Richmond Film Society
Richmond Film Society was formed in 1963 and has since screened over 860 films. Our objective was, and remains, to bring our community the very best in World Cinema. Our seasons run from September to June and attract an aggregate audience approaching 4,500 attendees. Season 60 will comprise 19 films of international repute from 18 countries in Europe, Africa, North and South America, Asia and the Middle East.
Films are shown on alternate Tuesdays at 8:00 pm sharp, with no ads or trailers. On screening nights, the bar opens at 7:00 p.m. and drinks can be brought into the auditorium. Film notes are available online for each screening and audience scores and feedback are collated.
See http://www.richmondfilmsoc.org.uk for further information and full details of our Season 59 programme.
Our Venue
We screen all our films at The Exchange, the community facility opposite Twickenham Station at 75 London Road, Twickenham, TW1 1BE. Its facilities include a very comfortable, tiered 290-seat theatre (whose capacity can be increased to 310), lifts, disabled access, a bar and a café.
The Exchange is directly opposite Twickenham station, which is served by trains to and from Waterloo, Vauxhall, Clapham Junction, Kingston and Reading. Bus routes 267 and 281 stop outside The Exchange, the 290 stops in Arragon Road and the 33, 490, H22, R68 and R70 all stop in central Twickenham, which is a 5 minute walk away.
There is no onsite parking at The Exchange and no public parking on the Brewery Wharf Estate. There is, however, free car parking nearby at:
• Waitrose Arragon Road multi-storey car park from 6pm to midnight
• Holly Road car park from 6:30pm
• Local streets from 6:30pm
Season 60 Membership is Closed
Having reached capacity, membership for Season 60 (2023-2024) is now closed. If you are a non-member and would like to be added to the membership waiting list for next season (2024-2025), please email us at admin@richmondfilmsoc.org.uk with your name, address and telephone number; alternatively, email us via the Contact Us section of the website.
Seasonal membership has been held at £40 for the 19 films (the 1999 price), an equivalent of £2.11 per film. For full-time students, membership was offered at the concessionary rate of £25.
Non-Member Tickets:
60 non-member tickets will be available to purchase for all individual screenings in Season 60. Non-member tickets are £5 (full-time students £3) and can be purchased in advance from The Exchange’s Box Office: online at http://exchangetwickenham.co.uk/events, by telephone 020 8240 2399 or in person. To ensure that you secure a ticket and avoid disappointment, we strongly recommend early pre-booking via The Exchange once tickets become available for sale.
Should any non-member tickets remain available on the night of screenings, these can be now be purchased solely from The Exchange’s box office on the ground floor. Purchases are now by contactless payments only - cash payments are no longer accepted.
Further Information
For further information about RFS and our current season of films, please see our website at http://www.richmondfilmsoc.org.uk
You can also follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RichmondFilmSociety/, on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Richmond_Film and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/richmondfilmsociety/
All information provided by Richmond Film Society
Screenings
Archive
Io Capitano (Italy)
08-04-2025 at 20:00
Certificate:
Synopsis
The film recounts the epic journey of two young men from a small village in Senegal who make their journey across Africa
through myriad dangers in pursuit of a dream called Europe. Io Capitano was critically acclaimed, garnering 38 awards worldwide
and securing nominations for both the 2024 Best International Feature Oscar and the Golden Globe for the Best Non-English
Language Picture.
Additional Info
60 non-member tickets are available to purchase for this screening. Non-member tickets are £5 (full-time students £3) and
can be purchased in advance from The Exchange’s Box Office: online at http://exchangetwickenham.co.uk/events,
by telephone 020 8240 2399 or in person.
For further information on RFS and the programme of films, please visit
Location
Io Capitano (Italy), The Exchange, 75 London Road , Twickenham, TW1 1BE
Kneecap (Ireland)
22-04-2025 at 20:00
Certificate:
Synopsis
'Kneecap' is a raucous, semi-fictionalised biopic of the three-man Irish-language Belfast hip hop band. The film traces its origin, when childhood friends and small-time drug dealers Liam and Naoise were inspired to start rapping by a local music teacher, who discovered Naoise’s lyrics during a police interrogation whilst acting as an Irish-language translator. It then charts the band’s rise from local obscurity to national recognition, highlighting how their provocative lyrics and raw performances antagonised all sides of the political and sectarian spectrum and led to a ban by RTE's Irish language radio station on the grounds of "drug references and cursing”. The backcloth to all this were the marches and protests seeking official recognition for, and protection of, the Irish language in Northern Ireland.
As the trio navigate the challenges of fame, the narrative delves into themes of identity, cultural pride and the lingering impact of the Troubles. Through candid exchanges and vibrant concert footage, the film showcases the band’s unique blend of irreverent humour and social commentary, allowing the audience to connect with the struggles and aspirations of a new generation.
The band members play themselves with some distinction and are ably supported by a handful of professional Irish actors, notably, Michael Fassbender and Simone Kirby. Because Kneecap are a real band, the music has an authenticity and vitality that fictional musical biopics struggle to replicate and the gigs themselves, whether in a near-empty pub or large arenas, are electric.
With definite vibes of Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting , 'Kneecap' is highly original, hugely energetic, subversive and, at times, riotously funny. It is fast-moving and entertaining throughout, whilst making articulate, thought-provoking points about youthful rebellion, the unifying power of music and the preservation of a nation's heritage and culture.
