Ranjit S. Ruprai

PETER HOWDEN 27TH MARCH 1945-18TH JANUARY 2026

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Peter Howden, our film programmer, after a short illness. Peter dedicated 25 years of his career to the Rio, first as Projectionist and then as Programmer, his unparalleled instinct for what the Rio audience wanted, kept our unique cinema going through thick and thin. Peter programmed the legendary Electric Cinema Notting Hill, in the heady days of the late 60s and the 70s, where he established a much-imitated style of repertory programming. He later managed and programmed the original Hampstead Everyman, as well as establishing The Roxie, London's first gay arthouse. We have been honoured to call him a colleague and a friend, and will miss his wry sense of humour and kindness. We know there will be many who wish to send condolences. Please email rosie@riocinema.org.uk and we will collect them all and send to his partner and family. Details of a memorial to celebrate Peter's incredible contribution to London's film culture will follow soon. With love from the Rio team x

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of
Peter Howden, our film programmer, after a short illness.
Peter dedicated 25 years of his career to the Rio, first as Projectionist and then as Programmer, his unparalleled instinct for what the Rio audience(cont in image)

Happy New Year!

Nicol’s Hamlet is my fav Hamlet

Having binge-watched 3 seasons of Taggart (1983-2010) so far, I am now regularly and unexpectedly exclaiming the word dunderhead in a Glaswegian accent… dunderrrrrheeeed!

Happy Xmas to all my film and TV loving punks out there

William Shatner in T.J. Hooker S03 E12 “Slay Ride” (1983)

Tomorrow is the final SUPAKINO #bombaymix of the year. And it’s a corker!

Join @ranjitsruprai.bsky.social, @bressonian.bsky.social and @britfilmmelanie.bsky.social for a double bill of BLOW-UP (1966) and JAANE BHI DO YAARO (1983)

SAT SEPT 27th 2025

www.closeupfilmcentre.com/film_program...

Really looking (or 'leica-ing' - sorry 😞) forward to this photographic double bill this Saturday, programmed with panache by @ranjitsruprai.bsky.social

The splendidly programmed final double bill from @ranjitsruprai.bsky.social in the new series of Bombay Mix. Unfortunately unable to attend in person now but have recorded an intro for Kundan Shah's JBDY, and which will be a very rare UK screening. Unmissable!

📷 Counterculture On Camera 📸

Join @ranjitsruprai.bsky.social, @bressonian.bsky.social (recorded intro) + film historian @britfilmmelanie.bsky.social for a double bill of JAANE BHI DO YAARO & BLOW-UP at Close-Up Cinema on SAT 27 SEP 2025

tinyurl.com/yc4m69ys

Cool art by @bturnerinfo.bsky.social

#bestfilminlondontoday Sep 20 at capitalcelluloid.blogspot.com guide to London films. Supakino screening: 'This rarely screened British film is a marvellous curio' Jack Clayton’s strange, gothic OUR MOTHER'S HOUSE (1967) at Close-Up Cinema capitalcelluloid.blogspot.com/2025/08/capi...

This Saturday @ Close-Up Cinema: A Bombay Mix double bill of BABUL/FATHER'S HOUSE (S.U. Sunny, 1950) and OUR MOTHER'S HOUSE (Jack Clayton, 1967). I'm very excited to join @ranjitsruprai.bsky.social for post-screening conversations on these two rarely screened gems. Book here! tinyurl.com/mtv4mbw2

Another fantastic double bill w/ SUPAKINO

Here’s my poster for the screening of BABUL aka FATHER’S HOUSE (1950) & OUR MOTHER’S HOUSE (1967).

Join @ranjitsruprai.bsky.social & film critic @phuonghhle.com at the CLOSE-UP CENTRE on SAT 20 SEP 2025

www.closeupfilmcentre.com/film_program...

🏠 The Parental Home 🏡

Join me and my special guest, film critic @phuonghhle.com, for a double bill of BABUL aka FATHER’S HOUSE (1950) & OUR MOTHER’S HOUSE (1967) at Close-Up Film Centre on SAT 20 SEP 2025

www.closeupfilmcentre.com/film_program...

