Dark Blue World - Czech Film Screening
2025-04-24 17:30 - 19:00 UTC | Performance Space
80 Years of VE Day: Czechoslovak RAF Pilots on Screen and in Real Life.
image credit: photo © Biograf Jan Svěrák
Please join us for a film screening of Dark Blue World, a 2001 film by Czech director Jan Svěrák, the Academy Award-winning director of Kolya, about Czech pilots who fought for the British Royal Air Force during the Second World War. The film screening will be followed by an informal talk with Jitka Režná, daughter of General František Fajtl, one of the Czech RAF pilots who fought in WW2 and inspired creators of the film. Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Manchester and Czech School and Community Manchester have put together the event to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
Reuniting the creative team responsible for Kolya, 1996 Oscar® winner for Best Foreign Film, under Czech director Jan Sverak, Dark Blue World tells the story of the friendship between two Czech pilots, the veteran Franta (Ondrej Vetchý) and fresh-faced young trainee Karel (Krystof Hádek). They escape Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia, make their way to Britain and join the Royal Air Force. When Karel’s plane is hit and he bails out in the countryside, he is taken in by Susan (Tara Fitzgerald), an Englishwoman whose husband is missing in action. In a moment of weakness, she makes love to Karel, relieving him of his virginity. But later, when Karel takes Franta to meet his “new love,” Franta and Susan are attracted to each other, leading to a situation that will put the two men’s friendship to the ultimate test.
Language: Czech with English subtitles. Suitable for ages 12+.
Free – Please register here or using the ‘book now’ button below.
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Word Central with Dominic Berry
2025-04-29 18:00 - 19:30 | Seminar Suite, Floor Two
Word Central Open Mic Poetry and Spoken Word.
Doors open 5.40pm and free entry.
Hosted by Tony Curry with special guest Dominic Berry.
Book your open mic slot from noon on Tuesday 15th April via mail@flapjackpress.co.uk.
N.B. Open mic slots are 3 minutes per performer – it is essential that you stay within this timeframe.
Performance slots are allocated on a ‘first come first served’ basis from the stated booking time. If they are already filled you will be offered a place on the reserve list.
Our special guest this April is Dominic Berry, a Manchester-based performance poet renowned for his eloquent yet uncompromising stage shows and a desire to confront inequality. Dominic’s work has taken him across the continents of Europe, Asia, North and South America, and Australasia. He has been Glastonbury Festival’s poet in residence, won Manchester Literature Festival’s Superheroes of Slam and New York’s famous Nuyorican Poets’ Café Slam, and has also twice been publicly voted Sabotage Review’s Best UK Spoken Word Performer.
Dominic’s new collection of selected poems, How Can I Be Now?, is published by Flapjack Press and available now.
Presented by Flapjack Press and Manchester Libraries.
FREE EVENT. EVERYONE WELCOME.

Kevin Barry
2025-05-01 19:00 - 20:15 | Performance Space
‘A true wonder’ – Max Porter
Tom Rourke, poet, doper, drinker is struggling to make a life for himself amongst the Irish migrant workers seeking to make their fortunes in Butte, Montana. Then Polly Gillespie, wife of a mine captain, walks into his life. Sparks fly, the lovers flee West, but will they reach the sunset before they’re caught? Kevin Barry’s latest novel The Heart in Winter is a rollicking, thrilling and hilarious ride, described by Anne Enright as ‘An absolute belter of a book’ and Jon McGregor as ‘A glorious and haunted yarn. Marvellous.’ Join us to find out what inspired Kevin to write about the American Midwest in the 1890s.
Kevin Barry is the author of four novels and three short story collections. His awards include the Goldsmiths Prize, the Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award and the Lannan Foundation Literary Award. His previous novel Night Boat to Tangier was longlisted for the Booker Prize. The Heart in Winter was named The Sunday Times Historical Novel of the Year and chosen as a book of the year in numerous publications including The Guardian, The New Statesman, The Irish Times and the TLS.
Presented by Manchester Literature Festival in partnership with the Centre for New Writing and Creative Manchester. Supported by Library Live.
Tickets: Book here or click on the green ‘Book Now’ button below, or phone the box office on 0161 876 2015

