Our films are hosted at Chester Picturehouse in their 218-seat Screen 1 and are shown in the original language with English subtitles where necessary.
Film Society membership costs only £10 for the season, and member tickets for each film must be bought in person, either in advance or on the night, for £5 on the production of your 2025/26 Chester Film Society membership card (either digital or printed).

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A man visits his childhood village for the funeral of a family friend and upends the lives of the local eccentrics in the French director’s weird and earthy return to form. “Navigating a diabolical story with fleet-footed tonal mastery, Misericorida is another superb foray into the dangers of desire” (Rotten Tomatoes)
More on IMDB | Watch the trailer on Youtube | Film notes for Misericordia (pdf)

Audience Score: 6.8

Comments:
Didn’t like the violence, but an intruguing film with unexpected turn to the plot.
Well cast. Good camera work.
The fungi did it!
Could only be a French film!
Very weird, but very French!
Enjoyable
Truly bizarre!!

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Copenhagen 1919. A young woman worker finds herself unemployed and pregnant. She meets Dagmar, who runs an underground adoption agency. A strong connection grows, but her world shatters when she stumbles on the truth behind her work. “Threading its grim tale through sumptuous black-and-white photography, The Girl with the Needle is a haunting parable made with superb craft.” (Rotten Tomatoes)
More on IMDB | Watch the trailer on Youtube | Film notes for The Girl With The Needle (pdf)

Audience Score: 7.76

Comments:
Excellent – how much can one woman endure?
Harrowing, amazing, acting.
Gripping and disturbing.
Black and white very effective.
Interesting. Shocking twist
Frightening
Beautifully made.
Pretty bleak subject matter!

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Newly widowed Santosh inherits her husband’s job as a police constable in the rural badlands of Northern India. When a girl’s body is found, she’s pulled into the investigation under the wing of charismatic feminist inspector Sharma. “Shahana Goswami bristles with unforgettable intensity in Santosh, a nervy procedural that asks the hard questions about a culture’s social hierarchy.” (Rotten Tomatoes)
More on IMDB | Watch the trailer on Youtube | Film notes for Santosh (pdf)

Audience Score: 7.79

Comments:
Very disturbing. Realistic scenes of India.
Need time to process it.
Intriguing insight into police corruption/butchery.
Realistic film inbetween a documentary and a feature.
Very interesting portrayal of what life is like for the majority of Indians compared to the elite.
A sombre watch.

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Two long-lost brothers, an orchestra conductor and a worker at a struggling factory, find common ground in their talent and love for music in this French comedy-drama. “This film may not surprise, but it’s a sincere and uplifting tale that is in tune with the spirit of underdog crowd-pleasers Brassed Off and The Full Monty.” (Linda Marric)
More on IMDB | Watch the trailer on Youtube | Film notes for The Marching Band (pdf)

Audience Score: 8.83

Comments:
Best Chester film I’ve seen in quite some time!
It had everything!
Funny and heartbreaking in equal measure. Loved it but made my heart ache.
Heartwarming and wonderful – OK, plot a bit preposterous, but it didn’t matter – music carried film along.
Optisimsm always wins

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Part Two of the 2025-26 Season
The second half of our brand-new programme is due to begin from Thursday, 8th January 2026, journeying through Germany, France, Italy, Norway, Switzerland, Palestine, and the USA, exploring themes of resistance, connection, identity, and reinvention. From historical dramas to thrilling tales and tributes to cinema itself, each screening is hand-picked to offer something unique and thought-provoking. View or download the Part 2 flyer

A woman, travelling alone through snowbound northern Minnesota, interrupts the kidnapping of a teenage girl. Hours from the nearest town and with no phone service, she realises that she is the young girl’s only hope.
More on IMDB | Watch the trailer on Youtube

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Set in a small, mountainous village in the waning years for World War II, a series of dramatic, consequential events unfold after the arrival of a taciturn Sicilian soldier. “Has the feeling of a tale passed down through generations” Grand Jury Prize at Venice IFF 2024.
More on IMDB | Watch the trailer on Youtube

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Part of the Oslo Stories Trilogy dealing with the complexity of human relationships. A 17-year old girl documents the crush she had on her French teacher, which leads to her mother and grandmother debating publication of her work. Golden Bear at Berlin IFF 2025
More on IMDB | Watch the trailer on Youtube

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Michelle, a retiree in Burgundy, expects her grandson Lucas but a mistake ruins her plans. Her friend’s son is released from prison, reviving Michelle’s purpose. A twisty, bittersweet story about age, youth, the past and the art of breaking the rules.
More on IMDB | Watch the trailer on Youtube

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Floria, a dedicated nurse, tirelessly serves in an understaffed hospital ward. However, today her shift becomes a tense and urgent race against the clock. Powered by a wonderful central performance by Leonie Benesch, this is a must-watch for its terrifying timeliness.
More on IMDB | Watch the trailer on Youtube

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This historical drama explores the beginnings of the Palestinian people’s revolt against British colonial rule in the 1930s, as unrest grows during a pivotal period for the region. “A vehement reminder of what doesn’t get taught in British schools”.
More on IMDB | Watch the trailer on Youtube

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Shot in the fashion of its title’s namesake, this is a tribute to the French New Wave and a charming retelling of one of cinema’s most storied debuts: Jean-Luc Godard’s Breathless. “Transports us to a black-and-white vision of the creative milieu of 1959 Paris”
More on IMDB | Watch the trailer on Youtube

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