The david lean cinema

NO ORDINARY FILMS, NO ORDINARY CINEMA

Pre Order Refreshments

NT Live Events only

What's On

This Week / Next Week

Hamnet

HAMNET (Cert 12A)

Directed by Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao and adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed novel, offers a fictionalised portrait of William Shakespeare’s family life. The film centres on Agnes, Shakespeare’s fiercely intuitive wife, and their son Hamnet, whose untimely death shatters their world. Through intimate storytelling and atmospheric visuals, Zhao explores love, grief, and the fragile bonds that shape great art. This moving drama imagines how personal tragedy may have inspired Hamlet, one of Shakespeare’s greatest works.

Thursday 19 February at 2.00pm (HOH) and 7.30pm (Fully Booked).

Also showing on Wednesday/Saturday 25/28 February

Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (Cert 12A)

One of the first Hollywood films to tackle the subject of HIV/AIDS, Demme’s film was praised for its screenplay and the performances of the two leads – Hanks went on to win an Oscar. He plays a senior associate in a top Philadelphia law firm with AIDS who is fired. He believes this is because of his illness and life style, and hires Washington’s black attorney to bring a case of unfair dismissal. The attorney is at first unwilling to take the case, but seeing the parallels between the prejudice faced by his own race and gay people, he changes his mind.
A 35mm presentation in association with The Cinema Museum.

Saturday 21 February at 2.00pm

Twinless

TWINLESS (Cert 15)

After the death of his identical twin brother, Roman meets Dennis at a support group for twinless twins. They soon bond over their trauma and form an unlikely friendship. However, as Roman gets to know Dennis’s colleague Marcie, secrets gradually begin to surface, causing both men and their connection to unravel. James Sweeney writes, directs and stars in this well crafted and darkly comic drama, expertly mixing genre and tone. Clever plot twists abound with sensitive performances to produce an immensely satisfying exploration of identity, grief, loneliness and betrayal. 

Tuesday 24 February at 2.30pm and 7.30pm

Hamnet

HAMNET (Cert 12A)

Directed by Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao and adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed novel, offers a fictionalised portrait of William Shakespeare’s family life. The film centres on Agnes, Shakespeare’s fiercely intuitive wife, and their son Hamnet, whose untimely death shatters their world. Through intimate storytelling and atmospheric visuals, Zhao explores love, grief, and the fragile bonds that shape great art. This moving drama imagines how personal tragedy may have inspired Hamlet, one of Shakespeare’s greatest works.

Wednesday 25 February at 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Also Saturday 28 February at 2.00pm

Nouvelle Vague

NOUVELLE VAGUE Cert 12A)

Frustrated with his job as a cinema journalist, and sick of seeing his friends achieving their dreams before him, a determined young Frenchman sets out to make his first film at the turn of the sixties. Did we mention that feature was called Breathless? With Guillaume Marbeck turning in a kinetic performance as legendary director Jean-Luc Godard and Zoey Deutch shining as the iconic Jean Seberg, American great Richard Linklater brings cinema history to life once again in his second movie of 2025, celebrating the style, iconography and all-round je ne sais quoi of the French New Wave.

Thursday 26 February at 2.30pm and 7.30pm

Small World Cinema presents MUSICAL SHORTS (Cert U)

We are pleased to host Small World Cinema's very first film event at the David Lean Cinema , celebrating sound and music in film. This family-friendly programme of short animations is largely without dialogue, making it accessible and enjoyable for all ages.

Before the screening, families can enjoy a free cup of tea or coffee with a biscuit while children craft their own musical instruments and experiment with fun sound effects using everyday objects. We’ll then settle in to enjoy a selection of playful, musical animations that are sure to have you humming along and smiling from ear to ear.

An uplifting blend of creativity, music and movie magic for the whole family. at 11.00am

Saturday 28 February 2026 at 11.00am

Hamnet

HAMNET (Cert 12A)

Directed by Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao and adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed novel, offers a fictionalised portrait of William Shakespeare’s family life. The film centres on Agnes, Shakespeare’s fiercely intuitive wife, and their son Hamnet, whose untimely death shatters their world. Through intimate storytelling and atmospheric visuals, Zhao explores love, grief, and the fragile bonds that shape great art. This moving drama imagines how personal tragedy may have inspired Hamlet, one of Shakespeare’s greatest works.

