For our November Classic Matinee, taking place the day after Diwali, we celebrate Indian cinema with Ritesh Batra’s beautifully observed and bittersweet THE LUNCHBOX.

Lonely housewife Ila prepares a special lunch for her neglectful husband, only for Mumbai’s famously efficient lunchbox delivery system to mistakenly deliver it to Saajan, an irritable widower approaching retirement. When Ila discovers the mix-up, she slips a note into the next day’s lunchbox, beginning an unlikely correspondence between two strangers who gradually share their hopes, disappointments and memories. Led by wonderful performances from Nimrat Kaur and Irrfan Khan, THE LUNCHBOX is a tender, funny and deeply human story about loneliness, connection and the unexpected possibilities of everyday life. The film went on to receive a BAFTA nomination for Best Film Not in the English Language.

THE LUNCHBOX is shown in Hindi with English subtitles.

Classic Matinee is our monthly senior screening, with tickets just £2.50 for those over 60, plus free tea, coffee and biscuits for all! Screenings are relaxed and accessible, with the lights left partially on throughout and a mid-film intermission. It's a welcoming chance to socialise and enjoy the full 1930s atmosphere of the Rio, with the circle open for the classic cinema experience.