Gay Black Group / We Who Have Friends Double-Bill (18)

The formation of the Gay Black Group was a landmark in gay black history. Meeting at Gay’s the Word, a bookshop in Bloomsbury, London, it provided a sounding board and support for gay and black communities of the 1980s.

In this documentary, members of the Gay Black Group talk about their experiences.

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Thanks to the Yorkshire Film Archive, Hull Independent Cinema are delighted to bring you this pioneering 1969 Richard Woolley directed documentary. We Who Have Friends looks at how attitudes towards gay men in the UK changed in the two years following the 1967 Reform Act.

It includes unique interviews with the Bill’s initiator, Leo Abse; Peter Manolt, the Editor of the bi-sexual/gay magazine ‘Jeremy’; social workers who regard ‘gayness’ as something to be ‘cured’; the only gay man found willing to appear on camera.

Free season finale mixer on Sat 17 May, 9.00 – 10.15pm. Open to those with a valid ticket for any of the Queer season films, just turn up. Limited complimentary drinks available.

Season Launch Q&A + Mädchen in Uniform (PG)

Mädchen in Uniform tells the story of Manuela, who falls in love with a teacher at an all-girls boarding school, to disastrous consequences.

This screening will feature a Season Launch Q&A to celebrate the start of Queer: An LGBTQ+ Film Season. Please note the Season Launch Q&A immediately precedes Mädchen in Uniform and only people with a valid ticket for the film can attend this.

Free season finale mixer on Sat 17 May, 9.00 – 10.15pm. Open to those with a valid ticket for any of the Queer season films, just turn up. Limited complimentary drinks available.

Victory Celebrations in Hull

Free, drop-in (no booking required)

3 May, 9.30am-4.30pm

In May 1945, after six long years, the people of Hull could finally celebrate the end of the Second World War. To discover how the people marked this momentous day join us for a free screening of archival footage showing celebrations across the city.

There will also be a display of original photographs and documents.

Film duration: 40 mins

Screenings: 10am, 12pm, and 2pm

UPDATE: Hull History Centre have extended the screening of their archival footage to show on loop throughout VE Day, and can be seen between 9:30am – 4:30pm.

Exhibition on Screen – Michelangelo: Love & Death

The spectacular sculptures and paintings of Michelangelo seem so familiar to us, but what do we really know about this Renaissance giant? Michelangelo’s genius is evident in everything he touched. Beautiful and diverse works such as the towering statue of David, the moving Pietà in the Papal Basilica of St. Peter and his tour-de-force, the Sistine Chapel ceiling, still leave us breathless today.

Spanning his 88 years, Michelangelo – Love and Death takes a cinematic journey through the print and drawing rooms of Europe through the great chapels and museums of Florence, Rome and the Vatican to seek out a deeper understanding of this legendary figure’s tempestuous life, his relationship with his contemporaries and his incredible legacy.

Through expert commentary, stunning visuals and Michelangelo’s own words, this film takes a fresh look at a master artist whose life and genius are celebrated in every mark he made. Returning to cinemas in 2025 to celebrate this iconic artist’s 550th birthday.

Sculptor, painter, architect, poet, genius – discover why Michelangelo is without a doubt one of the greatest artists of all time.

Hull Independent Cinema: The People’s Joker

Director / co-writer Vera Drew stars alongside Tim Heidecker, Bob Odenkirk and many others in this revolutionary DIY parody film. The People’s Joker’s hilarious reimagining of the classic autobiographical coming-of-age story follows an unconfident, closeted trans girl as she moves to Gotham to make it big as a comedian, joining the cast of government-sanctioned sketch show UCB Live, in a world where comedy has been outlawed.

The film will feature a pre-recorded intro from the director.

Descriptive Captions (HOH Subtitles / SDH)

Hull Independent Cinema: The Stimming Pool

The Stimming Pool is a unique film exploring a world shaped by neurodiverse perspectives.

The narrative unfolds through an autistic camera, capturing diverse subjects navigating environments both challenging and comforting.

Characters, some concealing their autism, others thriving in their communities, share a common goal: finding a space free from societal norms—the Stimming Pool.

Relaxed & Descriptive Captions

Hull Independent Cinema: Good One

In India Donaldson’s insightful, piercing debut, 17-year-old Samvembarks on a three-day backpacking trip in the Catskills with her dad, Chris and his oldest friend, Matt.

