Beauty, creativity, genius: the Renaissance Florence of Lorenzo de' Medici was a powerhouse of art and culture. Among countless shops and government buildings, there was endless beauty coexisting with the dark side of the city, made up of power struggles, plots, intrigues and brutal violence. One revolutionary artist, more than any other, was able to project into his works the lights and shadows of an era destined never to be forgotten: Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510). In this special cinema event, relive Florence and all its astonishing art and culture through Botticelli's life, his collaborations, his challenges and successes under the wing of the Medici family.

Profoundly in love with life, Fellini went through his existence always seeking its meaning. To mark the centennial of his birth – 20th January 1920 - The documentary investigates in depth his passion for what he defined as “mystery”, the esoteric, the unseen world in a relentless pursuit of other possibilities, other dimensions, other travels, and of everything that can make spirit and mind fly. These aspects, present throughout all his cinematography, have been subject of an investigation by the great Jungian psychoanalyst Ernst Bernhard, who not only unrevealed him the secrets of Subconscious, but he also showed him a whole new vision of the world through Tarot reading and I Ching consultation. However, it will be the encounter with Gustavo Rol, known for “Giulietta degli Spirit”, that, thanks to his experiments, will prove to him that other dimensions really exist and there is no end to the travel of human beings. A lot of voices will tell about the magic world of Fellini, from the tarot reader that Fellini always consulted to Terry Gilliam (Oscar nominee for Brazil), from Giuditta Miscioscia, Gustavo Rol’s friend, to the director Damien Chazelle (Oscar winner for La La Land), from Fellini’s collaborators and dearest friends to Oscar winners’ directors such as William Friedkin (Oscar winner for The Exorcist). Thanks to extraordinary materials of Rai Teche and Istituto Luce archives and international archive contents, images from his movies and interviews to the intellectuals that most have studied his work, “Fellini of the Spirits” is an unprecedented, intimate, and spiritual portrait of the great director.

This documentary explores Pompeii, that city cloaked in mystery which, over the course of history, has influenced culture and art, from Neoclassicism to Contemporary Art, through images and words by the great artists and writers who experienced, visited and imagined it: from Pliny the Younger to Picasso, from Emily Dickinson to Jean Cocteau. The film doesn’t just deal with the volcano eruption, which has gone down in history, but with what the city of Pompeii itself was actually like: how its citizens lived their lives, spent their free time, experienced pleasure, passion, religion and their fate.

RAPHAEL: THE YOUNG PRODIGY tells the story of the artist from Urbino, beginning with his extraordinary early portraits of women - the Mother, the Friend, the Secret Lover and the Client. Delve into Raphael’s uncanny ability to capture celestial beauty, and to focus his gaze beyond the physicality and into the psychology of his subjects (some real, some imaginary) so that their personalities explosively emerge from his canvas. With fascinating contributions from internationally renowned experts, this special cinema event will uncover the most significant people and places and inspirations in the life and times of Raphael – a Renaissance leader and one of the most spectacular painters in history.

The “Blues Brothers Rebooted” show is an exciting hyperactive production that pays tribute to both the unforgettable and infectious style of soul music and a faithful recreation of those 2 soul brothers who donned the Black hats, dark shades and created what is now a musical institution “The Blues Brothers” Rebooted. This High energy, fun and polished presentation features the finest soul, rhythm and blues classics by such artists as Solomon Burke, Sam & Dave and Wilson Pickett. Blues Brothers Rebooted have played sold out shows in some of Sydney’s finest venues including The Basement, The Vanguard, Lizottes, Auditoriums across NSW and multiple cruise liners around the world.