VE Day Archives Handling Sessions
2025-05-02 13:00 - 14:15, 2025-05-09 12:00 - 13:15 | Ground Floor
Join us for a chat and a chance to have a look at some great objects from our archives as we honour the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
Free – no need to book – just drop in
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Mystery International Film Screening May 2025
2025-05-06 08:00 - 17:00
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.

Laura Bates
2025-05-13 19:00 - 20:15 | Performance Space
AI-powered technologies are revolutionising our lives and putting women and girls in danger. In her urgent and gripping new book The New Age of Sexism, Laura Bates delves into our future and finds it wanting. From chatbots to sex robots, from deep fakes to the metaverse, Laura examines how existing forms of discrimination, inequality and harassment are being coded into the very foundations of our future world while a small group of obscenely rich white men prioritise their profits over our lives.
A bestselling author, journalist and ground-breaking campaigner, Laura is the founder of the Everyday Sexism Project. Her books include Everyday Sexism, Fix the System Not the Women, Men Who Hate Women, Misogynation and Girl Up. She is also a contributor at Women Under Siege, a New-York based organisation working to combat the use of sexual violence as a tool of war in conflict zones worldwide.
Hosted by Helen Mort, award-winning poet, novelist and creative writing lecturer.
Presented by Manchester Literature Festival in partnership with the Centre for New Writing and Creative Manchester. Supported by Library Live.
Tickets: Book here or click on the green ‘Book Now’ button below, or phone the box office on 0161 876 2015

Creative Archive Workshop Series: Rivers, Industrial Heritage, Regeneration
2025-05-17 13:30 - 15:00, 2025-05-21 17:00 - 18:30
‘So from the river we acquire an idea of human community. That is one of its most salutary features, so deeply imbued that we scarcely notice it.’ (Ackroyd, 2007: 11)
Ackroyd P (2007) Thames: Sacred River. London: Vintage.
Fiona Brehony invites us to explore relationships to waterways using creative writing and re-sounding exercises using visual, audio and text-based archive materials. The force and vibrancy of a river (as physical river and time-capsule containing heritage) is a great opportunity to use embodied approaches to understand the scale of a river. We will playfully engage in possibilities of being and being with the river; connecting personal objects used to serve tangible daily experiences, with seemingly intangible objects such as a river.
Fiona is incorporating archive materials into her own research to explore ecological and socio-material histories of the River Irk in Manchester, UK. She is working both independently with materials to create audio and visual representations and engaging local people in creative workshops with archive materials. Fiona is interested in exploring Cultural Memory of places, which refers to the collective practices that societies use to build and uphold their relationship to the past and present.
This workshop series is an opportunity to playfully consider our personal relationships to waterways, what we can learn from the ‘liquid history’ they contain, and the ways they connect us to places and people.
Bio:
Fiona is a Manchester based research-practitioner, working within spaces between Geography, documentary film, sound art and performance.
Since October 2023, Fiona has been working on a PhD research project that engages in possibilities of rivers as Cultural Heritage, with a particular focus on river engagement in areas of regeneration.
Fiona’s art practice explores the relationship between history, memory and visual and written narrative. She employs a research-based approach, working across a range of media. Previous artworks have utilised specialist expertise, involving collaboration with scientists and composers, to create lyrical and inquisitive connections between people and their environment. Fiona’s work takes the form of creative documentary and audio-visual installations that are exhibited in galleries and museums.
Free – Just drop in.
Please consider making a donation to support our Library Live programme here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library

