All films are shown with English subtitles

Monthly Sunday Films at The Coach House

September 29th 7 pm
October 20th 7 pm
Nov 17th 3 pm
January 19th 3 pm & 7 pm
March 15th 3 pm
April 19th 7 pm
May 17th 7 pm
June 14th 7 pm

Special showing at Malvern Cinema

Sunday December 8th 2 pm

French Gangster Films Weekend
at The Coach House

Sat 15th and Sun 16th February 2020
Six of the best French gangster films

Full details below with trailers
(Some trailers lack subtitles but be assured that we show all films with English subtitles)

September 29th 7:00 LES CHORISTES 2004 (PG) colour 97 mins (music/drama) Christopher Barratier

Clément Mathieu, a former music teacher, comes to a school for "difficult" boys run by Rachin a cruel minded principal. The motto of the school is "Action - Reaction", but this technique obviously isn't working as there are a lot of problems and problem children. Clément tries to reach his boys and build trust and true order through music, particularly with the rebel Pierre whose single mother he begins to develop an attraction to.

César Awards 2005 : Best Film Music, Best Sound,
Lumiere Awards 2005: Best Film,
National Board of Review USA 2004: Top Foreign Film.

October 20th 7:00 MON ONCLE Jacques Tati 1958 (U) - B&W 116 mins (comedy)

The hopeless Monsieur Hulot once again finds himself affecting people's lives without realizing what he has done. Hulot's young nephew lives in an ultra-modern house where his overly pretentious mother will barely let him breathe. Hulot has taken the boy under his wing, but concerned that he may be a bad influence, Hulot's sister and brother-in-law devise a plan to keep him away. However an attempt to introduce him to other people at their garden party doesn't quite work out as planned.

Oscars 1959: Best Foreign Film,
National Board of Review, USA 1958: Top Foreign Film,
Cannes 1958: Jury Prize - Tati

November 17th 2:30 L'ANNÉE DERNIÈRE À MARIENBAD 1961 (U) B & W 94 mins (drama/mystery) Alain Renais

In a picturesque old-fashioned luxury chateau hotel, an enigmatic man tries to convince a married woman that they met in the Czech spa-town of Marienbad and spent time together there the previous year. The woman has no recollection whatsoever of having met this man and is convinced that he is just making all of this up. However, the more the man talks about their activities on that occasion, the more convincing he becomes. The question remains though - have they previously met or not?

Venice Film Festival 1961: Golden Lion,
French Syndicate of Cinema Critics 1962: Best Film.

December 8th 2:00 at MALVERN CINEMA. C'EST LA VIE / LE SENS DE LA FÊTE (from the same team that made Les Intouchables)
2017 (15) - colour 117 mins (comedy/drama/romance) Olivier Nakache, Éric Toledano

Pierre is marrying Héléna and wants his wedding party to be first rate. Therefore, he has engaged the services of Max Angély, a seasoned caterer, and his team. The reception is to take place in a sumptuous 17th century castle and its beautiful park. The rich arrogant bridegroom demands that everything is just so. Max assures him that it will be, but what he fails to tell him is that he has had to make a few staff substitutions for this event. But Max will "always adapt" and do everything to try to see that all goes well. But will it?

César Awards, France 2018: nominated Best Film, Best Actor, Best Screenplay,
Lumière 2018: nominated Best Film.

January 19th 3:00 with English subtitles, 7:00 with French subtitles
LA BELLE ET LA BÊTE 1947 (PG) - B&W 93 mins (fantasy/romance) Jean Cocteau

Returning home late one night a merchant takes shelter in a castle. As he leaves the next morning, he takes a rose to give to his daughter Belle. But just then the master appears, a creature half man and half beast, telling the merchant he must choose between dying or having one of his three daughters come to live in the castle. The selfless Belle agrees to go, against her father's wishes. Once there, the Beast assures her she will come to no harm, but she must meet him once a day at 7pm in the dining room. Every day he asks her to marry him but she refuses. Love grows between them however, leading to a magical resolution.

Prix Louis Delluc 1946, Cannes 1946: Grand Prize nominee

Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th February

Six Great Gangster Movies

Saturday 11:00 UN PROPHÈTE 2009 (18) colour 155 mins (crime/drama) Jaques Audiard

Malik, an illiterate eighteen year-old Franco-Arab is sent to Brécourt prison sentenced to six years for assaulting police officers. Alone and without money, he finds himself unprotected in an environment of corruption and violence from the opposing Corsican and Muslim gangs. César, the head of the Corsican inmates, forces Malik to kill one of the Muslims and in reward gives him support and protection. In working to save himself while in prison he learns how to deal drugs and so climbs up the hierarchy of César's mafia.

BAFTA 2010: Best film not in the English language,
Cannes 2009: Jury Grand Prize, Prix Louis Delluc - 2009

Saturday 3:00 LES TONTONS FLINGEURS 1965 (16) -B&W 105 mins (comedy/action/crime) Georges Lautner

Ex-gangster Fernand receives a call from a dying friend, a mob boss nicknamed "The Mexican". The declining mobster talks Fernand into taking care of some unfinished criminal business and also asks him to look after his soon-to-be-married daughter. When another mobster heavy, Volfoni, takes exception to Fernand for being an outsider, he and his “friends” come after Fernand, who calling on his old skills and law-breaking ways, defends himself against a series of attempts on his life from the persistent mob.

"One of the funniest, coolest and yet silliest movies of all time. An absolute classic. I loved every minute of it."

