OUR FESTIVE ART FILM
To close our 2026 art-film programme, we invite you to join us for something lighter, witty and wonderfully entertaining. Seasons Greetings, and our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported the film programme at Linden Hall Studio throughout the year.
EVENING & MATINEE SCREENINGS
Released in 2026, The Christophers is a brand-new art-world comedy from acclaimed director Steven Soderbergh. The film has received excellent reviews, with particular praise for its sharp writing and the remarkable chemistry between Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel, hailed by The Guardian as “the double act of the year.”
What gives a work of art its value: the hand that created it, the reputation of the artist, or the story surrounding it?
Once a celebrated figure in the creative explosion of London’s 1960s art scene, painter Julian Sklar, played by Ian McKellen, has withdrawn into a cluttered and increasingly isolated existence. He has not painted for years, but somewhere within his home lies a fabled series of unfinished canvases known as The Christophers.
Julian’s estranged children, played by Jessica Gunning and James Corden, are determined to secure their inheritance. They enlist Lori, a young painter, art restorer and sometime-forger played by Michaela Coel, to pose as his assistant and gain access to the missing paintings.
What begins as a carefully calculated deception soon develops into a battle of wits between the formidable artist and his unexpected new assistant. As their relationship unfolds, questions of authorship, authenticity, artistic integrity and legacy move to the centre of this sharp and darkly comic story.
The Christophers brings together Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel in a wonderfully engaging double act. Witty, intelligent and highly entertaining, the film offers an irreverent look at the contemporary art world and the complicated relationship between creativity and commercial value.
Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Written by Ed Solomon
Starring Ian McKellen, Michaela Coel, Jessica Gunning and James Corden
99 mins
2026
Certificate 15
Both screenings - Thursday 17th December 2026
MATINEE
Doors open: 1pm
Screening: 1:30pm
EVENING
Doors open: 6pm
Screening: 6:30pm
Ticket £12 (includes a complimentary glass of wine)
Important Notice to Ticket Holders – Tickets are non-refundable or exchangeable