VE Day: From Siberia to Bologna - A Polish Odyssey
2025-05-21 18:00 - 19:30 | Performance Space
“Other soldiers were here in transit and had a ‘return ticket’ home. The Poles acted as if they had come home. Why? Because they had no home. Poland had been taken over by Stalin.” Alberto Spadoni, recalling the liberation of Bologna by Polish soldiers on 21 April 1945.
Join us for a unique glimpse into the history of the Polish community to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, exploring the extraordinary journey of the Polish forces and their pivotal role in the Italian Campaign (1943-1945).
Our event will open with a poignant performance by the Polish children’s dance group from Manchester, led by Asia Gwiazdowska-Cullinan. Asia was handed a cultural legacy by her grandparents, who, unable to return home after the war, cultivated Polish song and dance so that future generations could continue to enjoy these traditions.
Following the performance, Marek Mrozek from The Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum in London will present a moving account of the II Polish Corps. Formed from civilians deported from their homes in Poland to Soviet labour camps, they became a fighting force of over 55,000 men and women. Their remarkable bravery and sacrifice were instrumental in key battles across Italy, including Monte Cassino, Ancona and Bologna, as part of the British Eighth Army.
This event is organised by Polish at Heart and forms part of this year’s celebration of Polish Heritage Days. It is sponsored by the Polish Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Manchester.
Image copyright permission: Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe (The Polish Digital Archives).
Free – please use the ‘Book Now’ button below to reserve your seat or click here.
Please consider making a donation to support our Library Live programme here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library

Full Volume Podcast: 'Stanley Chow'
2025-05-22 - 2025-06-21 | https://push.fm/fl/actjsf7o-80012
Brought to you by the recently awarded ‘Library of the Year’, Full Volume: The Manchester Libraries Podcast is back for a fantastic fifth episode.

Filled with all kinds of facts, features and library-based fun, this month’s big interview finds Full Volume sitting down with esteemed artist, illustrator and all-round good guy Stanley Chow. From how The White Stripes helped launch his artistic career to Grammy Nominations and his love of Manchester, there’s also chat of his recent collaboration with Central Library. Tune-in to get the full scoop.
A blockbuster ‘Branch Out’ feature finds our host Alan Lynch reporting back to the studio about the grand reopening of Chorlton Library. Speaking to some of the longstanding staff there about their memories of the library and their opinions on its glamourous makeover, Alan also chats to former Lord Mayor Paul Andrews who was also in attendance for the big reveal.
Elsewhere, brace yourself for an in-depth analysis of Stephen King’s psychological horror classic ‘The Shining’ from one of Central Library’s brightest new recruits.
Plus, Alan and his plucky What’s On sidekick Gary Parkinson bring you all the best events happening across Manchester Libraries this month, including the return of the award winning Festival of Libraries in June, which features “Out of this World” Sunday Funday at Central Library, the arrival of some high tech VR Headsets, and hot picks from your favourite local libraries. Plus, listen out for the very exciting news of Manchester libraries being awarded the prestigious ‘Library of the Year’ at the recent British Book Awards 2025. More on that in the episode.

‘Full Volume: The Manchester Libraries Podcast’ takes listeners behind the shelves of our city’s much-loved libraries. Presented by the Central Library’s own Alan Lynch, every month the podcast lifts the lid on a treasure trove of insider tips, exclusive interviews, book reviews, and much more.
Receiving rave reviews and overwhelming support from listeners, the podcast has so far featured special guests such as celebrated author Dame Jacqueline Wilson, plus Manchester City Council’s Head of Libraries, Galleries, Culture and Youth, Play and Participation Services Neil MacInnes OBE, Manchester City Council photographer Barrie Leach speaking about his exhibition ‘Our Town Hall: Portraits of a Workforce’, BBC broadcaster and esteemed newspaper columnist Emma Barnett, and more.

