Film screenings at Exeter Phoenix inspired by city’s favourite books

Published: 29 July 2024

In celebration of Exeter’s fifth year as a UNESCO City of Literature and the ongoing City Reads campaign, Exeter Phoenix and Exeter City of Literature are joining forces for a series of six screenings.

On World book Day last March Exeter City of Literature charity launched City Reads to find Exeter’s favourite novel.

Organisations such as Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Browne Jacobson law firm, CoLab, and Exeter Phoenix joined in the campaign with Exeter City of Literature to form the shortlist.

To celebrate the books featured on the City Reads shortlist, Exeter City of Literature are working with Exeter Phoenix throughout August to present a series of screenings featuring adaptations and cinematic inspirations of the six selected novels at Exeter Phoenix’s Cinema Studio 74.

On Tuesday 6 August, City Reads Film Season launches with Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk, an adaptation of James Baldwin’s novel which City Reads shortlisted author Caleb Azumah Nelson has cited as an inspiration for his book Open Water.

Alongside the feature film will be a screening of Pray, Nelson’s debut short film based on his BBC Short Story Award entry. This evening of screenings will also feature an introduction from Caleb Azumah Nelson to celebrate his inclusion on the City Reads shortlist.

On Sunday 11 August, Devon’s own Agatha Christie will be centre stage with a screening of Kenneth Branagh’s stylish star-studded adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express.

This is followed on Tuesday 13 August by The Personal History of David Copperfield, a literary and cinematic inspiration for R.F. Kuang during the writing of her award-winning epic historical fantasy, Babel.

Exeter City of Literature and Exeter Phoenix are celebrating another local literary link - one of the roots of Middle-earth can be found in The Exeter Book, a 10th-century anthology of Anglo-Saxon poetry and riddles - with an entire day dedicated to J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.

Fans can enjoy Middle-earth revelry from 10.30am on Saturday 17 August until 11.15pm with an extended-edition marathon of the lauded fantasy trilogy.

Graphic novel series turned celebrated Netflix adaptation Heartstopper also features on the City Reads shortlist.

To celebrate this during the film season, Exeter City of Literature and Exeter Phoenix will be screening author Alice Oseman’s favourite film on Monday 19 August, Scott Pilgrim vs the World - a cult classic adaptation based on another series of award-winning graphic novels.

Completing the City Reads Film Season on Friday 23 August is a screening of crowd favourite Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. This ever-popular space opera is near-and-dear to the pioneer of Hopepunk - a subgenre of speculative fiction all about radical kindness - Becky Chambers’ heart, and helped inspire her beloved sci-fi adventure novel The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet.

The six shortlisted books were unveiled at Exeter City of Literature’s annual book market on Sunday, 9 June where the public vote was also opened.

During the public voting period, voting boxes can be found throughout the city, as well as an online voting option. The public vote will close on Monday 19 August, and City Reads will culminate in a special event in September 2024 to announce Exeter’s favourite book.

Anna Cohn Orchard, Executive Director of Exeter City of Literature, said: “From the Exeter Book to Exeter’s favourite book, this city has always treasured reading.

“We want to celebrate that with a year of reading for pleasure, book giveaways, and light-hearted debate over what our favourite books are. We want City Reads to unite the city behind the joy of reading, no matter the book!”

City Reads Film Season screening dates:

• If Beale Street Could Talk (2019) & Pray (short film) - Tuesday 6 August, 6.30pm
• Murder on the Orient Express (2017) - Sunday 11 August, 2pm
• The Personal History of David Copperfield (2020) - Tuesday 13th August, 6.30pm
• The Lord of the Rings (2001 - 2003) Extended Edition Marathon - Saturday 17 August, 10.30am – 11.15pm
• Scott Pilgrim vs the World (2010) - Monday 19 August, 6.30pm
• Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) - Friday 23 August, 5.10pm and 7.50pm

City Reads Shortlist:

• The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet - Becky Chambers | Hodder & Stoughton
• Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie | HarperCollins Publishers
• Babel - R. F. Kuang | HarperVoyager, HarperCollins Publishers
• Open Water - Caleb Azumah Nelson | Viking, Penguin Books Ltd
• Heartstopper - Alice Oseman | Hodder, Hachette Children's Group
• The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien | HarperCollins Publishers

For more information on the City Reads Film Season screenings visit: https://exeterphoenix.org.uk/genre/city-reads/