The Hamlets Pop-Up Cinema

Still from Hidden Figures (2016) starring (L-R):  Janelle Monae, Taraji P. Henson,  and Octavia Spencer  WOMEN-ONLY EVENT! For International Women’s Day, The Hamlets Pop-Up Cinema will feature a fabulous film from the United States. Released in 2016, Hidden Figures is the incredible yet little known true story about three women working at NASA, who served as the brains behind American astronaut John Glenn’s ground-breaking orbit around the Earth. Playing on 10 March, our Saturday afternoon movie has a top-draw cast: Katherine Jonson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae) – three brilliant African-American women whose intellect not only enabled the successful launch into orbit of astronaut John Glenn, but also helped the USA move ahead of the Soviets in the all-important Space Race. The visionary trio crossed all gender and racial line and inspired generations. The film picked up multiple awards when it was released two

Afghanistan's most prolific producer-director Salim Shaheen (left) with actor Qurban Ali The Hamlets Pop-Up Cinema’s tour around the world continues to Afghanistan with the screening of The Prince of Nothingwood. Released last year, this incredible documentary focuses not on Hollywood or Bollywood, but the “Nothingwood” of Afghanistan, where the country’s most “most popular and prolific actor-director-producer” Salim Shaheen has made more than a hundred movies. Unlike his American or Indian peers, Shaheen has next to no budget, and is forced to dodge “rocket attacks, riots and religious fundamentalism” to complete his films. Writing for the Guardian, film critic Mark Kermode said: “Afghanistan’s most prolific director literally puts his life on the line to make movies, as seen in this riveting and hilarious documentary” As the Afghani director tries to make his movies, he is pursued by Sonia Kronlund, a reporter for a French broadcaster, curious to know how any f

Still from Mutluluk/Happiness (2017), the directorial film debut of Necip Caghan Ozdemir The Hamlets Pop-Up Cinema proudly presents Mutluluk/Happiness (2017), short movie from Turkey.  Part of our fantastic double-bill at the end of February, this award-winning film was written and directed by Necip Caghan Ozdemir, and tells the story of a man working at a car repair shop who is determined to overcome the gloom and misery around him to spread happiness. The 12-minute clip has already travelled the world through its official selection at the Sarajevo Film Festival, Dhaka International Film Festival and Hollywood Turkish Film Festival, with additional screenings at Cannes Short Film Corner and the International Bosphorus Film Festival, winning the Best Short Film Award at the latter. Its next stop is Bethnal Green in East London. Many will be able to relate to this universal tale about trying to find happiness against the odds. Set in Turkey, the shop's owner, playe

  Still from Benim Varoş Hikayem / My Suburban Story(2017) Later this month, our Tower Hamlets travelling community cinema pops-up at Oxford House in East London for a very special evening: the UK premiere of acclaimed mockumentary Benim Varoş Hikayem / My Suburban Story . The film was released in Turkey last year to rave reviews. It’s set in the back streets of Adana, southern Turkey, where director Yunus Ozan Korkut captures the essence of life through the eyes and tales of brilliant local characters living in Ceyhan, on the outskirts of the city. Korkut, who is also from Adana, draws on his circle – family, friends, neighbours and other local notables – for this rare and authentic insight into their untold and, to the outsider, invisible world. His exquisite palette of personalities include Culluk Yusuf the expert bird-thief, feminist former village headwoman Naime, Devran who loves to prop up the bar, and local strongman Cihangir Abi. Culluk Yusuf the e