No strangers to controversy, Kneecap successfully applied in 2023 for a £14,500 grant from the music export growth scheme, an independent government-backed arts initiative that provides funding to promote artists overseas. A panel of the British Phonographic Industry, which administers the scheme, approved the request, only for the then Business Secretary, Kemi Badenoch, to rescind it on the grounds of their Republican politics. Whilst appreciative of the publicity, the band successfully applied in June for leave to seek judicial review, and prior to the full hearing in November 2024, the government conceded (as it was bound to do) that Badenoch’s decision was unlawful, discriminatory and procedurally unfair. The band donated the reinstated award, splitting it equally between two Belfast youth charities - one from a unionist area and the other from a republican area.
The film has received critical acclaim for its innovative storytelling and cultural significance and won the audience award at its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. 'Kneecap' was was subsequently long listed for seven BAFTA Awards and shortlisted for the Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.
Additional Info
50 non-member tickets are available to purchase for this screening. Non-member tickets are £5 (full-time students £3) and can be purchased in advance from The Exchange’s Box Office: online at http://exchangetwickenham.co.uk/events, by telephone 020 8240 2399 or in person. To ensure that you secure a ticket and avoid disappointment, we strongly recommend early pre-booking via The Exchange.
Should any non-member tickets remain available on the night of screenings, these can be purchased from The Exchange’s box office on the ground floor. Purchases are by contactless payments only.
See http://www.richmondfilmsoc.org.uk for further information and full details of our Season 61 programme.
Location
Kneecap (Ireland), The Exchange, 75 London Road , Twickenham, TW1 1BE
A Matter of Life and Death (UK)
06-05-2025 at 20:00
Certificate:
Synopsis
Powell and Pressburger’s blend of romance, fantasy, and philosophical inquiry makes it a timeless classic,
celebrating the beauty of life and the enduring strength of love against the backdrop of human conflict.
Additional Info
60 non-member tickets are available to purchase for this screening. Non-member tickets are £5 (full-time students £3)
and can be purchased in advance from The Exchange’s Box Office: online at http://exchangetwickenham.co.uk/events,
by telephone 020 8240 2399 or in person.
See http://www.richmondfilmsoc.org.uk for further information and full details of our Season 61 programme.
Location
A Matter of Life and Death (UK), The Exchange, 75 London Road , Twickenham, TW1 1BE
Rose (Denmark)
20-05-2025 at 20:00
Certificate:
Synopsis
A poignant Danish comedy-drama starring Sofie Gråbøl as a middle-aged woman with schizophrenia who is taken by her sister on an eight-day cultural coach trip to Paris.
Additional Info
60 non-member tickets are available to purchase for this screening. Non-member tickets are £5 (full-time students £3) and can be purchased in advance from The Exchange’s Box Office: online at http://exchangetwickenham.co.uk/events, by telephone 020 8240 2399 or in person.
See http://www.richmondfilmsoc.org.uk for further information and full details of our Season 61 programme.
Location
Rose (Denmark), The Exchange, 75 London Road , Twickenham, TW1 1BE
The Taste of Things (France)
03-06-2025 at 20:00
Certificate:
Synopsis
A sumptuous French historical romantic drama depicting the romance between a cook (Juliette Binoche) and the esteemed gourmet
she has been working for over the last 20 years.
The film will be introduced by Dr Sophie Belot, Senior Lecturer in Film and Screen Media at St Mary’s University.
Additional Info
60 non-member tickets are available to purchase for this screening. Non-member tickets are £5 (full-time students £3)
and can be purchased in advance from The Exchange’s Box Office: online at http://exchangetwickenham.co.uk/events,
by telephone 020 8240 2399 or in person.
See http://www.richmondfilmsoc.org.uk for further information and full details of our Season 61 programme.
Location
The Taste of Things (France), The Exchange, 75 London Road , Twickenham, TW1 1BE
Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry (Georgia)
10-06-2025 at 20:00
Certificate:
Synopsis
Etero, a 48-year-old woman lives in a remote Georgian village and values her autonomy, resisting pressures to marry or
conform to traditional roles. When she unexpectedly falls for a man, she is forced to confront her feelings about love,
intimacy and how best to navigate a world where societal expectations weigh heavily.
Additional Info
Tickets:
Adults: £5; full-time students: £3
Free to RFS members.
Booking:
60 non-member tickets can be purchased in advance from The Exchange’s Box Office: online at
http://exchangetwickenham.co.uk/events,by telephone 020 8240 2399 or in person.
For further information on RFS and the programme of films, please visit
http://www.richmondfilmsoc.org.uk
Location
Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry (Georgia), The Exchange, 75 London Road , Twickenham, TW1 1BE
The Straight Story (USA)
24-06-2025 at 20:00
Certificate:
Synopsis
David Lynch’s biographical road drama based on the true story of Alvin Straight’s
240-mile journey across Iowa and Wisconsin on a lawn mower to make peace with
his critically ill brother. Beautifully filmed, deeply humanistic and a road trip like no other.
Additional Info
Tickets:
Adults: £5; full-time students: £3
Free to RFS members.
Booking:
60 non-member tickets can be purchased in advance from The Exchange’s Box Office: online at
http://exchangetwickenham.co.uk/events, by telephone 020 8240 2399 or in person.
For further information on RFS and the programme of films, please visit
http://www.richmondfilmsoc.org.uk
Location
The Straight Story (USA), The Exchange, 75 London Road , Twickenham, TW1 1BE