The david lean cinema

NO ORDINARY FILMS, NO ORDINARY CINEMA

What's On

Late Fame

LATE FAME

2025 | Dir Kent Jones | USA | 96 mins
Stars: Willem Dafoe, Greta Lee, Edmund Donovan

Ed Saxberger (Willem Dafoe) is a quiet New York post office worker who wrote a well-regarded book of poetry in the late 1970s, before disappearing into obscurity. Decades later, a young admirer (Edmund Donovan) tracks him down and introduces him to the “Enthusiasm Society”, a group of privileged twenty-somethings who see Saxberger as an overlooked literary genius from a bygone era of New York.
Flattered by their attention, Saxberger is drawn back into the artistic world he left behind and develops a fascination with Gloria (Greta Lee), the group’s charismatic theatrical spirit. But as he becomes increasingly involved with his new circle, he begins to question whether they truly admire his work or simply romanticise the idea of the past they have created around him.

Tuesday 06 October at 2.30pm and 7.30pm

Coyote Vs Acme

COYOTE Vs ACME

2026 | Dir Dave Green | USA | 103 mins
Stars: Will Forte, Lana Condor, John Cena

When loyal Acme Corporation customer (and avowed enemy of Road Runner) Wile E. Coyote has finally had enough of the company’s faulty goods, he’s left with one last course of action: a lawsuit. Securing the services of ambulance-chasing attorney Kevin Avery (Will Forte), the pair have to take on Acme’s hotshot lawyer Buddy Crane (John Cena), who happens to be Avery’s former boss. Three years after being shelved as a tax write-off by its studio, this madcap mix of animation and live-action is seeing the light of day at long last, presenting the world of Looney Tunes as you’ve never seen it before.

Thursday 08 October at 2.30pm and 7.30pm

Contains flashing images which may affect viewers who are susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy.

The Invite

THE INVITE (Babes In Arms)

2026 | Dir Olivia Wilde | USA | 107 min
Stars: Olivia Wilde, Penélope Cruz, Seth Rogen, Edward Norton

Shot in just 23 days in chronological order on 35mm film, Olivia Wilde’s all-star ensemble chamber piece is excruciatingly awkward yet full of compassion and incredibly funny. Joe and Angela's marriage of nearly two decades is faltering. When Angela invites their sexually enthusiastic upstairs neighbours for dinner, long held grievances, insecurities and failed aspirations are unearthed for both couples. This compelling comedy drama has proved hugely popular with both critics and audiences, since it premiered at Sundance 2026.

Babes In Arms screening

Friday 09 October at 11.00am

Contains flashing images which may affect viewers who are susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy

Exhibition On Screen: David Hockney

HOCKNEY (Exhibition on Screen)

2017 | Dir Phil Grabsky | UK | 85 min
Stars: David Hockney, Martin Gayford, Tim Marlow

A cinematic tribute to David Hockney, one of Britain’s most influential artists, who died earlier this year. This documentary offers exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to two landmark exhibitions from Hockney's late career, staged at London's Royal Academy of Art in 2012 and 2016. Featuring intimate, in-depth interviews with the artist himself, the film illuminates his restless creativity, fearless experimentation, and singular artistic process - a fitting portrait of a painter who never stopped reinventing what art could be.

Saturday 10 October at 2.00pm

Late Fame

2025 | USA | 96 min
Tues 06 Oct at 2.30pm and 7.30pm

 

Coyote Vs Acme

2026 | USA | 103 min
Thurs 08 Oct at 2.30pm and 7.30pm

 

The Invite (BIA)

2026 | USA | 107 min
Fri 09 Oct at 11.00am (Babes In Arms Screening)

EOS: David Hockney

2017 | UK | 85 min
Sat 10 Oct at 2.00pm

Bad Apples

2025 | USA | 100 min
Tues 13 Oct at 2.30pm and 7.30pm
The evening screening includes descriptive subtitles)

The Sleeping Beauty

2026 | UK |144 min (with interval)
Weds 14 Oct at 2.30pm and 6.30pm

 

Bitter Christmas

2026 | Spain | 112 min
Thurs 15 Oct at 2.30pm and 7.30pm
(Spanish with English subtitles)

 

Michael

2026 | USA | 127 min
Sat 17 Oct at 2.00pm

 

Cotton Queen

2026 | Sudan | 93 min
Tues 20 Oct at 2.30pm and 7.30pm
(Arabic with subtitles)

500 Miles

2026 | UK | 101 min
Weds 21 Oct at 2.30pm

 

 Pressure

2026 | UK | France | 100 min
Weds 21 Oct at 5.30pm
Thurs 22 Oct at 2.00pm (HOH) and 7.30pm

 School Of Rock

2003 | USA | 109 min
Sat 24 Oct at 11.00am

 

Bad Apples

2025 | USA | UK | 100 min
Sat 24 Oct at 2.00pm

Queen At Sea

2026 | UK | USA | 121 min
Tues 27 Oct at 2.30pm and 7.30pm

The Cycle Of Love

2025 | UK | India | 98 min
Weds 28 Oct at 2.30pm and 7.30pm

The Dog Stars

2026 | USA | UK | 118 min
Thurs 29 Oct at 2.30pm (HOH) and 7.30pm

Dracula

1958 | UK | 83 min
Sat 31 Oct at 6.00pm

Dracula Prince Of Darkness (35mm)

1966 | UK | 90 min
Sat 31 Oct at 8.30pm

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.