This is Shane’s story, as told by Shane and a small, intimate cast of close friends and family members. We open courtesy of a Disneyesque animation, descending upon the Emerald Isle from high, before swooping into a small farmhouse in Tipperary, where we find young Shane singing on the kitchen table. Via narration, modern-day Shane reveals that he had been “Chosen by God to save Irish music”. When asked why, he replies: “Cuz God is Irish!” Through images of Catholic mass and the bucolic tones of agricultural subsistence, we revisit the age-worn house and surrounds of Shane’s Irish youth where we learn that his drinking commenced aged five, when his uncles and aunties fed him Guinness as a soporific. Moving between cartoonish innocence and physical disrepair, we see the boy drunk on a ‘baby powers’ (two shots of whiskey) talking to farmyard animals and the cultural paragon years later, a pale-faced apparition of bar-side wisdom. In this respect, ‘A Few Rounds With Shane MacGowan’ juxtaposes time and space and instils a dream-like flow to the narrative. We then proceed to travel with Shane, crisscrossing the Irish Sea, from Tipperary to London. Here we come to know Shane as the exiled, migrant soul, where his sister, Siobhan, articulates a different view on their childhood, highlighting the fluid, shifting nature of memory and fiction in the artist’s imagination. A prodigiously talented boy and acutely aware of the Irishman’s second-class citizenship in England, MacGowan ironically wins a scholarship to attend Westminster School. Further displaced in the ivory tower, with the Troubles resounding outside its walls, the young artist finds a voice in punk and a vehicle in hallucinogens. He is expelled for dealing drugs to rich kids. “Instrument of Death” is the first song he writes, whilst in isolation after being admitted to a mental asylum. Soon after his release, he forms The Nipple Erectors and his family celebrate punk as a safe home for his maverick spirit. Then, whilst in the midst of an IRA bombing campaign in 1982, MacGowan founds The Pogues - his way of serving his country - and in doing so, amplifying the Irish vernacular beyond borders via enemy airwaves. Powerfully re-appropriating the English stereotype of the drunken, singing ‘paddy’, MacGowan’s music takes strength from persecution and shines a light for Irish diaspora the world over. “You want Paddy, I’ll give you fucking Paddy!”. We watch on as The Pogues explode onto the music scene and Shane enter the cultural conversation - the bands’ sound injecting a whole new fire into Irish music, with their full throttle, streetwise punk attitude, playing traditional Irish instruments and songs at breakneck speed. And through this prism of music, we continue to examine the themes that weave in and out of the film – the social, political and cultural history of Ireland, the shock of London Punk, Shane’s never-ending battles with drugs and alcohol - all responsible for shaping the haunting majesty of his own melodies and the coruscating power of his lyrics, comparable to the likes of Brendan Behan, James Joyce and William Blake. However, it does not take long before the bands’ success takes its toll and Shane comes to experience a second exile. This time, he is separated from himself in a fugue of drugs and money-hungry management. His ‘Fairytale of New York’ - itself a song of Irish displacement, becomes the most popular Christmas song of the 21st Century: both fulfilling the mock-prophecy of his ‘chosen-ness’ and condemning him to the unreality of fame. Whilst touring in New Zealand, we hallucinate with the artist Ralph Steadman, who visualizes Shane’s break with reality, as he speaks of talking to Maori warriors on some industrial strength Aotearoan speed. “Get the blue paint off you!” his manager screams before an impending show. “He never came back from that tour”, his sister adds. Soon enough, Shane is kicked out of the Pogues after falling from a moving car in Tokyo and slipping into three-day coma. However elated his personal feelings on the subject might be, he finds himself in the asylum again. That said, even at this low point, his songs are becoming standards woven into the Irish poetic tradition, contrasting Shane’s feral existence with a new epoch in Irish history scored by his lyricism. After a slew of deeply personal conversations with the likes of Johnny Depp, Gerry Adams, Bobby Gillespie, wife Victoria Mary Clarke and father Maurice - to name a few, all woven into the fabric of the structure in which Temple deploys varied slices of animation and much never-before-seen archive, the ending of the film celebrates his 60th birthday with a concert where Bono, Nick Cave and Depp himself perform Shane’s songs, amongst many others, as he is awarded a lifetime achievement award by the president of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins. The film’s final moment does not face mortality but rather poses the question: “What would you like next from life?” After discussing his hope to write prolifically once more, Shane takes a moments’ pause, before remarking that he’d like to be able to play pool again. A true MacGowan line, for his unique brand of storytelling is forever suffused with comedy: we find ourselves laughing our way out of the saddest of moments.

EXHIBITION ON SCREEN is thrilled to present one of the most talked-about exhibitions of the year. Dedicated to the portrait work of Paul Cézanne, the exhibition opens in Paris before traveling to London and Washington. One can’t appreciate 20th century art without understanding the significance and genius of Paul Cézanne. Featuring interviews with curators and experts from the National Portrait Gallery London, MoMA New York, National Gallery of Art Washington, and Musée d’Orsay Paris, and correspondence from the artist himself, the film takes audiences beyond the exhibition to the places Cézanne lived and worked and sheds light on an artist who is perhaps the least-known of all the impressionists – until now.

