Phoenix at Home brings you handpicked weekly recommendations, specially selected film seasons, and new releases available to stream at home via our Virtual Cinema.
“It’s feisty, impassioned and entertaining stuff which makes a persuasive case that the disruptive spirit of punk lives on” – Screen Daily. Nigel Askew’s 2021 documentary is essentially a protest in the face of the commodification of the punk movement, as punk icon Vivienne Westwood and her son Joe Corré set light to £5million worth of irreplaceable punk memorabilia.
“has real sensitivity and insight” – Guardian. Neang Kavich’s soulful Cambodian drama is set amongst the urban decay and regeneration in the country’s capital. Aspiring dancer Samnang is part of a close-knit community living in the iconic (real-life) White Building apartment block. The residents’ lives are upended when they discover that the building is scheduled for demolition to make way for a swanky new development.
“harsh and compelling, weightless and strange “ – Observer. Director Kiri Russo’s extraordinary, surreal odyssey centres on an unemployed Bolivian miner who falls ill, resulting in a fever dream that explores the social fabric of his home city, La Paz. A beautiful (and bonkers) homage to Koyaanisqatsi and the magical realism which was born in Bolivia.
“★★★★ – human richness and paradoxical realness” – Guardian. Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki’s (Le Havre) humorous, bittersweet and humane portrait of society follows Khaled, a Syrian refugee who arrives in Helsinki having lost his home and his family. He soon crosses paths with travelling salesman Waldemar, who dreams of owning a restaurant.
“★★★★★ – full to bursting with fantastic comic performances” – Guardian. Armando Iannucci (The Death of Stalin) offers a fresh take on Charles Dickens’ masterpiece, and won five British Independent Film Awards for his efforts. Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton and Hugh Laurie star.
In 1963, four years after the revolution which saw Fidel Castro come to power, Agnès Varda visited Cuba to record the changes taking place across the country. This revelatory documentary explore Cuba’s post-revolution culture and society through 1800 photos that Varda took on her trip, along with voice-over commentary, to create a film that blurs the boundaries between photography and cinema.
★★★★★ – “Dreamlike and intense, the film inexorably draws you in” – Little White Lies. In a remote Icelandic town, widower and off-duty police chief Ingimundur (Ingvar Sigurdsson) begins to suspect a local man of having had an affair with his late wife. Gradually his obsession for uncovering the truth endangers himself and those he loves.
“★★★★ – a minor masterpiece from Japanese rising star” – Observer. Ryusuke Hamaguchi, director of the Oscar and BAFTA-nominated Drive My Car, presents his charming and elegant triptych about three very different women as they attempt to deal with the problems of modern relationships. Winner of the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.
“★★★★ – a moody, brooding chiller that goes from slow-boil creaks to rapturous, hallucinogenic madness” – Observer. Romola Garai’s impressive directorial debut is a chilling gothic horror. A homeless ex-soldier (Alec Secareanu, God’s Own Country) starts work as a carer for a woman and her mother who live in a decrepit house, and begins to suspect that something sinister is going on.
“★★★★★ – Chloë Grace Moretz puts in a career-best turn” – Guardian. Desiree Akhavan’s LGBT+ drama packs a heavy emotional punch. Pennsylvania, 1993, and Cameron (Moretz) is sent to a rural evangelical Christian centre for gay conversion therapy after being caught with the prom queen. Here she meets other teens who are each dealing with issues around their own identities.
“★★★★ – a nuanced, tender picture” – Empire. Director Ritesh Batra’s (The Lunchbox) drama tells the story of Rafi, a struggling Mumbai street photographer who convinces a shy stranger to pose as his fiancée because his beloved grandmother refuses to take her medicine until he marries. In Hindi, Gujarati and English with English subtitles.
“★★★★ –a bouncy, grin-inducing romp” – Observer. Nominated for three BIFAs, including Best Debut Screenwriter for its director, Reggie Yates’ irrepressible comedy follows young pirate DJs Cappo (Elliot Edusah), Kidda (Reda Elazouar) and Two Tonne (Jordan Peters) on their quest for tickets to a sold-out Millennium Eve rave in South London. A bucket-load of glorious ‘90s nostalgia.
Available online now
Welcome to Phoenix at Home, the place to come to find a specially-curated programme of films, art, learning and creative activities to enjoy in the comfort of your own home.
Dive into our specially-selected resources and online content exploring a range of film-related subjects, including interviews, articles, and archive film.
We’ve got a great range of activities for young people at Phoenix, from filmmaking courses to downloadable activities for children and families