1/8. Rewatched Chabrol’s Merci pour le chocolat aka Nightcap (2000) for the first time since its release. Enjoyed it every bit as much as first time around: a rich, rewarding, old school thriller.

I just read a recent British review of Chabrol's Les Cousins, referring to it as his 'sophomore feature'. It's an expression that seems to be receiving increasing currency in the UK. I wonder why 'second feature' isn't good enough? Not American enough? Insufficiently ancient Greek?

1/5. First time watch of Claude Chabrol’s La Rupture (1970). It’s a long time since I’ve oscillated between ‘this is terrible/this is wonderful’ quite so frequently, though finally edging towards the latter.

ONE WONDERFUL SUNDAY (Akira Kurosawa, 1947.) This beautiful, bittersweet gem isn’t perfect, but I love how it illustrates the importance of daring to dream, even when faced with crushing poverty and limited opportunities to build a future. (1/2) #FilmSky

“Plays like a gilded trash remake of Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest”. Thank you, @xanbrooks.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/film/2026/ja...

First watch: Chabanuary (?) continues with this would-be thriller from 1971 that pivots away from the expectations it sets up. Probably the most Haneke-esque of the Chabrols I have seen: a kind of proto-Benny's Video without the handwringing about the effects of violent media on young minds. 1/5

Essential reading for anyone who cares about the presentation of classic film (or, indeed, get irked when subjects better filmed in landscape format are shot in portrait). Great article by @pamhutch.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/film/comment...

GIRL WITH HYACINTHS (Hasse Ekman, 1950). This was excellent, a bleak investigation into the reasons behind a young woman’s suicide, delving into her backstory and gradually revealing the circumstances that led to her death. It is the woman’s female neighbour who correctly intuits >> (1/2) #FilmSky

1/4. First time watch of A Soldier Came Back From the Front (Nikolai Gubenko, Soviet Union, 1971). The film is a potent exploration of the impact of WW2 on a Russian village, but it has a universality about it that makes you think about any war at any time.

New on the blog today, I've written about more of my favourite London novels. Including books by Barbara Comyns, Iris Murdoch, Muriel Spark and many more! #BookSky #London 💙📚 jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2026/01/22/l...

A thing that irks me about our brave new world is that when I encounter a photo I've never seen before (the one on the left) I worry that it's an AI forgery, even though I've seen variations on it (as at the right) for decades. (I've found the left one posted back to 2012, so OK.)

We're delighted to announce that Chris Chibnall – screenwriter of Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials, Broadchurch and Doctor Who – will be the guest curator of From Page to Screen, Bridport’s Film Festival (22-26 April 2026) https://www.bridport-arts.com/fpts/

Kay Francis adorning the cover of Photoplay. 1. July 1932 2. February 1934 3. August 1935 She was the top female star and highest-paid actress at Warner Bros during this period, but is rarely remembered now. It would have been her 126th birthday today, so thought I'd wave the flag.

1/4. Agatha Christie died 50 years ago today. Which seems like a sufficient excuse to highlight 3 of the earliest film adaptations of her work - sadly now all lost. The Passing of Mr Quinn (Leslie S. Hiscott/Julius Hagen, UK, 1928). Based on Christie’s short story The Coming of Mr. Quin.

1/4. I watched MARTY SUPREME yesterday and can’t get the ‘honey scene’ out of my head. I almost questioned whether I had dropped off to sleep and dreamed it up. It comes out of almost nowhere and sits strangely in the context of the rest of the film, though its potency is almost overwhelming.

If you want to know what a Reform government could mean for the UK's museums, galleries and other publicly funded cultural organisations, take a read of Charlotte Higgins' exploration of what is currently happening in the US. Terrifying. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

HOLD THE DATES! From Page to Screen - Bridport's Film Festival - returns to the big screen from Wed 22 - Sun 26 Apr 2026. Founded in 2009, it's the UK's only film festival dedicated to celebrating and exploring the adaptation of books into film.

I'm always bleating on about Play for Today & similar anthology formats & how important they are for television- so this is a public service announcement that there are 13 archive episodes of Screen Two currently on iPlayer: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

THE CLOUD-CAPPED STAR (Ritwik Ghatak, 1960). Loved this beautiful, heartbreaking film, in which a compassionate young woman sacrifices her own needs and desires to support her ungrateful family. The soundscape and cinematography are especially striking, (1/2) >> #FilmSky

1/2. Caravaggio’s Victorious Cupid (1601-2) at the Wallace Collection. The hanging and lighting couldn't be better. It's the only point of focus in the room. Isolated on the wall, it felt more radical, provocative, shocking and brilliant than when I saw it in Berlin’s Gemäldegalerie.

Saddened to read of the death today of Cuban actress Adela Legrá. Here she is in the role for which she's probably best remembered - as one of the 3 Lucias in Cuban classic, LUCIA (Humberto Solás, 1968). Her character that became a symbol of Cuban women in the early years of the Revolution.

Dziga Vertov - director of MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA (1929) - was born on this day 130 years ago. This photograph of him was taken in the 1920s. It's preserved by the Austrian Film Museum and is part of a fantastic collection of items relating to his life and work vertov.filmmuseum.at/en

If you're looking for a fabulous film to lift your spirits, THE LADY EVE, starring Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda, is on Channel 4's catch-up service for the next 4 weeks! #FilmSky www.channel4.com/programmes/t...

If you're looking for film for New Year's Eve/Day, CARNIVAL NIGHT (Eldar Ryazanov, Soviet Union, 1956) comes recommended. It's a wholly delightful musical comedy set at New Year's Eve and it's free to watch on Mosfilm's YouTube channel www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txrt... Happy 2026!

