An embarrassment of riches: Programming January 2025 at GFT
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An embarrassment of riches:
Programming January 2025 at GFT - by Paul Gallagher, GFT Programme ManagerIn terms of the cinema release schedule, we’ve hit the silly season. Any seasoned cinemagoer will know that January always brings a glut of quality new releases, often films that we’ve been hearing about for months since they enjoyed their festival premieres. This year there seems to be a particularly pronounced bottleneck of early new year releases, and for a 3-screen cinema like GFT, that means difficult choices to make about what to play and what to miss out on (or wait and catch up on later).
So for the past few weeks I have been weighing up which titles most warrant inclusion in GFT’s January programme, and what will make for the best spread of films through the month. I thought it might be interesting to readers to know what it was about each film that made me say ‘yes, that’s a GFT film right there’. So here’s a brief trip through the new releases we’re majoring on in January, and my particular reasons for choosing them above all the other possible options.
Robert Eggers (The Witch, The Lighthouse) is a master at creating an imposing atmosphere, and his take on Nosferatu is his most impeccably-crafted (and oppressively dark) creation yet. It’s the kind of film where the enjoyment factor increases tenfold when shared with a packed audience, all equally transfixed and on edge.
– at GFT from Thu 2 Jan
This is probably the most mainstream, multiplex-friendly big new release we’ve played at GFT in while, and you may well look at the poster and trailer and question how this squares with our alternative or indie programming principles. But I found real depth to the writing and performances in this non-linear romantic drama, which set it apart from many more formulaic offerings. It’s rare these days to come across a love story that can hold a balance between comedy and tragedy in a way that feels authentic, rather than veering into sensationally awkward gags or tearjerking drama, and that’s the line I think We Live in Time treads pretty expertly.
– at GFT from Thu 2 Jan
I’ve been interested in RaMell Ross since screening his Oscar-nominated documentary Hale County This Morning, This Evening back in 2018. He’s currently receiving incredible reviews for this adaptation of the Colson Whitehead novel, and with good reason; Nickel Boys is, in its way, as stylistically unique and unconventional as The Zone of Interest. His is a vital new perspective, and one that I’m keen to share with as wide a GFT audience as possible.
– at GFT from Fri 3 Jan
The headline about this film is that it stars Kieran Culkin in an awards-worthy performance, and while that’s true, it does a bit of a disservice to writer/director Jesse Eisenberg to leave it at that. I was really impressed with how accomplished a film this is, taking on big issues of grief and mental health, religious identity and family relationships, but folding them into a very funny ‘mismatched cousins road-trip’ scenario in a way where the tone feels deceptively light. There’s a lot to unpack in these very entertaining 89 minutes.
– at GFT from Fri 10 Jan
This Danish period drama tells a grim story, using some of the most striking black and white imagery I’ve seen in cinema this year. The style alone makes it compelling, but director Magnus von Horne uses it in service of a fascinating story, and his film, while not an easy watch, is full of unforgettable characters and moments. At a time of year when our programme could easily be wall-to-wall American awards contenders, it feels good to make space for essential European cinema.
– at GFT from Fri 10 Jan
I really enjoyed Dutch writer/director Halina Reijn’s English language debut Bodies Bodies Bodies, and with this next film she steps up, both in terms of her big name cast (Nicole Kidman, Antonio Banderas, Harris Dickinson) and her provocative subject matter: a higher-power, Type A personality CEO who is drawn into a submissive sexual relationship with her much younger intern. I saw this at a festival and it’s definitely one to enjoy with an audience – it is darkly funny and enjoyably transgressive, and while it wasn’t ultimately quite as substantial as I’d hoped, it features Nicole Kidman’s best performance in years.
– at GFT from Fri 17 Jan
Speaking of great performances, I wasn’t prepared for how good Angelina Jolie is as Maria Callas in Pablo Larraín’s latest film, his third to take a stylised focus on a world-famous woman, following Jackie and Spencer. Jolie has moved increasingly behind the camera in the last decade, but here she returns to front and centre in full force, with a performance that is so precise and yet so human; hugely moving and full of life.
– at GFT from Fri 17 Jan
I knew as soon I watched this Italian Second World War-era drama that it was a must to include in our January programme amongst the bigger, starrier releases. Set in a stunningly-shot remote mountain village, far from the war, the film is full of beautifully observed characters, with a particular focus on children and young people; there are so many little details of behaviour and connection, friction and frustration that ring true. Writer/director Maura Delpero is new to me, but I’ll be keenly following her films after seeing this.
– at GFT from Fri 17 Jan
– at GFT from Fri 17 Jan
One of the chief instigators of the 1990s American indie cinema explosion, Steven Soderbergh continues to experiment with all aspects of film and, despite claiming to have retired several times, he is back with this great high-concept haunted house film. It’s told entirely from the point of view of the ghost (or ‘presence’), and has a clever and gripping way of gradually revealing its secrets.
– at GFT from Fri 24 Jan
I’ve been excited about bringing this to GFT since I had the chance to see it at a festival in September. It’s the kind of film that feels made for independent cinemas – not least because it is a huge 215 minute epic with a built-in intermission that makes watching it feel like you’re experiencing a classic moviegoing event. Expect sweeping scope, complex characters played to perfection by a stunning cast, and amazing visuals shot in Vistavision by a filmmaker who prizes the theatrical experience above all else. Director Brady Corbet shot this on 70mm film, so obviously it was a priority for me to find out if we could get a 70mm print to play from at GFT. We’ve secured a 70mm run a little later in Feb, which you can book tickets for from tomorrow, while digital screenings will go on sale in early January.
– at GFT from Fri 24 Jan (Digital) and Fri 14 Feb (70mm)
I think this is a set of films that offers a really engaging range of voices, perspectives and stories across the month, and I can’t wait for audiences to dig into them. I would love to hear your thoughts on these films once you’ve had a chance to see them – please drop an email to marketing@glasgowfilm.org if you want to share your experience of any of these films at GFT.
- Paul Gallagher, GFT Programme Manager
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