Ryde Film Club’s launch party to showcase our 2024-2025 film season is at 6.30pm on Wednesday 4th September at the Jenny Kerry Performing Arts Centre, Ryde School, 7 Queen’s Road, Ryde PO33 3BE. Refreshments will be provided. We hope to see old and new RFC filmgoers, all of whom are welcome to attend.
International films with the theme of resistance, rebellion, revolt
Each of the season’s ten films will be shown at the same venue, the Jenny Kerry Performing Arts Centre, at 7pm on the second Wednesday of every month from September to June inclusive.
Reflecting the zeitgeist of these unsettled times, this year’s RFC season of international films has the theme of resistance, rebellion, revolt.
Membership
Whole season membership of Ryde Film Club is available at £50 (Gold: free entry to all the season’s films) and £15 (Silver: pay only £6 entry for each film); non-members/visitors/members’ guests pay £8 entry per film.
There is no booking: everyone can just turn up.
The 2024-2025 RFC film season kicks off at 7pm on Wednesday 11th September with Derek Jarman’s Jubilee.
Jubilee: Wednesday 11th September 2024
Queen Elizabeth I is mysteriously transported forward in time to 1970s Britain, where, she observes a group of aimless nihilists. Amidst chaos, Elizabeth grapples with her new reality, while spirit guide Ariel guides her through this shattered world. A punk cult classic.
Director: Derek Jarman | 1978 | UK | 103 mins | Cert 15
Alexander Nevsky: Wednesday 9th October 2024
In the mid-13th century, Teutonic Knights attack and capture Pskov: the city suffers brutal massacres. Prince Alexander Nevsky agrees to rally the people despite resistance from rich Novgorod boyars and merchants, leading to a decisive battle. Teutonic forces are defeated.
Nevsky releases surviving foot-soldiers, but ransoms their knights. Vasilisa, daughter of a slain Pskov boyar, has fought valiantly alongside Vasili, who falls for her.
Directors: Sergei Eisenstein & Dmitri Vasilyev | 1938 | USSR |
Musical score: Sergei Prokofiev |111mins | Cert PG
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie: Wednesday 13th November 2024
A bourgeois couple, their relative, and a South American ambassador go for dinner, but it’s the wrong evening so they all dine at a strange inn.
More abortive dinner parties and bizarre encounters follow. Surreal scenarios, military manoeuvres, mystery, intrigue, and unexpected twists show questions of reality and illusion.
Director: Luis Bunuel | 1972 | France | 102 mins | Cert 15
The Empire Strikes Back: Wednesday 11th December 2024
Following the destruction of the Death Star, Darth Vader leads the Imperial fleet across the galaxy against the Rebel Alliance. Luke Skywalker escapes capture and trains as a Jedi Knight under Yoda. Han Solo, Princess Leia, C-3PO, and Chewbacca escape the Imperial fleet; Luke tries to rescue them from Vader’s clutches.
Director: Irvin Kershner |1980 | USA | 124 mins | Cert PG Story: George Lucas.
If… : Wednesday 8th January 2025
In a boys’ public school, upper sixth Whips enforce discipline, treating juniors as servants and sex objects. Low level rebelliousness uses students’ officer corps live ammo to disrupt compulsory military exercises, without serious harm. But on Founders’ Day the battle intensifies.
Director: Lindsay Anderson | 1968 | UK |111 mins | Cert 15 Music: Marc Wilkinson
Rang de Basanti [Colours of Spring]: Wednesday 12th February 2025
Student Sue is making a film about India’s pre-independence freedom fighters; students are passionate about playing the revolutionaries. After an Air Force pilot’s suspect fatality, police attack peaceful protesters against ministerial corruption, leading students to assassinate the minister. They are killed, sparking public outrage.
Dir: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra | 2006 | India | 157m | Cert 15
The Battle of Algiers: Wednesday 12th March 2025
Dramatising events of the Algerian War of Independence (1954-1957), when escalating violence between Algerians and pied-noir (French settlers) sees French paratroopers sent to fight the National Liberation Front, assassinating its leaders and replying to mass resistance with torture and murder. National liberation is no picnic: but this is only one battle.
Dir. Gillo Pontecorvo | 1966 | Algeria/Italy | 136m | Cert 15 |
Music: Ennio Morricone and Gillo Pontecorvo
Missing: Wednesday 9th April 2025
Conservative US businessman Ed Horman goes to Chile to find his journalist son Charlie, who disappeared during the US-backed 1972 military coup. Ed uncovers proof that Charlie was murdered by the Chilean junta, with US complicity. Ed confronts embassy officials; the
US State Department denies its connection to the coup.
Dir: Costa Gavras | 1982 | USA | 122 mins | Cert 15 | Music: Vangelis
The Wind That Shakes the Barley: Wednesday 14th May 2025
County Cork in 1920: Damien joins the IRA after seeing a friend murdered by Black and Tans. His brother Teddy leads a local IRA brigade that raids police barracks, but a landowner’s spy gets them all arrested; Damien executes landowner and spy.
Teddy and Damien support different sides in the subsequent civil war.
Dir: Ken Loach | 2006 | Ireland/UK/Italy/Germany/France/Spain/Switzerland | 127 mins | Cert 15
Ceddo [Outsiders]: Wednesday June 11th 2025
Set in Senegal before French colonialism, Ceddo explores imperialism, conquest, and resistance. The Ceddo (outsiders with animist beliefs) respond to imposition of Islam, Christian missionaries, and slavery. Tensions rise, Ceddo kidnap the king’s daughter, forced conversions follow. Clever temporal shifts show us an alternative history.
Dir: Ousmane Sembène | 1977 | Senegal | 120 mins | Cert 12
Find out more
More details on the Ryde Film Club page on Facebook, where there is also a downloadable pdf copy of the 2024-2025 RFC film season programme.
News shared by Jim on behalf of Ryde Film Club. Ed