Stunning artwork by @bturnerinfo.bsky.social

🇮🇳 Revolutionary Cinema 🇨🇺

Join me and special guest Dr Kulraj Phullar, film studies teacher and researcher, for a double bill of MOTHER INDIA (1957) & I AM CUBA (1964) at Close-Up Cinema on SAT 13 SEP 2025

🎟️ www.closeupfilmcentre.com/film_program...

Amazing artwork by @bturnerinfo.bsky.social

Bombay Mix is back! A new season of double bills at Close-Up Film Centre on 13, 20 & 27 Sep 2025 with Dr. Kulraj Phullar, @phuonghhle.com & @bressonian.bsky.social

🇮🇳 MOTHER INDIA + 🇨🇺 I AM CUBA

🏠 BABUL + 🏡 OUR MOTHER’S HOUSE

📷 JAANE BHI DO YAARO + 📸 BLOW-UP

Info: supakino.com/events

Thank you so much for believing in us!
These are our next steps...
Watch this space!

@ranjitsruprai.bsky.social & @bressonian.bsky.social
Founders of The Cloud Door

A smart and thoughtful plan for the future being offered here — will happily continue to support their goals!

OM DAR-B-DAR (1988) - Limited Edition Blu-ray & Extras THE CLOUD DOOR, a new boutique label, presents one of Indian cinema's most influential cult films on Blu-ray.

We're truly heartened by the support for our home video label venture. Messages have come in from all over the world. Thank you! ❤️

We're nearly 25% funded, but we still need your help. Please keep spreading the word, pre-order, or pledge today! 🎞️ 👇

www.kickstarter.com/projects/tcd...

By the way, I am also introducing the marvellously fun and silly film BHOOT BUNGLA (1965) directed by Mehmood and starring himself + R D Burman. Join me and @tokenhomo.bsky.social at Genesis Cinema, London, on 23 July 2025 genesiscinema.co.uk/event/99644

If you want to see classics of South Asian cinema issued in beautiful new editions - which you obviously do - then make sure you are backing this brilliant project!

I have just learned about this excellent new boutique Bluray house with a focus on South Asian cinema -- their initial Kickstarter for their first release will run for another two weeks and a half, but they're only at 20%. Spread the word! This really looks like the start of a beautiful effort here.

Lovely to see this plan! Again, check out their feed and their current Kickstarter to get things up and running for them. It's a striking looking first film to start with, and having this kind of open range for the future is a delight.

Latest newsletter just landed in your inbox… please keep spreading the word about our new label and this first amazing film release… and keep making those pledges! 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 www.kickstarter.com/projects/tcd...

Suhasini Mulay in Mrinal Sen’s BHUVAN SHOME (1969)

Parallel Days/Bollywood Nights opens @newyork.asiasociety.org on Friday, @bressonian.bsky.social and @ranjitsruprai.bsky.social are launching @the-cloud-door.bsky.social, and Guru Dutt turned 100 this week!

www.criterion.com/current/post...

🐸🎞️ We are so delighted and honoured to have filmmaker Kamal Swaroop support us in getting his film out on Blu-ray for the first time - OM DAR-B-DAR deserves its cult status to extend worldwide and you can help make this happen: www.kickstarter.com/projects/tcd...

Opening The Cloud Door: An Interview with Omar Ahmed and Ranjit S. Ruprai Launching a Home Video Label for South Asian cinema

Omar Ahmed & Ranjit S. Ruprai are launching The Cloud Door: a boutique UK home video label for South Asian films. I spoke with them for Old New about their Kickstarter campaign, the lack of Indian movies on Blu-ray, and the underground influence of their previously banned first release Om Dar-B-Dar:

You got them both right!

Had a fun interview with oldnew.substack.com, about the new blu-ray label @the-cloud-door.bsky.social, in which Rob asked for an Indian film he should watch from @bressonian.bsky.social and myself… can you guess which ones we suggested (clues below)?

We're 15% funded! 👏
Back us. Share. Spread the word.
We need all the support we can get. 👇

kickstarter.com/projects/tcd...

#PhysicalMedia #IndianCinema #HomeVideo

For a long time, I said what Indian cinema needs is a kind of alternative to Criterion for Indian movies. And then, THIS happened! It's so exciting, and it really NEEDS us to step up and join the Kickstarter (I did!) #DesiWatch #Filmsky