Our Land

NOW SHOWING

Our Land

Save the UPP

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT

Save the UPP

Hokum

NOW SHOWING

Hokum

Earwig + Lucile

SCREENING + DIRECTOR Q&A

Earwig: Lucile Hadžihalilović

Blade Runner

UPP 30th ANNIVERSARY SCREENING

Blade Runner: The Final Cut

Lucile

CLASSICS SEASON

Director's Cuts: Lucile Hadžihalilović

The Christophers

COMING SOON

The Christophers

35mm: Films on Film

CLASSICS STRAND

35mm: Films on Film

Kino Kids Cinema Club

FAMILY CLASSICS EVERY OTHER SUNDAY

Kino Kids Cinema Club

Oxford’s home of independent cinema

The Ultimate Picture Palace is Oxford’s oldest independent cinema. Founded in 1911 and community-owned since 2022, we show a mix of independent, international, and classic films all in our cosy single-screen auditorium. Find us on the Cowley Road in East Oxford.

Oxford cinema The Ultimate Picture Palace

What's on

Today (Wednesday 27th May)

20:15

Rose of Nevada 15
1h 54m
When a long-lost fishing boat returns to a Cornish village, hope rises for renewal. Nick and newcomer Liam join a voyage, but return transformed and caught in a haunting time loop. Shot on grainy 16mm, Mark Jenkin (Bait) delivers a haunting, mind-bending folktale.

Book here


Tomorrow (Thursday 28th May)

12:30

The Magic Faraway Tree U
Parent + Baby Screening
1h 50m
The Thompson children discover a magical tree leading to fantastical lands. Facing quirky inhabitants and wondrous adventures, they reconnect and grow closer. Enid Blyton’s beloved classic comes to life in this enchanting adaptation starring Andrew Garfield, Nicola Coughlan, and Claire Foy.

Book here

15:00

The Stranger 15
2h 2m | French w/ English subtitles
Set in French Algeria, Meursault drifts through life until his mother’s death sparks judgment, conflict, and tragedy. François Ozon’s sensitive, queer-inflected adaptation illuminates the emotional and moral complexities at the heart of Albert Camus’s existential masterpiece.

Book here

17:45

Frida Kahlo 12A
1h 41m
This documentary explores Frida Kahlo’s life and art, from her iconic self-portraits to the passion and pain that shaped her work. Featuring exhibition footage, expert insight and her own letters, it offers an intimate portrait of the revolutionary Mexican artist.

Book here

20:15

The Barnabáš Kos Case 12A
+ Intro w/ Peter Strickland
1h 32m | Slovak w/ English subtitles
A timid triangle player is unexpectedly promoted to Musical Director, but soon becomes corrupted by power. Peter Solan’s darkly comic satire exposes absurd hierarchies, sharply skewering state bureaucracy and the fragile egos behind positions of authority.

Book here


Coming soon

A young woman stands in a lake, getting ready to jump in.

Have a Gd Trip presents Skateboard Film Club

Sunday 4 June
A skate film night featuring the Oxford premiere of Polar’s latest full-length You Got It My Boy Jamie.., alongside work from Skateboard Café, Pass~Port and Krooked. Curated by Keen Distribution with Skateboard GB, it showcases leading modern skate filmmakers and brands. Tickets just £6.

Black and white image of a man in a suit overlaid with textured psychedelic imagery.

Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair

19 to 25 June
Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair is an annual film festival showcasing some of the greatest works of cinema from across the globe that venture into the darkest sides of humanity and the bleakest points in human history. Our selections include Oldboy, Gummo, The Ascent and more.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Peter Jackson Earth Day 2023

Director’s Cuts: Lucile Hadžihalilović

30 May to 17 June
Our second Director’s Cuts series features French filmmaker Lucile Hadzihalilovic curating a season of her favourites, alongside a screening of her own Neo-noir horror Earwig, including a Q&A with Hadzihalilovic and screenwriter Geoff Cox.

Become a member

Our community of UPP members get exclusive discounts including 2 free tickets, a free drink at our cosy bar and £2 off the price of tickets. 

UPP News

Find out the latest news and updates from the UPP and our community

The Magnificent Ambersons: Welles’ butchered sophomore effort

The Magnificent Ambersons: Welles’ butchered sophomore effort

The Magnificent Amberson's is showing as part of our 35mm Films on Film season on Saturday 9th May at 3pm. Citizen Kane screens on ... Read more

Ruskin School of Art students’ short films at UPP

Ruskin School of Art students’ short films at UPP

The Ultimate Picture Palace are delighted to partner with Ruskin School of Art, to exhibit a selection of their students’ short films. ... Read more

Director’s Cuts: New series begins with Peter Strickland

Director’s Cuts: New series begins with Peter Strickland

We're delighted to announce a new regular series we're calling Director’s Cuts.  Inviting filmmakers we admire to curate a screening ... Read more

Hire the cinema

Our unique art-deco venue is the perfect place for private screenings, children and adult birthday parties, fundraisers, premieres, presentations, community events, film festivals and more.

Find out more