As the two men quickly settle into a gently quarrelsome brotherly dynamic, airing long-held grievances, Sam, wise beyond her years, attempts to mediate. But when lines are crossed and Sam’s trust is betrayed tensions reach a fever pitch, as Sam struggles with her dad’s emotional limitations and experiences the universal moment when the parental bond is tested.

Hull Independent Cinema: A New Kind of Wilderness

In this Sundance-selected documentary, Englishman Nik and his Norwegian wife Maria attempt to forge a new life on a farm in her homeland’s lush woodlands. Their goal is to live sustainably, putting as little strain upon the planet as possible. But when the family suffers a tragedy, Nik’s resolve to continue on this singular mission is severely challenged and the ‘normal’ world comes knocking. Can they maintain some version of this idyll or is it a paradise out of reach?

Bearing comparison with the events of Captain Fantastic (2016) but played out with the complexities and inescapable truths of real life, A New Kind of Wilderness is not just a heartbreaking portrait of the endurance of a family, but also a breathtaking trip into the Norwegian wilderness. The kind of unfolding, surprising, intimate and honest documentary portrait that can only emerge over years of hard-won access, A New Kind of Wilderness is for anyone who wants to (re)discover the power of family and think about different ways of striding this Earth.

Hull Independent Cinema: Audience Choice – David Lynch

AUDIENCE CHOICE: DAVID LYNCH
It’s time for our regular Audience Choice screening! This time, the theme is the late, great, David Lynch. Start sending in your suggestions for which of his films you’d like to see, and look out for the polls going out on our social media or email newsletter.

Programme Details
The cafe will be open before the show, so why not come along early to grab a drink and a snack? The programme run time includes an allowance for introductions and up to three trailers. While we will endeavour to accommodate latecomers, this may not always be possible. Please note that we reserve the right to refuse entry, without a refund, to anyone arriving after the advertised start time.

Contact Us
If you have any

Hull Independent Cinema: KIM’S VIDEO

KIM’S VIDEO
Dir David Redmon, Ashley Sabin | USA, Italy | 2023 | 85 mins | Rating TBC | English, Italian, Korean
Physical media reigns supreme in this elegiac tribute to the iconic video store in New York City that inspired a generation of cinephiles. When it eventually closed, a mysterious deal was struck for its film archive to be sent to a small village in Sicily where the local mayor promised to digitise it and make it the centre of a new cultural centre. The documentary begins as an homage to the video store and its collection, but when the filmmakers discover the archive neglected and deteriorating amid rumours of political corruption and mafia involvement, they hatch a scheme to steal it back.
Starring Yong-man Kim, Dennis Dermody, David Wain
AWARDS AND FESTIVALS
Sundance Film Festival: Nominee, NEXT Innovator Award
Wolf Media Festival: Winner, 4 Awards inc Best Director
Romford Film Festival: Nominee, Best Documentary
REVIEWS
“This caper-slash-personal essay is an admirable endeavor that honors, above all, a filmmaker’s fixation on a medium that makes him whole.” Carlos Aguilar, LA Times
“A rollicking tale of the inextricable bonds between life and art…” Nick Schager, The Daily Beast
“Kim’s Video is endlessly entertaining…” John Fink, The Film Stage
“…so delightful because Redmon and Sabin have taken a subject that might have led to wistful dead ends and follow it through to such an extent that they wound up with a gold mine of material…” Dan Callahan, The Wrap”

Hull Independent Cinema: Bring Them Down

BRING THEM DOWN
Dir Chris Andrews | Ireland, UK, Belgium | 2024 | 106 mins | Rated 15 | English, Irish
Michael, the last son of a shepherding family, lives with his ailing father, Ray. Burdened by a terrible secret, Michael has isolated himself from the world. When a conflict with rival farmer Gary and his son Jack escalates, Michael is drawn into a devastating chain of events, forcing him to confront the horrors of his past and leaving both families permanently altered. A tense and gripping thriller about two warring families set against the harsh landscape of rural west Ireland.
Starring Christopher Abbott, Barry Keoghan, Colm Meaney
AWARDS AND FESTIVALS
BIFA: Winner, Best Debut Director; Nominee, Breakthrough Producer
London Film Festival: Nominee, Best Film
Cork International Film Festival: Nominee, Best New Irish Feature
Rome Film Fest: Winner, Best Screenplay; Nominee, Best Film
REVIEWS
“An impressive first feature from Christopher Andrews… a bruising tale of vengeance accompanied by a savage, percussive score by Hannah Peel.” ★★★★
Wendy Ide, The Observer
“A granular depiction of traditional rural life that quickly descends into a toxic cycle of violence.” ★★★★ Christina Newland, iNews
“Is as bleak and chilly as a winter’s night in the Irish hinterland, and every bit as bracing.” ★★★★ David Hughes, Time Out
“… for Abbott it’s yet more evidence of what a compelling, underrated screen presence he is.” ★★★★ Hannah Strong, Little White Lies”

