Film Season: Haunting the Unknown

Tom Grieve, Cinema Editor
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives - Image courtesy of FACT

Film Season: Haunting the Unknown at FACT, City Centre 19 January — 2 February 2017 Tickets from £6.50 — Book now

Programmed in conjunction with No Such Thing as Gravity at FACT, Haunting the Unknown is a film season that takes a look at the spaces science leaves to the imagination and the supernatural presences that pop up to fill those spaces. The season has a pleasingly international flavour, and with a film apiece from Australia, Spain and Thailand, it’s interesting to note both the wide occurrence of ghost stories, and different national traditions that surround them.

Films showing as part of Haunting the Unknown:

The Babadook (dir. Jennifer Kent) – Thursday 19th January 20:40

Jennifer Kent’s astounding feature debut is one of the more notable horror films to be released in recent years. Essie Davis stars as a mother struggling as a single parent following the death of her husband. Her son has been acting up, and has become preoccupied with a supposedly imaginary monster from a storybook titled Mister Babadook. This smart independent film works as a terrifying piece of supernatural horror, but also as a deep, thoughtful examination of the process of grief.

 

The Devil's Backbone - Image via Sony Pictures Classics
The Devil’s Backbone – Image via Sony Pictures Classics

The Devil’s Backbone (dir. Guillermo del Toro) – Thursday 26th January 20:40

This mournful fable sees 10-year-old boy, Carlos uncover the dark ties that bind the inhabitants of his Santa Lucia orphanage during the last days of the Spanish Civil War. From Pan’s Labyrinth director Guillermo del Toro, this desolate ghost story explores myth, history and humanity. As always with del Toro, expect ravishing visuals and a rich, gothic atmosphere.

Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives – (dir. Apichatpong Weerathethakul) – Thursday 2nd February 18:00

Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Syndromes and a Century, Cemetery of Splendour) has long established himself as one of the world’s foremost film artists. His measured, contemplative work often combines his interest in modern spaces and ways of living with natural environments and traditional elements of Thai life and spirituality. Perhaps the director’s most widely known film, this 2010 Palme d’Or winner is an abstract ghost story that will cast a spell over those viewers willing to engage.

Film Season: Haunting the Unknown at FACT, City Centre 19 January — 2 February 2017 Tickets from £6.50 Book now

What's on at FACT

An image captured from overhead of two men embracing. One is seated, and the other is kneeling.
Until
ExhibitionsLiverpool
On the other side at FACT

‘On the other side’ at FACT presents the work of three artists, thoroughly examining themes of authority, power and control.

free entry

Where to go near Film Season: Haunting the Unknown

City Centre
Café or Coffee Shop
Garden Cafe FACT

FACT Liverpool gets back to its coffee-with-creativity roots thanks to a foliage-full new café.

Liverpool
Restaurant
Food From Nowhere

Food From Nowhere is a weekly vegan cafe held in the basement space of much-loved radical bookshop News From Nowhere. It’s open every Saturday from midday to 5pm.

City Centre
Café or Coffee Shop
Bold Street Coffee

A super cool cafe at the top of Bold Street, Bold Street Coffee in Liverpool serves a range of specialist coffee, cakes and sandwiches.

Liverpool
Restaurant
Maray

Much-loved Liverpool restaurant, specialising in forward-thinking small plate dishes.

City Centre
Café or Coffee Shop
LEAF on Bold Street

Keeping Bold Street a hub of creativity, LEAF is more than a tearoom, it’s also a bar and thriving event space with a packed schedule of upcoming happenings.

City Centre
Music venue
Arts Club Liverpool

Based in Liverpool’s old Royal Institute of Arts and Science building, Liverpool Arts Club is a great spot to catch small touring acts.

Photo of wooden tables and a green leather sofa
City Centre
Restaurant
Bretta & Co

Comprising of a deli and a small restaurant, Bretta & Co looks minimalist, modern and tasteful – the kind of place that puts you in mind of lazy brunches and ladies who lunch.

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