The story of Christ’s death and resurrection has dominated western culture for the past 2000 years. It is perhaps the most significant historical event of all time, as recounted by the gospels but, equally, as depicted by the greatest artists in history. From the triumphant to the savage, the ethereal to the tactile, some of western civilization’s greatest artworks focus on this pivotal moment. This beautifully crafted film explores the Easter story as depicted in art, from the time of the early Christians to the present day. Shot on location in Jerusalem, United States and throughout Europe, the film explores the different ways artists have depicted the Easter story through the ages and thus depicts the history of us all.

Leonardo da Vinci is acclaimed as the world’s favourite artist. Many TV shows and feature films have showcased this extraordinary genius but often not examined closely enough is the most crucial element of all: his art. Leonardo’s peerless paintings and drawings will be the focus of Leonardo: The Works, as EXHIBITION ON SCREEN presents every single attributed painting, in Ultra HD quality, never seen before on the big screen. Key works include The Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, Lady with an Ermine, Ginevra de’ Benci, Madonna Litta, Virgin of the Rocks, and more than a dozen others. This film also looks afresh at Leonardo’s life – his inventiveness, his sculptural skills, his military foresight and his ability to navigate the treacherous politics of the day – through the prism of his art. To be released on the 500th anniversary of his death, this is the definitive film about Leonardo: the first to truly tell the whole story.

For the first time in history the Royal Academy of Arts in London, in collaboration with the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, is bringing together Lucian Freud’s self-portraits. The exhibition will display more than 50 paintings, prints and drawings in which this modern master of British art turned his unflinching eye firmly on himself. One of the most celebrated painters of our time, Lucian Freud is also one of very few 20th-century artists who portrayed themselves with such consistency. Spanning nearly seven decades his self-portraits give a fascinating insight into both his psyche and his development as a painter, from his earliest portrait painted in 1939 to the final one executed 64 years later. When seen together, his portraits represent an engrossing study into the dynamic of ageing and the process of self-representation. This intensely compelling exhibition creates a unique opportunity for EXHIBITION ON SCREEN to reveal the life’s work of a master in one show.

Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers are among his most famous works, and are some of the most iconic paintings in the world. In an extraordinary exhibition, the Van Gogh Museum took a new and revealing look at the five publicly-owned versions of sunflowers in a vase. And once again, the Van Gogh museum opened its doors exclusively to Exhibition on Screen. They are immediately recognisable, but our film goes beyond the surface to explore the many questions and mysteries that surround these works. Why, for example, did Van Gogh choose the exotic sunflower with its long stem and golden crown? Indeed, when did the flower itself arrive in Europe and how had previous artists reacted to it? What was Van Gogh trying to say with his works and how does that differ from version to version? And what secrets did scientists discover when they analysed the work in detail? All is revealed in this fascinating film, which travelled beyond Amsterdam to Tokyo, Philadelphia, London and Munich to film, in incredible high- definition detail, all five of the works. Each painting is different and has its own unique story, spanning one of the most famous and turbulent periods in art history. All five paintings are also now considered to be in such a delicate state that there will never be a show with all five alongside one another ever again. Only in this film will you have a chance to see that on the screen – in our virtual exhibition. In doing so, the film brings to audiences many new levels of understanding both about the paintings and about Vincent van Gogh

Begin with bubbly on arrival before a most beautiful concert of French music from MIMOSA DUO who astound audiences with their musical agility, heart & soulful music! Guitar & violin perfectly harmonised in both French Classics & Gypsy Jazz with just a little vocal too! From Debussy to the distinctive jazz of Django Reinhardt, their music is transformative & joyous! These virtuosic wizards are classically trained via the Sydney Con & jazzically trained via the streets of Paris – and are some of Australia’s most loved musicians! Following this we have the French Comedy Venice Calling A funny, touching and sweet adventure full of hope and heart Stuck in the old family caravan with his erratic older brother and his whimsical parents, Emile struggles growing up in a life that is anything but normal. When Pauline, Emile’s high school crush, invites him to Venice to see her play in a concert, he is overjoyed but his father insists this is the perfect opportunity for the entire family to tag along. Bound for Venice, this dysfunctional group hits the road in the family caravan, setting out on an incredible coming-of-age journey full of hilarious and lifechanging adventures.

