Fingscheidt's distinctive depiction of dysfunction in an under-resourced care system.

Cinema Until 2 April 2021, from £9.99

System Crasher – Streaming on Curzon Home Cinema

Controversial from the moment it premiered in Competition at the 2019 Berlin Film Festival, documentarian Nora Fingscheidt’s fiction feature debut portrays the life of a chaotic and troubled young girl.

Cinema Until 22 November 2020, from £8

Cancelled: Vintage Hitchcock at FACT

Picturehouse at FACT presents a season of Alfred Hitchcock’s greatest hits, as they invite audiences to submit to the slick charms and dark obsessions of cinema’s master of suspense.

Cinema Until 29 October 2020, from £5

One Man and His Shoes at HOME

British filmmaker Yemi Bamiro looks stateside as he surveys the Nike Air Jordan phenomenon.

Activity 29 October 2020 6:00 pm,

The Black Mirror: Representations of race in the horror film

Join podcaster Esther Lisk-Carew and guests as they discuss representations of race in the new wave of socially conscious black film making, within the horror genre.

Cinema 30–31 October 2020, from £10

Grimmfest Halloween Horror Nights

Manchester’s Grimmfest have curated two nights of blood, gore, monsters and mayhem for film fans to enjoy from home.

Culture Guides

Exhibitions

With galleries finally back open, there’s an abundance of stellar offline exhibitions to satisfy those keen to get back to seeing art in the flesh.

Families

Need some inspiration for online activities and creative family fun? Look no further than our top picks online for families across Manchester and the North.

Literature

From book launches to festival readings and open mics to creative writing workshops, activities and events in Live Literature Land continue virtually as mochas and pints have to accompany substantial meals, not just a garibaldi or a bag of Monster Munch.

Music

Discover the best upcoming music events taking place on a stage or a screen near you.

Theatre

Whether you’re looking to get wrapped up and catch an outdoor show or stay home and watch some digital performance – our guide to theatre in Manchester has got you covered.