‘Episode 5: Stanley Chow’, the fifth episode of ‘Full Volume: The Manchester Libraries Podcast’ is on all major streaming services now.
Turn it up, and tune in to Episode 5 of Full Volume – now: https://push.fm/fl/actjsf7o-80012

Watch out for Episode 6 in June…

Real Contentment Exhibition
2025-06-02 10:00 - 2025-06-17 17:00
Exploring the natural world through literature and between UK and China, this exhibition is a culmination of a nine month project that forges a lasting connection between the UNESCO Cities of Literature and of Lifelong Learning.
Free – drop in.
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

The Embassy of Utopia 2025
2025-06-04 11:00 - 19:00 | Performance Space
The Embassy of Utopia came to Manchester Central Library in June 2024 as part of Festival of Libraries for its UK premiere, and was a collaboration between Manchester UNESCO City of Literature and Capital of Culture 2024 Tartu UNESCO City of Literature. Due to popular demand, we are running this event again for Festival of Libraries 2025.
Artist and writer David Hartley will host over 60 performances during this year’s Embassy of Utopia event, where bold individuals and community groups have been invited to share reflections on the theme of eco-futures and ecology in the broadest sense. Performances from members of Fuse Manchester and Muslim Social Justice Initiative, our very own multilingual city poet Nóra Blascsók, community members from the Let’s Talk Rochdale group, international artists from Quebec and Nanjing, and work developed via a special collaboration with the Sonder Radio Community will be programmed throughout the day. Expect storytelling, academic reflections, poetry, music, and more.
Please note that no hate speech will be tolerated and that there will be photography on the day.
Free – click ‘Book Now’ below or book here
Please consider making a donation to support our Library Live programme here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library

Art Bites
2025-06-04 12:00 - 14:00
Join us at Central Library for a fun and informal chat about art. Our ‘neighbours’ from Manchester Art Gallery will be bringing reproductions of works of art to the library. Get to know art works through talking with others. No previous knowledge of art needed.
Free entry – just drop in.
Please consider making a donation to support our Library Live programme here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library

Art Emergency
2025-06-04 14:00 - 15:30
Let your imagination run wild in this art session where anything can happen! All materials provided, including canvas, children’s paint, and more: just bring yourself! Suitable for ages 7+.
Free entry – just drop in.
Please consider making a donation to support our Library Live programme here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library

Carbon Ruins
2025-06-05 10:00 - 12:00
Join us at Central Library for a thought-provoking session about sustainability. Imagine it’s 2050 and we have reached our zero-carbon targets. Manchester Museum is opening an exhibition called Carbon Ruins that celebrates this achievement. What items from “the past” (the 2020s) would be featured in the exhibition? Drop into Central Library and meet staff from Manchester Museum. Propose objects to feature in the display and create labels for them.
Free entry – just drop in.
Please consider making a donation to support our Library Live programme here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library

The Apple Trees and The Bees
2025-06-05 18:00 - 19:00 | Henry Watson Music Library
James Ellson presents The Apple Trees and The Bees – symbiotic relationship between apple trees, honeybees and humans
Join us for an engaging discussion about the relationship between apple trees, honeybees and humans. It is thought that fruit trees and honeybees have co-evolved for millions of years. In this talk former detective now crime writer and smallholder James Ellson explores the beneficial relationships between us and these trees and bees.
James Ellson was a police officer for 15 years, finishing as a Detective Inspector at Moss Side in Manchester. He now wears three hats of crime writer, smallholder and speaker. His debut novel The Trail was published in 2020, and his latest book, Base Line, is the fourth in the DCI Castle series. James lives in the Peak District with his wife, and manages their smallholding, which includes bees and an orchard.
Free entry – just drop in.
Please consider making a donation to support our Library Live programme here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library

