20 Jan 2025
Glasgow Film Theatre (GFT) will mark both Valentine’s Day and LGBT History Month with special screenings this February, as well as showcasing some of this year’s BAFTA-nominated new releases.
Awards Contenders
Glasgow film fans can enjoy many BAFTA-nominated films at GFT throughout February, including select screenings of The Brutalist — which has received a whopping nine nominations — expertly projected from a 70mm print. Mike Leigh’s Hard Truths, nominated for Best British Film and Best Leading Actress, will begin its run at GFT with a preview screening and Q&A with actress Michele Austin on 26 January, and Mike Leigh himself will join GFT audiences for a Zoom Q&A after the 7.30pm screening on 4 February.
Other BAFTA hopefuls arriving at GFT in February include James Mangold’s Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown; the Iranian drama The Seed of the Sacred Fig which caused its director Mohammad Rasoulof to have to flee his home country; and Walter Salles’s I’m Still Here, which has already landed a Golden Globe for Best Female Actor for its lead Fernanda Torres.
Conclave and Anora, two of the most significant BAFTA contenders with 12 and nine nominations respectively, will return to GFT for extra screenings in February due to popular demand.
Seasons and Festivals
A favourite venue for date nights in the city, GFT will celebrate Valentine’s Day with special screenings of the classic romance Casablanca and noughties sports romcom Love & Basketball.
The cinema will also mark LGBT History Month in February with a season of Queer Cinema from the Eastern Block, as part of Cinema Rediscovered On Tour. Curated by Fedor Tot and Siavash Minoukadeh, Queer Cinema from the Eastern Bloc has been brought to GFT by curator Rosie Beattie. The season will include screenings of the powerful but underseen East German film Coming Out (1989); the military drama set in the final days of the USSR 100 Days Before the Command (1990); and the anti-authoritarian tale of a clandestine affair between two Hungarian journalists Another Way (1982).
GFT’s Queer Cinema Sundays programme will continue with a screening of the endearing New York romcom Saving Face.
Special Screenings
Coinciding with LGBT History Month, GFT will host the Glasgow launch of Fierce Salvage, a collection of stories, poems and memoir that provides a snapshot of Scotland’s queer community and LGBTI+ writing scene. To accompany the launch on 6 February, author Heather Parry has selected Robert Eggers' (Nosferatu) atmospheric fable of mystical delirium The Lighthouse to screen at GFT. Authors Heather Parry and Eve Brandon will introduce the screening and give readings of their work from Fierce Salvage, and copies of the book will be available to buy after the screening.
Other special screenings include 1990s American football drama Any Given Sunday, screening to mark Super Bowl Sunday; and The Human Surge 3, presented by CinemaAttic as part of a full retrospective of Eduardo ‘Teddy’ Williams’ work, and followed by a Q&A with Williams himself. Doc’n Roll will present a screening of We Are Fugazi From Washington D.C., a documentary about the post-hardcore band Fugazi, with all profits from the screening being donated to a local foodbank. To celebrate the release of Adam Elliot’s new animated film Memoir of a Snail, GFT will present a special screening of his debut feature Mary and Max, with an introduction from programmer Heather Bradshaw.
New Releases
Must-see new releases and re-releases playing at GFT in February include The Brutalist, Hard Truths, The Colors Within, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Bring Them Down, I’m Still Here, Memoir of a Snail, To a Land Unknown, September Says, I Am Martin Parr, The Apartment, Rocco and His Brothers and Picnic at Hanging Rock.
Accessible Screenings
In addition to an extensive programme of captioned and audio described screenings, GFT has announced the February editions of its long-running accessible film events.
Access Film Club, delivered in partnership with the National Autistic Society Scotland, includes a film screening and post-film chat in a friendly and welcoming environment. The February Access Film Club screening will be Wes Anderson’s beloved Moonrise Kingdom, with tickets available for just £6.90.
Take 2 Access presents an autism-friendly screening of Paddington in Peru. Every child attending a Take 2 Access screening receives a free ticket for themselves and two free tickets for accompanying adults.
Visible Cinema, GFT’s monthly Deaf-friendly film event, will present a screening of the romantic classic Casablanca. The film will have descriptive subtitles, and the introduction and discussion will have Live Captioning and BSL interpretation. Tickets are available for just £6.90.
Movie Memories, GFT’s dementia-friendly film event, will bring in the new year with the Powell and Pressburger classic I Know Where I’m Going! Designed to enable people living with dementia to socialise in a safe and welcoming environment. Tickets for Movie Memories are just £3, including free refreshments and live music.
Tickets for GFT’s February programme are on sale now from glasgowfilm.org and the GFT Box Office.
GFT is operated by Glasgow Film, an educational charity which also runs the award-winning Glasgow Film Festival and Glasgow Youth Film Festival, and is the lead organisation for Film Hub Scotland. GFT is the city’s original independent arthouse cinema and the home of film in Glasgow. Glasgow Film is funded by Creative Scotland, Screen Scotland and Glasgow City Council.