Saturday 7:00 DU RIFIFI CHEZ LES HOMMES 1955 (12) - B&W 118 mins (crime/thriller) Jules Dassin

Fresh out of jail after a five-year imprisonment, a weary master burglar returns to a rain-soaked Paris only to find his girl is now the mistress of a rival dope-dealing gangster. Utterly disheartened, he reluctantly accepts the proposition of his young protégé, for a quick smash-and-grab raid on a prestigious jewellery store, but only if they step up the job into an all-out jewel heist. With an impeccable plan and an expert safe-cracker, the thieves are on a roll. But what if opening the impregnable safe is the easiest part of the job?

Cannes 1955: Best director,
French Syndicate of Cinema Critics 1956: Best Film
NBR USA 1956: Top Film

Sunday 11:00 TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI 1954 (15) - B&W 83 mins (crime/drama) Jaques Becker

Max, an old gentleman gangster, and his buddy Riton, have got away with 50-million francs worth of gold bars, which they have “put away for their retirement”. But Riton's mistress, Josy, has grown tired of him. She has found herself a new protector in the shape of Angelo, the dangerous boss of a rival gang. Through Josy, Angelo learns about his rivals' hidden stash and plots to get it. He therefore decides to kidnap Riton to force Max to give him the gold. But will Max decide to give up the gold in exchange for his long-time buddy?

Venice Film Festival 1954: Best Actor - Jean Gabin

Sunday 3:00 DE BATTRE MON COEUR S'EST ARRÊTÉ 2005 (15) - colour 108 mins (crime/drama/music) Jaques Audiard

Tom, 28, is a pretty tough guy who leads a life that might be regarded as criminal. While feeling he is at a critical point in his life, a chance encounter prompts him to take up the piano again and work to become a concert pianist like his mother. His teacher is a Chinese virtuoso who has recently come to live in France. Speaking no French, music is the only language they share. Soon, Tom's bid to be a better person means he begins to want to find true love. But his attempt falters when his dubious past comes to light.

BAFTA 2006: Best Film not in the English Language,
César 2006: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor & more

Sunday 7:00 PÉPÉ LE MOKO 1937 (PG) - B&W 94 mins (crime/drama/romance) Julien Duvivier

Pépé le Moko, one of France's most wanted criminals, hides out in the Algerian Casbah. Protected by his gang, he eludes the authorities and capture all the while knowing the police will be waiting for him if he ever tries to leave the city. When Pépé meets Gaby Gould, a gorgeous woman from Paris who is lost in the Casbah, he falls for her. She also reminds him of all the things he loved about Paris. Even though Pépé knows he is being closely watched by Inspector Slimane, he considers a future with Gaby.

National Board of Review USA 1941: Best Foreign Film,
Kinema Junpo Awards 1940: Best Foreign Language Film

March 15th 3:00 LE BOUCHER 1970 (15) colour 93 mins (drama/thriller) Claude Chabrol

Helénè, a lonely village headmistress, befriends the local butcher Popaul. On Popaul's birthday Hélène gives him a lighter. Later, during an excursion with her class to a cave in the woods, Hélène stumbles across the latest stabbed victim of a presumed serial killer. She recognises the woman and finds Popaul's lighter at the scene but hides it from the police. When Popaul next visits her she discovers that he still has his lighter and is much relieved. However, when Popaul paints the ceiling of her house, she makes a discovery that seriously affects her sense of security.

Bodil Awards 1971: Best European film & director Chabrol

April 19th 7:00 L'HOMME DU TRAIN 2002 (12A) colour 90 mins (crime/thriller) Patrice Leconte

Milan is a beleaguered old thief who rolls into a small French town with the aim of robbing its bank. However, with no place to stay and following a chance meeting with Manesquier, a retired poetry teacher, he accepts his offer of shelter, which leads to an unexpected friendship. Milan has grown tired of his adventurous life on the run and wishes to retire in peace; Manesquier craves the danger he's never known in his bookish existence. Their shared admiration and envy inspires each to reconsider their future.

Lumière Awards, France 2003: Best Actor,
Venice Film Festival 2002: Best Film
NBR USA 2003: Top Foreign Film

May 17th 7:00 LE ROI ET L'OISEAU 1980 (U) - colour 83 mins (animation/fantasy) Paul Grimault

What is now regarded as a masterpiece of French animation, began life in 1948, as The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep (loosely based on the fairy tale of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen) but was not completed until 1980. It's a true explosion of fantasy that will capture a child's imagination, but will also fascinate adults. The basic plot involves a chimney sweep and a shepherdess seeking to escape from the clutches of a tyrannical king. The whole film, though, is a metaphor of what power can do to people. It shows how love and freedom can never be suppressed.

Prix Louis Delluc 1979: Paul Grimault - director

June 14th 7:00 LES PARAPLUIES DE CHERBOURG 1964 (U) - colour 91 mins (drama/musical/romance) Jaques Demy

This is the story of 16-year-old Geneviève and 20-year-old Guy who are very much in love. Her kind mother won't hear of her marrying, particularly as Guy has yet to complete his military service. Geneviève is heartbroken when he leaves for army service in colonial Algeria and is upset to have only received one letter from him in two months. She is also pregnant. Her mother's solution to this situation is kindly diamond-merchant Roland Cassard. He agrees to raise Geneviève's child as his own, and when Guy returns from Algeria he finds Geneviève now married.

Prix Louis-Delluc 1963, Cannes 1964: Palme d'Or,
French Syndicate of Film Critics 1965: Critics Prize - Best Film

If you would like to download a copy of the complete 2019-2020 programme in pdf format, giving the same information as above, you can do so here: Brochure2019-20.pdf