Inspired by Libraries with Shaun Keaveny and Guy Garvey
2025-06-05 20:00 - 21:00 | Performance Space
Manchester City of Literature and Manchester Libraries present this special Festival of Libraries event.
Join us at Manchester Central Library for a special one-off event featuring two of the city’s most distinctive and much-loved voices — Guy Garvey, Mercury Prize–winning frontman of Elbow and presenter of BBC 6 Music’s Guy Garvey’s Finest Hour, and Shaun Keaveny, long-time BBC 6 Music broadcaster and now host of The Rock Show on BBC Radio 2 and Community Garden Radio. In this relaxed and thought-provoking conversation, Guy and Shaun will explore themes of community, creativity, working-class identity, music, memory, radio, and the role that places like libraries play in shaping our cultural lives — all delivered with the humour, warmth and honesty they’re known for.
About Shaun Keaveny
Shaun Keaveny is a much-loved broadcaster whose trademark wit, warmth and deep connection with listeners have made him one of the most distinctive voices on UK radio. He became a familiar presence to millions during his many years on BBC Radio 6 Music, and now fronts The Rock Show on BBC Radio 2. He retired from stand-up comedy due to public demand in 2017, and is also an enthusiastic failed musician. As the founder of the beloved Community Garden Radio, he continues to champion great music and meaningful conversation in his own inimitable style.
About Guy Garvey
With a career in music spanning three decades and a host of roles from renowned lyricist, singer, and producer to radio and TV host and soundtrack composer and producer, Guy Garvey has left an indelible mark on the music world. With his ‘best mates’ in elbow for over 25 years, Guy has created ten studio albums that have delivered critical acclaim, gold and platinum albums, UK Number Ones, a Mercury Music Prize, BRIT Award, NME Award, Mojo Award and three Ivor Novello Awards.
Guy remains a key part of the 6 Music line-up with his ‘Guy Garvey’s Finest Hour’ a mainstay of Sunday afternoons on the station since 2007. Guy’s contribution to UK culture was recognised with the award of honorary degree from Manchester Metropolitan University for his work in the arts, where he is also a visiting professor.

Plastic Not So Fantastic
2025-06-06 14:00 - 15:30
Join us for an engaging and interactive session delivered by Equans, where you’ll find out everything you’ve always wanted to know about plastic, but never dared to ask. You will also learn more about recycling and learn how to re-use plastic bottles to make mini greenhouses! Suitable for ages 7-12. Please bring a single-use plastic bottle to the session.
Free entry – just drop in.
Please consider making a donation to support our Library Live programme here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library

‘Threads’ by Coalesce Dance Theatre
2025-06-07 14:00 - 14:30 | Performance Space
Threads is a poignant and powerful story about mental health, friendship and identity. This latest work from Coalesce Dance Theatre uses stories from young people across the North of England to delicately weave together an emotive and uplifting contemporary dance and physical theatre performance about growing into adulthood.
threads turns the spotlight on mental health and how important friendship and support can be when it comes to navigating adolescence.
Performed amongst tossed away clothes, and a large wardrobe structure, two dancers use a highly physical movement language to connect and explore their intertwined experiences.
Coalesce invites audiences to experience this socially urgent new work, threads.
Everyone is welcome but most suited to audiences 14+. Tickets are free, the performance will take place in the performance space at Manchester Central Library.
Free tickets – click ‘Book Now’ below or book here
Please consider making a donation to support our Library Live programme here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library

Festival of Libraries Sunday Funday!
2025-06-08 12:00 - 16:00
Join us at Central Library for a special Sunday opening as we celebrate the final day of Festival of Libraries 2025. Expect special performances, music, exhibitions, craft sessions, and lots of fun for all ages!
Highlights include:
Out of this World! 2pm – 3.30pm

Join Wendy from Daresbury Laboratory and Dan Worsley, children’s author and performance storyteller as they embarks on an extra special, extraterrestrial storytelling journey. Dan will weave fact and fiction to prove that with a bit of imagination, anything really is possible. A guaranteed out-of-this-world storytelling experience!
Tickets are for Out of this World are free but limited and can be pre-booked here.
Storytime Fun with Simon the Storyteller 12.30pm-1.15pm and 2.30pm-3.15pm

Come and join Simon the Storyteller for fun interactive family story sessions. The sessions will include songs, games, parachute play and lots and lots of bubbles. These stories are great fun for all the family and will get everyone up on their feet singing and dancing.
Simon’s sessions will be at 12:30 and 2:30 and will last for 45 mins each. No booking required.
‘The Space’ presents a Virtual Reality experience!!