A 16-year-old girl is given 13 hours to solve a labyrinth and rescue her baby brother when her wish for him to be taken away is granted by the Goblin King.

UNDONE is a story of personal endeavour following professional surfer, Laura Enever, as she navigates the unpredictable and male-dominated world of big-wave surfing. Leaving behind her place on the WSL Tour, Laura goes after some of the most remote and dangerous waves on the planet. LAURA ENEVER WILL BE HERE IN PERSON FOR Q & A'S AFTER EACH SESSION

Marking the centenary of the death of Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920), this special cinema event will delve into the story of a remarkable talent that surpassed legend and stereotypes. From his origins in Livorno, home of the ‘Macchiaioli’, to the Paris of Picasso and Brancusi that became the centre of modernity, to his love for Jeanne Hébuterne, MAVERICK MODIGLIANI uncovers stunning work of the avant-garde artist who became a contemporary classic - his life and art lived to the last breath.

The great bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel returns to the company for the first time since 2012, in the title role of the cursed sea captain doomed to sail the open ocean for eternity. Valery Gergiev conducts a new production by François Girard, whose visionary 2013 take on Parsifal set the recent Met standard for Wagner stagings. With sweeping sets by John Macfarlane, Girard’s new production turns the Met stage into a rich, layered tableau reminiscent of a vast oil painting. The gifted German soprano Anja Kampe, in her Met debut, is the devoted Senta, whose selfless love is what the Dutchman seeks, with bass Franz-Josef Selig as her father, Daland, and tenor Sergey Skorokhodov as her deserted former lover, Erik.

Anne Netrebko sings Norina, the role that made her a Met favourite, in this hilarious comedy by Donizetti. Alongside the superstar soprano, the exceptional bel canto cast features tenor Matthew Polenzani as Ernesto, baritone Mariusz Kwiecień as Dr. Malatesta, and bass-baritone John Del Carlo in the title role.

Met Music Director James Levine conducts a spirited new production of Mozart’s masterpiece, directed by Richard Eyre, who sets the action of this classic domestic comedy in an 18th-century manor house in Seville during the 1930s. Dashing bass-baritone Ildar Abdrazakov leads the cast in the title role of the clever servant, opposite Marlis Petersen as his bride, Susanna, Peter Mattei as the philandering Count they work for, Amanda Majeski as the long-suffering Countess, and Isabel Leonard as the libidinous pageboy Cherubino.

Director Michael Mayer reimagines Verdi’s towering tragedy in 1960s Las Vegas – an ideal setting for this eternal conflict of depravity and innocence. In this production, inspired by the antics of the Rat Pack, tenor Piotr Beczała is the womanizing Duke, with baritone Željko Lucic as his tragic sidekick, Rigoletto. Soprano Diana Damrau is Rigoletto’s daughter – and their victim.

The Met made history in December 2006 when it presented its first Live in HD transmission to cinemas worldwide – the abridged English-language version of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Now a beloved holiday tradition, Julie Taymor’s enchanting production of this delightful fairy tale returns to select movie theaters in a special encore presentation with its eye-popping puppetry and stunning visuals.

Opera double bill - Pietro Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana and Ruggero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci - performed as part of the Metropolitan Opera's 2014-2015 season captured live in HD on the New York stage. Conducted by Fabio Luisi.

Mick Fleetwood has assembled a stellar cast of musicians to celebrate the music that established Fleetwood Mac as one of the biggest bands in the world – the music of Peter Green. With a line-up featuring Neil Finn, Noel Gallagher, Billy Gibbons, David Gilmour, Kirk Hammett, Jonny Lang, John Mayall, Christine McVie, Jeremy Spencer, Pete Townshend, Steven Tyler and Bill Wyman, this once-in-a-lifetime concert event captured at The London Palladium on 25 Feb 2020 is an absolute must-see for any music fan out there. “The concert is a celebration of those early blues days where we all began, and it’s important to recognise the profound impact Peter and the early Fleetwood Mac has on the world of music.” – Mick Fleetwood

Penguin Bloom tells the true story of Sam Bloom (Academy Award® nominated Naomi Watts) a young mother whose world is turned upside down after a near-fatal accident leaves her paralyzed. Sam's husband, (Andrew Lincoln), her three young boys and her mother (Academy Award® nominated Jacki Weaver), are struggling to adjust to their new situation when an unlikely ally enters their world in the form of an injured baby magpie they name Penguin. The bird’s arrival is a welcome distraction for the Bloom family, eventually making a profound difference in the family's life. This event includes a VIRTUAL Q & A with Naomi Watts,Sam Bloom, Cam Bloom and director Glendyn Ivin

After very many years, STAR WARS; A NEW HOPE is finally back on the big screen! Luke Skywalker leaves his home planet, teams up with other rebels, and tries to save Princess Leia from the evil clutches of Darth Vader.

