Mystery International Film Screening May 2025
This event is for individuals aged 15 and over.
Welcome to the fourth edition of Manchester Central Library’s International Film Club’s Mystery Screening series.
Event Details:
Monday 12th May.
• Doors open: 17:00
• Introduction to the film: 17:30
• Film starts: 17:40
• Entry: Pay what you can (recommended donation of £3)
• Popcorn: FREE!
• Drinks: Grab a coffee, tea, or soft drink from the fully stocked café!
At the Film Society, we aim to bring you the very best of global cinema— hoping to shine a light on underseen gems from around the world —enriching our collective film knowledge and experience, while also having a corker of a time. To make it even more exciting, each month you’ll have the chance to vote on 5 fantastic films, and the one with the most votes will be screened with the winner being revealed the day of the event.
VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE AND BOOK TICKETS AT THE LINK BELOW!
This month’s contenders are:
Black Orpheus (1959, Brazil/France)
A reimagining of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice transposed to Rio de Janeiro during Carnaval. Orfeu, a trolley conductor, falls in love with Eurydice, a country girl fleeing danger. With an influential bossa nova soundtrack by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Luiz Bonfá, it remains a significant cultural bridge, introducing global audiences to the allure of Brazilian music and cinema.
Tumbbad (2018, India)
Rahi Anil Barve’s early 20th century set folk horror follows Vinayak Rao’s quest for a hidden treasure in the cursed village of Tumbbad, a quest that turns into a dark fairytale about greed and power. Known extensive use of practical effects and animatronics. From conception to release it took 21 years for Barve’s film to see the light of day, a real labour of love.
The Cremator (1969, Czech Republic)
This dark comedy film – and I do mean dark – tinged with gothic horror follows Karel Kopfrkingl, a crematorium worker in 1930s Prague, who descends into madness influenced by encroaching fascist ideology and Tibetan Buddhism in a film that slyly comments on the slippery slope into totalitarianism and the transformation of the average person into somebody complicit in evil. The film is celebrated for its surreal style and chilling portrayal of Kopfrkingl’s transformation into a murderer.
The Housemaid (1960, South Korea)
Directed by Kim Ki-young, this domestic horror film tells the story of an upper-middle-class family whose lives are upended by a predatory housemaid. The film is a classic of Korean cinema, known for its intense psychological drama and social commentary. Influential and well-known in South Korea, being remade several times and often expanded and riffed on.
Electra, My Love (1974, Hungary)
Quite unlike anything else you’re likely to have seen, this film reinterprets the Greek myth of Electra in a mythical world where a tyrant faces rebellion. Known for its extremely long complex takes, with just twelve shots in its 70 minute run time, the film explores themes of revolution and renewal – all while being one of the most visually stunning films to ever see the light of day.