Wallace and Gromit Game
The Philharmonia’s Lark Ascending: A spellbinding 360 performance of Vaughan Williams’s piece, featuring Nicola Benedetti.
Berlin Blitz
Monoliths – exploring England’s Northern landscape

There’ll also be crafts galore, face painting fun, activities for all and time to relax in the magical children’s library.
Free. Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Out of This World!
2025-06-08 14:00 - 15:30 | Performance Space
Have an interest in science? Enjoy getting creative with words?
Join Wendy from Daresbury Laboratory and Dan Worsley, children’s author and storyteller as they collaborate to create an extra-terrestrial event that mixes science fact and science fiction.
Prepare to believe the unbelievable as Dan takes you on an interplanetary journey using his mind-boggling storytelling skills. Alien adventures await as Dan weaves his story magic, models his writing and sets up a creative writing opportunity for the children to take on. Dan will then hand over his storytelling waistcoat to any budding storytellers willing to share their stories.
Wendy’s spectacular scientific knowledge will stretch your mind and transport you to another dimension without leaving the venue. Witness heat sensors in action, hear about incredible projects and see stunning images from space through visual and practical demonstrations. An out-of-this world visual experience!
TICKETS ARE LIMITED AND CAN BE PRE-BOOKED BELOW!

Mystery International Film Screening
2025-06-16 17:30 - 19:30 | Performance Space
This event is for individuals aged 15 and over.
Welcome to the voting page for the fifth edition of Manchester Central Library’s International Film Club’s Mystery Screening series.
Event Details:
Monday 16th June.
• 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.
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.
vote for your favourite here

Behind the Scenes Tour of Central Library
2025-06-19 18:00 - 19:30
Which musician was once thrown out of the Language and Literature Library?
What would you find now in the space where Patrick Stewart and Helen Mirren – amongst many others – played their first roles?
All these questions – and many more – are answered on a tour of Manchester Central Library which will take you to all the areas not normally accessible to the general public and tell the story of this iconic building.
Tours last around 90 minutes and include the chance to see some of our rarest treasures and archives.
Places are strictly limited so please book early.
Please meet in the main entrance (Shakespeare Hall) of Central Library from 5.45pm. The tour starts at 6pm

Saturday Film Club: Refugee Week Special!
2025-06-21 13:00 - 16:00 | Performance Space
Join us at Manchester Central Library for a fantastic afternoon for the whole family dedicated to Refugee Week 2025. Watch a family favourite on the big screen and join themed craft sessions. Free entry, just drop in! Check out our full programme below:
1pm-4pm: Film Screening with Crafts
Join us for a screening of The Scent of Geranium by Naghmeh Farzaneh, a short animated film that gives voice to the fears, doubts, and complex range of emotions that immigrants face. Runtime: 5 mins. After that, we will be watching a family favourite (we won’t ruin the surprise for you)! Not really feeling a longer film? Join us for the themed crafts and the popcorn! All materials provided. Free entry, no booking required. Drop in from 1pm. Film screening starts at 1.30pm. Suitable for children up to 12 years old.
1pm-4pm: Discover a New Zine!
Calling all zine enthusiasts! Join Greater Manchester Youth Network for the launch of a new zine created by separated young refugees in Manchester. Free entry, no booking required. All welcome!
1pm-4pm: Get Artsy with Migrant Support
Do you speak more than one language? Do you enjoy chatting about your native language and culture with other people? Then we have planned your dream afternoon! Find out more about our new project with Migrant Support and Nottingham Trent University. Meet new people, share your language with them and make some amazing zines together. Free entry, all welcome!
Entry to all activities is free, drop in.
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online.