Hull Independent Cinema: Flow

FLOW
Dir Gints Zilbalodis | Latvia, Belgium, France | 2024 | 85 mins | Rated U | No Dialogue
The world seems to be coming to an end, rocked by disasters. Its remaining animals struggle to survive in a world now devoid of people but covered in evidence of their recent presence. Cat is a solitary animal, but as his home is devastated by a great flood, he finds refuge on a boat populated by various species, and will have to team up with them despite their differences. In the lonesome boat sailing through mystical inundated landscapes, they navigate the challenges and dangers of adapting to this new world.
AWARDS AND FESTIVALS
Academy Awards: Winner, Best Animated Feature Film; Nominee, Best International Feature Film
Bafta Awards: Nominee, Best Children’s & Family Film & Best Animated Feature Film
Golden Globes: Winner, Best Motion Picture, Animated
Critics Choice Awards: Nominee, Best Animated Feature & Best Foreign Language Film
Cannes Film Festival, Nominee, Un Certain Regard Award
REVIEWS
“Might be a digital confection, but it’s also open, alive, elemental. In every sense, it’s a breath of fresh air.” ★★★★ Robbie Collin, The Daily Telegraph
“A joy to experience but also a deeply affecting story, the work of a unique talent who deserves to be ranked among the world’s great animation artists.” David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter
“Zilbalodis largely avoids the sort of whimsy and sentimentality that might plague, say, a Disney movie with the same premise.” Calum Marsh, New York Times
“A heartwarming animal adventure tale that half mourns, half celebrates the extinction of humankind.” Noah Berlatsky, Chicago Reader

Hull Independent Cinema: The Last Showgirl

THE LAST SHOWGIRL
Dir Gia Coppola | USA | 2024 | 88 mins | Rated 15 | English
Shelly is a performer in Le Razzle Dazzle, the last remaining topless revue in Vegas. Years ago she was its star; thirty years on she works hard to support her younger colleagues while continuing to live out her dreams on stage when she can. Off stage she struggles to make ends meet and attempts to repair her broken relationship with her daughter, while maintaining an on-off relationship with a world-weary theatre manager. She manages to maintain her optimistic view of life, until she has to deal with the news that Le Razzle Dazzle is to be closed.
Starring Pamela Anderson, Jamie Leigh Curtis, Brenda Song, Kiernan Shipka
AWARDS AND FESTIVALS
Golden Globes: Nominee, Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama & Best Original Song Motion Picture
Bafta Awards: Nominee, Best Supporting Actress
Critics Choice Awards: Nominee, Best Song
Screen Actor’s Guild Awards: Nominee, Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role & Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
REVIEWS
“As a relative newcomer to the big screen at 57, it feels poignant that Anderson plays a character the same age who is facing up to the end of a 30-year long career.” ★★★★ Hayley Spencer, London Evening Standard
“Pamela Anderson has put her heart and soul into her performance and the result is exceptional.” ★★★★ Kat Hughes, THN
“[Coppola] crafts an elegy to a Vegas of a different era and the tarnished reality of once sparkling dreams.” Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly
“With stunning performances, perfect needle drops, and thoughtful, loving direction… is a stylish, emotional, and visually striking work…” Shaina Weatherhead, Collider

