The Best Film Events in Scotland in January

As the new year begins, lose yourself in the fantasies of Alejandro Jodorowsky and the dreamscapes of Federico Fellini

Article by Jamie Dunn | 07 Jan 2020
  • The Holy Mountain

In 2020, you’ll probably feel like escaping into fantasy, and there’s no better brain-melter in all of cinema than Alejandro Jodorowsky. The Chilean visionary is crowned GFT’s latest Cinemaster this month, with a trio of his hallucinatory films screening: there’s wild acid Western El Topo (15-16 Jan), his jaw-dropping fantasy The Holy Mountain (29-30 Jan), and his first feature Fando y Lis (12-13 Feb), which caused riots on its premiere in 1968; expect a more civilised response at this GFT screening.

Similarly playful and imaginative are the films of Federico Fellini. This year marks the centenary of this Italian master and Filmhouse will be celebrating in style with a retrospective running till February. This month there are chances to see, amongst others, the heartbreaking La Strada (24-26 Jan), which follows the trials of a young woman sold to a brutish circus impresario; Fellini’s Roma (29 Jan), a heady love-letter to Italy's capital; and the dreamy Amarcord (30 Jan-2 Feb), the director’s exuberant dive into childhood memories of his hometown.

Like Amarcord, Lynne Ramsay's films explore evocative moments from childhood, as should be clear during Red Thread film club's double-bill of the Glasgow director's debut feature Ratcatcher alongside her incredible short Gasman (CCA, Glasgow, 18 Jan). Both are emotionally bruising films set in 70s Glasgow and told from the point-of-view of kids whose bubbles of innocence are about to burst.

German Cinema is on the menu at GFT and DCA as Fokus: Films from Germany continues to tour, with newly minted work sitting alongside films from Germany’s past. Also at DCA in January is Hello, Robot, a season exploring the uneasy relationship between human and machine. Jacques Tati’s Mon Oncle (12 Jan), James Cameron’s The Terminator (16 Jan) and Spike Jonze’s Her (28 Jan) are among the techno-sceptic gems on offer. 

January Streaming Highlights

AJ and the Queen
RuPaul stars alongside an 11-year-old in this comedy-drag series. 10 Jan, Netflix

The Outsider
Another bloody Steven King adaptation – The Shining author must be rolling in it. 12 Jan, Sky Atlantic/NowTV

Sex Education 2
More sex therapy antics from Netflix’s winning high-school drama. 17 Jan, Netflix

Star Trek: Picard
Jean-Luc has a few more Captain’s logs to log. 24 Jan, Amazon Prime Video

Bojack Horseman 6 (Part B)
Our final visit to Hollywoo to see how our depressed equine hero is holding up. 31 Jan, Netflix

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