Full Volume Podcast - Episode 6: Kimberly Whittam
2025-06-23 - 2025-07-21 | https://push.fm/fl/actjsf7o-80012-96971
With Summer in full swing Full Volume: The Manchester Libraries Podcast returns for its spectacular sixth edition.
With more features than the complimentary newspapers in the BIPC, this month’s episode sees host Alan Lynch sitting down with acclaimed Manchester children’s author Kimberly Whittam. Kimberly’s new book ‘Quiet Storm’ has just been selected to be Manchester Libraries’ transition read 2025 – with 8,000 copies of the brilliant book gifted to local pupils to help them get ready for secondary school. Set in Manchester, ‘Quiet Storm’ tells the story of Storm who has never liked to stand out from the crowd, and is based in part on the author’s own experiences as a quiet and sometimes shy child. Find out more in the Full Volume interview.
From the ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office), representatives Louise Murphy and Ellis Quinn, come in for a chat about their fascinating new exhibition ‘Our Lives, Our Privacy’ which has been a popular success at Central Library in recent months. Alan takes a deep dive with the duo as they mark the 40th anniversary of the ICO with this exhibition, and reflect on key moments in history when people’s right to privacy or access to information has been affected – positively or negatively – and the role they have played in protecting our rights.
There’s a finely tuned feature with the New Horizons Choir, as choirmaster Tom and members of the group tell us about how they and Central Library have worked in perfect harmony over the years, plus the high notes you too could hit in life as part of their community choir.
Continuing our blockbuster ‘Branch Out’ two-part special, Alan is joined by chair of the Manchester Libraries Trust Brendan O’Shea; Head of Libraries, Galleries and Culture Neil MacInnes, and Sally, the current Manager of Chorlton Library, who all appear on the podcast to offer their perspectives on the freshly refurbished space.
Elsewhere, Alan and his trusty sidekick Gary Parkinson bring you all the best of What’s On across Manchester Libraries this month, including plugs for the Board Games Club at Central Library, a ‘Behind The Scenes Tour’, and the Age Friendly events at Moss Side Powerhouse and Gorton Hub. Plus, there’s a sneak preview for the highly anticipated “Oasis Week” at Central Library coming this July, which will feature exclusive live sets, quizzes, Q&As, and so much more.
‘Full Volume: The Manchester Libraries Podcast’ takes listeners behind the shelves of our city’s much-loved libraries. Presented by the Central Library’s own Alan Lynch, every month the podcast lifts the lid on a treasure trove of insider tips, exclusive interviews, book reviews, and much more.
Receiving rave reviews and overwhelming support from listeners, the podcast has so far featured special guests such as celebrated author Dame Jacqueline Wilson, plus Manchester City Council’s Head of Libraries, Galleries, and Culture Neil MacInnes OBE, Manchester City Council photographer Barrie Leach speaking about his exhibition ‘Our Town Hall: Portraits of a Workforce’, legendary Manchester artist and illustrator Stanley Chow, Manchester’s Lord Mayor, Councillor John Hacking, BBC broadcaster and esteemed newspaper columnist Emma Barnett, and more.
‘Episode 6: Kimberly Whittam’, the sixth episode of ‘Full Volume: The Manchester Libraries Podcast’ is on all major streaming services now.
Turn it up, and tune in to Episode 6 of Full Volume – now: https://push.fm/fl/actjsf7o-80012-96971

Watch out for Episode 7 in July…
https://open.spotify.com/episode/09hLTcx3FdMqpXR9ehtOkC?referral=labelaffiliate&utm_source=1110l9T4fAp&utm_medium=Indie_Routenote&utm_campaign=labelaffiliate