Hull Independent Cinema: The Seed of the Sacred Fig

THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG
Dir Mohammad Rasoulof | France, Germany | 2024 | 167 mins | Rated 15 | Persian
Shot entirely in secret and deemed illegal by the Iranian regime, this film tells the story of a family thrust into the public eye. When civil servant Iman is appointed as an investigating judge in Tehran. As political unrest erupts in the streets, Iman realises that his job is even more dangerous than expected, making him increasingly paranoid and distrustful, even of his own wife Najmeh and daughters Sana and Rezvan. When Rezvan’s friend Sadaf is shot at a political rally, the tensions within Iman’s family erupt with devastating consequences.
Starring Soheila Golestani, Missagh Zareh, Setareh Maleki
AWARDS AND FESTIVALS
Academy Awards: Nominee, Best International Feature Film
Chicago Int’l FF: Winner, Best Screenplay; Nominee, Best Film
US National Board of Review: Winner, Best Int’l Film
Bafta Awards: Nominee, Best Film Not in the English Language
Golden Globes: Nominee, Best Motion Picture, Non-English Language
Cannes Film Festival: Winner, 5 awards including Jury Special Prize; Nominee, Palme d’Or
REVIEWS
“There are hints of Hitchcock and Kubrick as this story inexorably unravels beyond the control of its players…” ★★★★★ Nick Howells, London Evening Standard
“Given the stakes, The Seed of the Sacred Fig would be admirable even if it weren’t such a very fine film. But it is.” ★★★★ Danny Leigh, Financial Times
“… without doubt Rasoulof’s most important film to date.” ★★★★ Wendy Ide, The Observer
“Understated performances and unflashy filmmaking coalesce into an absorbing mixture of the personal and the political…” ★★★★ Ian Freer, Empire Magazine”

Hull Independent Cinema: I’m Still Here

I’M STILL HERE
Dir Walter Salles | Brazil, France | 2024 | 137 mins | Rated 15 | Portuguese
One afternoon in 1971, Rubens Paiva, a former congressman and outspoken critic of Brazil’s newly instituted military dictatorship, was taken from his home by government officials, told nothing more than that he must give a “deposition” to authorities, and disappeared. His wife, Eunice, embarks on an indefatigable search for the truth about her husband that would stretch out for decades. A devastating true story, adapted from Rubens’s son’s memoir, this is an exhilarating portrayal of human tenacity in the face of injustice.
Starring Fernanda Torres, Fernanda Montenegro, Selton Mello

AWARDS AND FESTIVALS
Academy Awards: Winner, Best International Film; Nominee, 3 Awards including Best Picture
Golden Globes: Winner: Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama; Nominee: Best Motion Picture, Non-English Language
Bafta awards: Nominee, Best Film Not in the English Language
Venice Film Festival: Winner, 3 awards including Best Screenplay; Nominee, Best Film

REVIEWS
“You feel this film in the pit of your stomach.” ★★★★★ Kevin Maher, The Times
“In the face of inhumanity, Salles’s film simply radiates love.” ★★★★★ Nick Howells, London Evening Standard
“It is a tremendously controlled and inward performance by Torres… Her face holds the whole film.” David Sexton, New Statesman
“Torres gives a forceful, powerful performance.” Adam Graham, Detroit News

Hull Independent Cinema: Holy Cow

After the tragic death of his father, 18 year old Totone’s carefree life of drinking and partying is upended as he is thrust into the unexpected and very adult role of looking after his younger sister and their failing family farm in the beautiful Jura region of France. Struggling for income, he hears about the cash that can be won from competitions for making the local Comté cheese. Unable to afford good quality milk, he embarks on a scheme to steal some from a neighbouring farm, pitching him into a rollercoaster relationship with the young woman who owns it.

Starring Clément Faveau, Maïwene Barthelemy

AWARDS AND FESTIVALS
Cannes: Winner, Un Certain Regard Youth Prize; Nominee, Un Certain Regard, Golden Camera
French Academy Awards (Césars): Nominee, Best First Film, Best Screenplay, Best Music, Most Promising Actress
Lumiere Awards: Winner, Best First Film, Most Promising Actor; Nominee, Most Promising Actress
India Int’l Film Fest: Winner, Best Actor; Nominee, Best Film

REVIEWS
“Lovingly shot in warm natural light, and accompanied by a gentle, lilting soundtrack, Holy Cow is shot through with compassion for its rascally yet vulnerable protagonist.” Lee Marshall, Screen International

“The action is pacy but that doesn’t mean it skims the surface. All the characters have depth … An earthy mix of adventure romp and coming of age experiences, Courvoisier’s film is ripe with feeling.” ★★★★ Amber Wilkinson, Eye for Film

“With her refusal to overdramatize conflicts and constant focus on the movie’s central character, Courvoisier delivers such mature work that it’s astonishing to think that this is her feature debut.” Serena Seghedoni, Loud and Clear Reviews

“The instincts on display [from Courvoisier] are excellent. For a feature debut, Holy Cow is quite the statement.” Alan French, Sunshine State Cineplex