After the Rebels are brutally overpowered by the Empire on the ice planet Hoth, Luke Skywalker begins Jedi training with Yoda, while his friends are pursued by Darth Vader.

After a daring mission to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt, the Rebels dispatch to Endor to destroy the second Death Star. Meanwhile, Luke struggles to help Darth Vader back from the dark side without falling into the Emperor's trap.

Director Jonathan Demme captures the frantic energy and artsy groove of Talking Heads in this concert movie shot at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre in 1983. The band's frontman, David Byrne, first appears on an empty stage, armed with only an acoustic guitar, and is gradually joined by bassist Tina Weymouth, drummer Chris Frantz, keyboardist Jerry Harrison and a cadre of backup singers as they perform the band's hits, culminating in an iconic performance featuring Byrne in an enormous suit.

As WWII looms, a wealthy widow (Carey Mulligan) hires an amateur archaeologist (Ralph Fiennes) to excavate the burial mounds on her estate. When they make a historic discovery, the echoes of Britain's past resonate in the face of its uncertain future. THE DIG stars Carey Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes, Lily James, Johnny Flynn, Ben Chaplin, and Ken Scott.

Federal Agent Aaron Falk returns to his home town after an absence of over twenty years to attend the funeral of his childhood friend, Luke, who allegedly killed his wife and child before taking his own life – a victim of the madness that has ravaged this community after more than a decade of drought. When Falk reluctantly agrees to stay and investigate the crime, he opens up an old wound – the death of 17- year-old Ellie Deacon. Falk begins to suspect these two crimes, separated by decades, are connected. As he struggles to prove not only Luke’s innocence but also his own, Falk finds himself pitted against the prejudice towards him and pent-up rage of a terrified community.

The Greatest Showman is a bold and original musical that celebrates the birth of show business and the sense of wonder we feel when dreams come to life. Inspired by the ambition and imagination of P.T. Barnum, The Greatest Showman tells the story of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a mesmerising spectacle that became a worldwide sensation. The Greatest Showman is directed by exciting new filmmaker, Australia’s Michael Gracey, with songs by Academy Award winners Benji Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land) and starring Academy Award nominee Hugh Jackman. Jackman is joined by Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams, Zendaya, Zac Efron and Rebecca Ferguson.

While home sick in bed, a young boy's grandfather reads him the story of a farmboy-turned-pirate who encounters numerous obstacles, enemies and allies in his quest to be reunited with his true love.

From acclaimed writer-director Ramin Bahrani comes the epic journey of a poor Indian driver (Adarsh Gourav) who uses his wit and cunning to break free from servitude to his rich masters (Rajkummar Rao and Priyanka Chopra Jonas) and rise to the top of the heap. The White Tiger is based on the New York Times bestseller and 2008 Man Booker Prize-winning novel: written by Aravind Adiga.

An epic love story with soaring lyricism, WILD MOUNTAIN THYME is set against the breath-taking landscapes of rural Ireland, where everyone is half-mad with loneliness or love, and the weather is terrible. Anthony and Rosemary are star-crossed lovers, whose families are caught up in a feud over a hotly contested patch of land that separates their two farms. Anthony (Dornan) always seems to be out in the fields working, worn down by his father’s constant belittling. But what really stings is his father's threat to bequeath the family farm to his American cousin Adam. Rosemary (Blunt) at first seems to hold a grudge for having been shamed by Anthony in childhood, but the sparks between them would keep a bonfire blazing through the night. Her mother Aoife strives to unite the families before it is too late. Just when we think Anthony will pluck up the courage to face up to his repressed feelings, cousin Adam (Hamm) steps in with a plan to sweep Rosemary off her feet, romancing her over a magical 24 hours in Manhattan. But true love is never defeated!