Word Central
2025-06-24 18:00 - 19:30 | Performance Space
Word Central Open Mic Poetry and Spoken Word.
Presented by Flapjack Press and Manchester Libraries.
Hosted by Tony Curry with special guest Kim Moore.
Book your open mic slot from noon on Tuesday 10th June via mail@flapjackpress.co.uk.
N.B. Open mic slots are 3 minutes per performer – it is essential that you stay within this timeframe.
Performance slots are allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis from the stated booking time. If they are already filled you will be offered a place on the reserve list.
Our special guest Kim Moore is a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University and hosts a monthly reading series for Wordsworth Grasmere, as well as running regular writing workshops for young people and adults. She has won an Eric Gregory Award, the Geoffrey Dearmer Prize, and the Ledbury Poetry Competition. Her first full length collection, The Art of Falling (Seren 2015), won the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize and her second collection, All the Men I Never Married (Seren, 2021), won the Forward Prize for Best Collection. Kim has also been a judge for the Forward Prize and the National Poetry Competition, and her work has been translated into many languages as part of the Versopolis project.
Event host Tony Curry is a performance poet, playwright and workshop facilitator. Raised in Crawley by English and South African parents, he has lived and worked in Manchester for three decades, running literature-in-the-community projects with a specific leaning towards mental health and wellbeing. His play, The Teddy Bear, was staged at Manchester’s Contact Theatre, whilst his solo spoken word shows include Brit Boy, Complicit Relations, Moving and The Odyssey, performed at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre. Tony has recently toured his solo show Tall Tales for All Men, adapted from his collection Tall Tales for Tall Men Who Fall Well Short (Flapjack Press, 2012), at the Brighton Fringe and Chorlton Arts Festival.
@WordCentralMcr

Crime Central
2025-06-25 18:00 - 19:30 | Performance Space
CRIME CENTRAL RETURNS 25 JUNE 2025
With the brilliant Rachel Wolf, H Critchlow and Antony Johnston!
Bringing the best from all over!
Featuring the best and brightest crime writing talent both locally and from around the country – the big names are all coming to Manchester!
Go behind the scenes!
Showcasing blockbuster bestsellers, emerging talent and industry insiders, Crime Central will share the real story of what goes on in the crime world.
Meet your favourite authors!
With giveaways, audience interaction, book signings, the chance to ask questions and more – while bringing a crime fiction buzz back to this great northern city.

Hannah Brine - Album Launch
2025-06-28 08:00 - 17:00 | Henry Watson Music Library
Singer songwriter Hannah Brine launches her debut album Blue Sky Now with a live gig at the Manchester Central Library. Inspired by the Great American Songbook, with a voice & song writing style likened to Carole King, Norah Jones and Rumer, Hannah writes & performs lush ballads & lively jazz anthems, telling tales of growth & change, of life & loss, all destined to be modern classics.
“That voice, just wonderful isn’t it” Dean Jackson, BBC Introducing Midlands
“The Brilliant Hannah Brine” Chris Baxter, BBC Radio Wiltshire
“I feel like I want to have Hannah by my side every night singing softly and then everything will be OK.” Geeta Pendse, BBC Radio Leicester
Free – drop in
Please consider making a donation to support our Library Live programme here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library

An Evening with V. E. Schwab
2025-06-28 19:00 - 20:30 | Performance Space
We are hugely excited to welcome bestselling author V.E. Schwab to Manchester Central Library as we celebrate the publication of her new genre-defying, unforgettable novel Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil.
From the author of the incredible standalone novel The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue comes a spellbinding queer love story following the desires and dreams of a trio of enigmatic young women. Don’t miss the chance to hear from V.E. Schwab about this much-anticipated release, before an extended audience Q&A.
V.E. Schwab is the mega-selling author of over twenty books, including the acclaimed Shades of Magic universe, the Villains series, the City of Ghosts trilogy, Gallant, The Fragile Threads of Power and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.
The Ticket, Signed Book & Tote Bag bundle includes a pre-signed copy of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil and a tote bag for collection on the evening.
Please note that this event will not include a live book signing.

If you have any questions about this event or if you have access requests, please do let us know how we can support your visit by emailing events@waterstones.com.
Photo of V.E Schwab by Jenna Maurice.
Tickets – ‘Book Now’ below or book here
