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Cinema in the North

Tom Grieve, Cinema Editor

Among the cinematic highlights of early 2025, HOME have lined up the perfect January film season with Sirkian Sundays. What better way to confront the January blues than with a series of classic Hollywood melodramas from master director Douglas Sirk?

We’re also excited to see the line-up for Keswick Film Festival which turns 25 this year with a bumper edition packed with international indie cinema and local talent.

January’s a good time to survey the year ahead and make some plans. Happily, two of Manchester’s biggest film festivals have just released early ticket bundles. So give yourself something to look forward to by booking now for Manchester Film Festival and Grimmfest.

Our top picks

LGBTQ+ History Month 2025 at Showroom Cinema

LGBTQ+ History Month 2025 at Showroom Workstation, Sheffield, Until 27 February 2025, from £5.00 - Book now

Radical DIY parody film The People’s Joker is our pick of a inclusive, community-minded LGBTQ+ History Month at Showroom.

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The People's Joker
Showroom Cinema

UrbanArtistry Presents… Next: A Primer on Urban Painting at Cultplex

UrbanArtistry Presents... A 20th Anniversary screening of Next: A Primer on Urban Painting at Cultplex, Manchester, 19 February 2025, from £6.50 - Book now

A twentieth anniversary screening of this globetrotting street art documentary arrives at Cultplex with a live Q&A from Chilean director Pablo Aravena.

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NEXT: A Primer on Urban Painting production still
Pablo Aravena/ Next

Altrincham Spanish Film Weekend at Altrincham Little Theatre

Altrincham Spanish Film Weekend at Altrincham Little Theatre, 7–9 February 2025, from £5.00 - Book now

Get to grips with Spanish cinema as Manchester’s Instituto Cervantes pop up in Altrincham for a full weekend of film screenings and discussion.

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Altrincham Spanish Film Festival
Instituto Cervantes Manchester

Sirkian Sundays: Celebrating the films and influence of Douglas Sirk at HOME

Sirkian Sundays: Celebrating the films and influence of Douglas Sirk at HOME Manchester, Manchester, Until 9 February 2025, from £5.15 - Book now

Ease your way into the new year with HOME’s series of Sunday screenings dedicated to the soaring melodramas of Hollywood master, Douglas Sirk.

Find out more
A man and a woman stood in front of a window at night look into each others' eyes
n/a

Valentine Special – It Happened One Night at Stockport Plaza

Film: Valentine Special - It Happened One Night (Cert U) at Stockport Plaza Cinema, Stockport, 14 February 2025, from £10.45 - Book now

Dinner and a movie at Stockport Plaza as Frank Capra’s classic romantic comedy returns to the big screen.

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Park Circus

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2025 at Showroom Cinema

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2025: Am I Right? Justice, Justification, and Judgement in Japanese Cinema at Showroom Workstation, Sheffield, 9–28 February 2025, from £5.00 - Book now

This year’s Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme focuses on justice, justification and judgement. Expect serious-minded dramas mixed with hidden classics and some more light-hearted fare.

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Women on a carriage
Japan Foundation

Keswick Film Festival

Keswick Film Festival at Rheged Centre, Cumbria (and other venues), 6–9 March 2025, from £5.00 - Book now

The 25th Keswick Film Festival celebrates the best in international independent cinema, plus Cumbrian talent and some special anniversary events.

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Keswick Town
Cumbria Tourism

The Phantom of the Opera – Film with Live Accompaniment at The Stoller Hall

The Phantom of the Opera – Film with Live Accompaniment at The Stoller Hall, Manchester, 14 March 2025, from £5.50 - Book now

Silent film score veterans Frame Ensemble accompany Lon Chaney on this lavish horror classic’s 100th birthday.

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Screenshot from the phantom of the opera
The Phantom of the Opera

Manchester Film Festival at Odeon Great Northern

Manchester Film Festival at Odeon Great Northern, Manchester, 14–23 March 2025, from £30 - Book now

Manchester Film Festival might be some months away but early bird ticket deals have just been released for eager film buffs looking to catch the latest films.

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A red carpet interview from Manchester Film Festival 2023
Manchester Film Festival

Grimmfest 2025 at Odeon Great Northern

Grimmfest at Odeon Great Northern, Manchester, 9–12 October 2025, from £15.99 - Book now

There are also early ticket passes available for Grimmfest. Book now for what is reliably Manchester’s biggest and best genre film festival.

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More cinema events

Keswick Town
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CinemaCumbria
Keswick Film Festival

Keswick Film Festival marks 25 years with a programme featuring some of the best of contemporary independent cinema, alongside select classics, and work from some choice Cumbrian talent.

from £5.00
See all cinema events
Spotlight on

Things to do in Blackpool

Fancy a day trip? Explore our guide to Blackpool and build yourself an itinerary featuring attractions, galleries, restaurants and more.

Take me there

Cinema in the North

Manchester
Park
Platt Fields Park

Platt Fields Park in Fallowfield is steeped in history, the land having been acquired by the Platt family in 1225.

HOME Manchester
Manchester
Theatre
HOME Manchester

Offering a packed schedule of events and things to do, HOME Manchester is one of the city’s leading hubs for arts and culture.

Cumbria
Event venue
Penrith Old Fire Station

Main venue for Eden Arts, an artist-led organisation based in Eden in Cumbria creating projects around mass participation, local distinctiveness and digital engagement, from Picnic Cinema to The Winter Droving.

The MerseyMade building in Liverpool
Liverpool
Shop
MerseyMade West Kirby

In the MerseyMade shop you’ll find bottled gin from the likes of Turncoat Gin, Anfield Gin, Albert Dock Gin and Three Graces Gin. Yep, Liverpool REALLY likes its gin.

See all places

Destination Guides

Things to do in Blackpool

Fancy a day trip? Explore our guide to Blackpool and build yourself an itinerary featuring attractions, galleries, restaurants and more.
Birkenhead Priory
Things to do on the Wirral

The Wirral is a short train (or ferry) ride away from Liverpool so why not sample its best arts and culture spots?
Things to do in Bradford: Kala Sangam
Things to do in Bradford

Our guide to the dark horse of Bradford, full of eye-opening exhibitions, independent shops and authentic curry houses.
YSP
Summer of Sculpture and Performance Art in Wakefield

Wakefield is the place to be this summer, with fantastic family activities, ambitious street performances and amazing art on display.
York Castle Museum
Things to do in York

We take a closer look at York, one of the UK’s most beautiful heritage cities with a wealth of contemporary culture.
Burnley's Singing Ringing Tree
Things to do in Lancashire

Our guide to the culturally rich coastal county of Lancashire, encompassing Lancaster, Morecambe, Blackpool and Blackburn.
Chester
Things to Do in Cheshire

Our guide to the best things to in Cheshire, including culture, shopping and food and drink in Chester, Crewe and Macclesfield.

Culture Guides

FKA TWIGS
Music in the North

Masters of minimalism, leftfield electronica and cutting edge pop. We bring you the lot in our latest live music round up.

The Super Duper Family Festival
Family things to do in the North

We might be past the holiday season, but Manchester and the North's arts and cultural calendar is still packed with brilliant events and activities for families

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Documentary performance, groundbreaking dance, world premieres and fresh takes on classic works - check out our early theatre highlights for 2025.

A painting of a young child being bathed in a sink of a 197s style kitchen. Around the sink are a rubber duck, a bottle of washing up liquid, a jug, a kettle and a mug.
Exhibitions in the North

Galleries are racing to announce new exhibitions so check out our top picks, from art films and nostalgic paintings to Hockney's collages.