Screening of James Gray's crime thriller 'Paper Tiger' at Phoenix Picturehouse, part of Cinecity 2026.
Paper Tiger is coming to Phoenix Picturehouse on Sunday 8 November, as part of Cinecity 2026. It's the latest from James Gray, the American-Jewish director who's built a name as an indie darling, and it's a high-stakes crime thriller set in 1980s Queens, New York.
The story follows two Jewish brothers, Gary and Irwin Pearl, who get themselves tangled up in a dangerous deal with the Russian Mafia. While that's playing out, Irwin's wife, Hester, is dealing with serious health issues, so the family tension sits right alongside the crime plot. It's a cast of Miles Teller, Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, and it's the kind of gritty, character-led crime drama that feels like it belongs in that era.
Before it reaches Oxford, the film has been around the festival circuit. It premiered at Cannes and has since screened at New York, the BFI London and Locarno, where Gray was given a lifetime achievement award. It's a bit of a journey from the French Riviera to the BFI and then to the Phoenix, so by the time it lands here, it's already had a fair few looks.
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As for the venue, Phoenix Picturehouse is a century-old cinema with two screens and a friendly upstairs bar. It's home to Phoenix Nights, a series of cult classics handpicked by the Phoenix team, and a Kids' Club run with UNICEF that's aimed at bringing families together through cinema. Paper Tiger screens on 8 November.