Saturday 28 February at 2.00pm

Hamnet

 Hamnet

2025 | UK | 126 min
Thurs 19 Feb at 2.00pm (HOH) and 7.30pm

 

Philadelphia

Philadelphia (35mm)

1993| USA | 125 min
Sat 21 Feb at 2.00pm

 

Twinless

Twinless

2025 | USA | 100 min
Tues 24 Feb at 2.30pm and 7.30pm

 

Hamnet

 HAMNET

2025 | USA | 126 min
Weds 25 Feb at 2.30pm and 7.30pm

 

Nouvelle Vague

Nouvelle Vague

2025 | France | 106 min
Thurs 26 Feb at 2.30pm and 7.30pm

 

Hamnet

 Small World Cinema

Musical Shorts | UK | 40 min
Sat 28 Feb at 11.00am

 

Hamnet

Hamnet

2025 | UK | 126 min
Sat 28 Feb at 2.00pm

 

Young Frankenstein

 Young Frankenstein

1974 | USA | 106 min
Tuesday 03 Mar at 11.00am (Dementia Friendly) 

Saipan

Saipan

2025 | UK | 90 min
Tuesday 03 Mar at 2.30pm and 7.30pm (HOH)

 

NT Live - The Audience

NT Live - The Audience

2013 | UK | 149 min (inc interval)
Weds 04 Mar at 2.00pm

 

NT Live - The Audience

NT Live - The Audience

2013 | UK | 149 min (inc interval)
Weds 04 Mar at 6.30pm

 

H Is For Hawk

H Is For Hawk

2025 | UK | USA | 115 min
Thurs 05 Mar at 2.00pm (HOH) and 7.00pm (Q&A)

 

Hamnet

 Hamnet (BIA)

2025 | UK | 126 min
Fri 06 Mar at 11.00am (Babes In Arms)

 

The Bone Temple

The Bone Temple

2026 | UK | USA | 109 min
Sat 07 Mar at 2.00pm and Weds 11 Mar at 5.30pm

 

No Other Choice

 No Other Choice

2025 | Korea | 139 min
Tues 10 March at 2.30pm and 7.00pm (Korean with English subtitles)

The Bone Temple

The Bone Temple

2026 | UK | USA | 109 min
Weds 11 Mar at 5.30pm

 

Exhibition On Screen - Turner And Constable

Turner & Constable
Exhibition on Screen

2026 | UK | 91 min
Thurs 12 Mar at 2.30pm (HOH) and 7.30pm

The Knack

The Knack (35mm)

1965 | UK | 85 min
Sat 14 Mar at 2.00pm

 

All That's Left Of You

All That's Left Of You

2025 | Germany | Cyprus | 145 min
Tues 17 Mar at 2.30pm and 7.00pm (Arabic with subtitles)

If I Had Legs I'd Kick You

 If I Had Legs I'd Kick You

2025 | USA | 113 min
Weds 18 Mar at 5.30pm and Thurs 19 Mar at 2.30pm (HOH)

Young Frankenstein

Young Frankenstein (relaxed)

1974 | USA | 106 min
Sat 21 Mar at 11.00am

Nuremberg

Nuremberg

2025 | USA | 148 min
Sat 21 Mar at 2.00pm

 

The President's Cake

The President's Cake

Thurs 24 Mar at 2.30pm and 7.30pm (Arabic with English subtitles)

Is This Thing On?

 Is This Thing On?

2025 | USA | 121 min

Weds 25 Mar at 2.30pm and 7.30pm (HOH)

In Fabric

 In Fabric

2018| UK | 119 min
Thurs 26 Mar at 2.30pm and 7.30pm

Coming Soon - To Be Confirmed

TBC

2025 | xxx | xxx min
Sat 28 Mar at 2.00pm

Sirat

 Sirat

2025 | Spain | 114 min
Tues 31 Mar at 2.30pm and 7.30pm (Spanish with English subtitles)

about Us

Just a 13 minute train from London Bridge, or 10 minutes from Clapham Junction, The David Lean Cinema in Croydon is a gem of a volunteer-led community cinema, which, after closing in 2011, reopened as a result of local campaigning in 2014.
Often collaborating with The Cinema Museum, we frequently screen on 35mm and are a champion of accessibility with frequent descriptive subtitled and Dementia-Friendly screenings - and there are NO adverts!

Films

We screen more than 20 films
each month, ranging from cult classics to the latest blockbusters, as well as stunning world cinema, the best of British, sing-alongs, and more. Without our passionate and dedicated team of volunteers, the David Lean Cinema simply wouldn’t function. It’s our love of community and thirst for quality films that has made our little cinema persevere.

Our Privacy Policy can be viewed by clicking here.

 

Info

Ticket sales provide our main source of income; 80% in FY 2023/24.
This revenue stream will increase in proportion to our audience growth. We will continue to price our tickets competitively, including to offer concessions for those who are 65 or over, 25 or under, students, people with a disability, and those in receipt of Pension Credit, Universal Credit, Income Support or Job Seekers allowance.