I love When Harry Met Sally... (Rob Reiner, 1989). I even love the lack of continuity on the 'Pictionary' scene. Sally illustrates the expression 'baby talk' with a single drawing of a baby. But there are clearly 4 different versions of the baby - and the film keeps cutting between them.

It's been an extraordinary year at BAC. In 2025 we saw an increase of 27% in ticket sales compared to 2024. And the last 3 months have seen an increase of 64% on the same period last year! Thank you! Here's a 1 min taster of some of the things that made 2025 so great www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg6U...

10 favourite Christmas films - The Little Match Seller (James Williamson, 1902) www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J-3... - The Shop Around the Corner (Ernst Lubitsch, 1940) - Christmas Under Fire (Harry Watt, 1941) www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg7n... - Meet Me in St Louis (Vincent Minnelli, 1944)

It’s the time of year for film lists. So here’s mine… The films that probably engaged me the most in 2025 were my first time watches of classic films. See 🧵 for my top 10. All come strongly recommended. In no particular order:

A birthday shout-out for Celia Johnson - born on this day in 1908. There's much more to her than just BRIEF ENCOUNTER. Here she is in the great, under-seen festive film, THE HOLLY AND THE IVY (George More O'Ferrall, UK, 1952). It features another of her wonderfully nuanced performances.

Echoes of Turner. From my window this morning.

When you feel guilty that something reminds you of something else. 1. Shrine at Kala Bhoomi Odisha Crafts Museum, Bhubaneswar. 2. Mahna Mahna, The Muppet Show.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... Trafalgar Square rivalling the Rockerfeller Center.

Three reasons why Turner lovers should head to Turner and Constable at Tate Britain - all on loan. 1. The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons, 16 October, 1834. 2. Juliet and her Nurse, 1836. 3. Staffa, Fingal's Cave, 1832.

I hadn’t noticed this before, but there appears to be an Oasis fan in the back row of Fra Angelico’s Fiesole San Domenico Altarpiece, 1423-4.

I love this 5 second sequence from Rainbow Dance (1936), so I put it on a loop. Apologies to Len Lye.

In praise of the colours (and wallpaper) of THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG (Jacques Demy, France, 1964). Showing on the big screen at BAC on Thu 11 Dec at 7.30pm www.bridport-arts.com/event/the-um...

Tickets now on sale www.bridport-arts.com/whats-on/?ca... #bridport #dorset #westdorset #BridportArtsCentre

Catherine Deneuve, cinematographer Jean Rabier and director Jacques Demy (behind the camera) filming the Christmas-set finale of THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG (1964). The film shows on the big screen at BAC on Thu 11 Dec at 7.30pm bridport-arts.com/event/the-um...

I just found these photos taken by the Film Heritage Foundation photography team in Bhubaneswar last week. They're a great reminder of how enjoyable it was to work with such a smart, engaged and friendly group of students - and to talk film programming outside in a balmy 30 degrees under the trees.

Primordial Dance - an exhibition of paintings by Helen Garrett with poetry by @kateinnes.bsky.social - opens at BAC on Sat 29 Nov bridport-arts.com/event/primor... There's also a programme of special events including the premiere of the film Helen Garrett: Befriending the Mystery (2025).

If the idea of reading a feature about the use of beetles in 17th-19th century Himalayan miniature painting appeals, this comes highly recommended www.metmuseum.org/perspectives...

Group photo at the 13th century Konark Sun Temple, Odisha. If you squint you might be able to spot me in the middle of the front row. I was in Odisha to teach film programming to a group of international students - a fantastic, clever bunch, and a real pleasure to spend time with them.

Richard Burton was born 100 years ago today. This is a publicity shot for an early Burton big screen starring role - as a smuggler in the Ealingesque comedy GREEN GROW THE RUSHES (Derek Twist, UK, 1951).

Catherine Deneuve filming on location for THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG (Jacques Demy, France, 1964). The photograph was taken by director and photographer Agnès Varda. THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG shows on the big screen at BAC on Thu 11 Dec at 7.30pm bridport-arts.com/event/the-um...

Our film for Halloween is the under-seen folk horror classic, PENDA'S FEN (Alan Clarke, UK, 1974). Think of it as THE WICKER MAN's big brother. Fri 31 Oct, 7.30pm bridport-arts.com/event/pendas...

1/5. Guru Dutt’s MR AND MRS ’55 (India, 1955) is currently available on Channel 4 Player, which is cause for celebration. If you don’t know Dutt (here as director, producer and lead actor) in light romantic mode, this is a joy. His performance is beautifully tender and understated.

"I think all you see is a good-looking set of muscles." Possibly our favourite quote from Douglas Sirk's ALL THE HEAVEN ALLOWS (1955). Showing at BAC on Sat 29 Nov at 2.30pm as part of the BFI/Film Audience Network season, TOO MUCH: MELODRAMA ON FILM www.bridport-arts.com/event/all-th...

Angela Lansbury would have been 100 today. Which is more than sufficient excuse post this publicity shot by Keith Hamshere, taken to promote Death in the Nile (1978). Lansbury's scenery-chewing performance as Salome Otterbourne is a joy.

1/2. I watched 'En dirigeable sur les champs de bataille' (1919) for the first time a few years ago. These are just short extracts from the 72 min film, recording the destruction across northern France that took place during WW1. The horror of watching it is overwhelming.

The severed faces of ancient statues always make me look longer and harder. For a classically handsome face - usually notable for its symmetry - this chap has a wonderfully skewy nose. From the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (Bodrum, Turkey), c350 BCE. Now in the British Museum.