Cult Status: Belladonna of Sadness (1973)

For the next ‘Cult Status’ installment we’re screening the discombobulating 1973 Japanese psychedelic animation Belladonna of Sadness. In an animation style very much of its time, director Eiichi Yamamoto (Astro Boy, Kimba the Lion) drew inspiration from such diverse sources as Jeanne d’Arc lore, European witch stories and the work of Gustav Klimt. This feverish tale of revenge sports a jazzy rock score by composer Masahiko Seitoh that pairs wonderfully with the dreamlike watercolour animation to produce a unique visual experience. The film is not without controversy as it depicts sexual abuse through the vile feudal ‘primae noctis’ custom, so be warned. The screening will be preceded by a custom made pre-show. Japanese language with English subtitles.

Specials

IFFR KINO – Season 8
IFFR KINO Special

IFFR KINO – Season 8

IFFR KINO returns for its eighth season, with a screening and side programme every first Wednesday of the month, from October 2023 to January 2024.

Take Me… To 1993
1993 Classic Special

Take Me… To 1993

KINO is fondly looking back at a simpler time with ten nostalgia-inducing movies from 1993 that are long overdue for a return to the big screen.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) – 35th Anniversary
Special

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) – 35th Anniversary

This technical marvel of a movie and our favourite Bob Zemeckis flick is coming back to the silver screen, this Christmas.