London Social & Cultural Meetups

David Bowie stars in Nagisa Oshima's 1983 Palme d'Or-nominated portrait of resilience, pride, friendship and obsession among four very different men confined in the stifling jungle heat of a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp in Java during World War II.

In 1942, British officer Major Jack Celliers (Bowie) is captured by Japanese soldiers, and after a brutal trial sent, physically debilitated but indomitable in mind, to a POW camp overseen by the zealous Captain Yonoi (Ryuichi Sakamoto). Celliers' stubbornness sees him locked in a battle of wills with the camp's new commandant, a man obsessed with discipline and the glory of Imperial Japan who becomes unnaturally preoccupied with the young Major, while Lieutenant Colonel Lawrence (Tom Conti), the only inmate with a degree of sympathy for Japanese culture and an understanding of the language, attempts to bridge the divide through his friendship with Yonoi's second-in-command, Sergeant Hara (Takeshi Kitano), a man possessing a surprising degree of compassion beneath his cruel façade.
Our screening on Wednesday 21 January will be introduced by film journalist James Balmont.

>> Tickets are £15 standard and £12 members:
https://bookings.thegardencinema.co.uk/TheGardenCinema.dll/TSelectItems.waSelectItemsPrompt.TcsWebMenuItem_0.TcsWebTab_0.TcsPerformance_4597940.TcsSection_638

This shown in Screen 1 so let's meet in the Garden Bar downstairs. The screening starts at 18:00 - we'll catch up after the film.

"Explore the science behind feeling your best at Imperial Lates as researchers share the secrets to hacking your health and wellbeing. Then get hands-on with activities designed to help you move, make and reflect, from finding your flow in a Tai Chi balance workshop to unwinding with mindful crafting.

What’s on:
Discover your body’s true age as you test your gait and balance using movie-making technology
Don an EEG headset and watch your brainwaves turn into live fractals
Join thought-provoking talks on myth-busting immune health hacks, how nightmares can predict your health, and the impact of social media misinformation increasing hormone misuse in men
Taste planet-friendly snacks at the Grantham climate-friendly pop-up kitchen
Dance off your winter slump at the Underground Cèilidh
Keep the energy going with a live DJ set from DJ WheelUp and our friends at the Rhythm Studio. Add a bar, great conversations and a welcoming atmosphere, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a feel-good evening."

Register for free (Meetup attendance fee of £3.50 applies):

Date: 29 jan • 18:00
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/imperial-lates-happiness-and-health-tickets-1974893346161

Closes 22 February. Admission is free on Fridays after 5pm (attendance fee applies), this exhibition usually costs £7-10. Join me to see this small exhibition! We can also look at everything else that's on.

https://thephotographersgallery.org.uk/whats-on/strike-pose-100-years-photobooth
"2025 marks 100 years since the invention of the photobooth in New York. A game-changer for the world of photography, photobooths became an everyday sight in cities around the world.

In the 1950s and 1960s, photobooths were a common feature at fairs, shopping centres and train stations. With no technical knowledge needed and no operator, anyone could step behind the curtain, alone or crammed in with friends, put their money in the slot and strike a pose. The booths were loved by everyone, from John Lennon and Yoko Ono, to John and Jacqueline Kennedy, and used by artist Andy Warhol for his famous series of self-portraits.

These popular coin-operated booths began to disappear with the rise of digital photography in the 1990s. Now, restored by dedicated experts, analogue booths are reappearing in cities across the world and enjoying a resurgence of interest and delight with modern-day fans."

The example photos from the website look like they may have been taken in the 1950s. I think they are both hilarious and moving witness of their time. We will also get to see the other exhibitions that are on different floors, there is a lift as well.

The attendance fee of £4 will go towards meetup site costs so we can keep running this group as unfortunately organiser's fees have increased steeply over the last 18 months. Thank you!

We will go for drinks afterwards.