Image: Beautiful Young Minds

Beautiful Young Minds
Tue 21 Sep / Screen 3 / 7.30pm / Standard price
Book tickets online or call our Box Office on 020 7613 7498 
Dir: Morgan Matthews / 2007 / 90 mins

 
Beautiful Young Minds tells the story of some of the brightest mathematical brains of a generation. Each year, exceptionally gifted teenagers from over 90 countries compete for medals at the International Mathematical Olympiad. The film follows a group of brilliant teenagers as they battle it out to become the chosen six selected to represent the UK.

Many youngsters see maths as an ordeal but for these teenagers it’s a passion they are completely devoted to.

We also hear how, for some of these young mathematicians, their extraordinary talent has left them ostracised at school. At just 15-years-old, Jonathan is the youngest contender in the group. A rocket building enthusiast he has already broken several UK distance records. However, Jonathan's academic gifts and scientific interests have led to him being bullied for being 'geeky'.

Some members of the group are on the autistic spectrum, and find social and confidence issues affect their everyday lives. 17 year-old Daniel has been diagnosed with Aspergers’ Syndrome, but recognises that “it’s good to be different”. Apart from mathematics, the most important thing in Daniel's life is his girlfriend Zhu Yan. The couple met when Daniel spent three months travelling around China - during which time he taught himself fluent Mandarin. Daniel is desperate to win a medal at the Olympiad and we follow his progress as he gears up for the competition and brings Zhu Yan back from China to his family home in York with the intention of marrying her.

As the competition day draws closer, and minds and emotions are pushed to the limit, Beautiful Young Minds, shows these young geniuses in their element, enjoying the subject they love and ultimately being celebrated as they deserve.

After The Apocalypse
Followed by Q&A with director Antony Butts
Tue 16 Nov / Screen 3 / 7.30pm / Standard price
Book tickets online or call our Box Office on 020 7613 7498 
Dir: Antony Butts / 2010 / Kazakhstan / 72mins / Cert 15

The descendants of the victims of the Soviet's secret nuclear test site in Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan, know that having a healthy child is not guaranteed. Deformed children are often abandoned in orphanages. Doctors and scientists blame inherited genetic effects from the radiation through the generations. Now the state response is a proposed scheme to clean out those with bad genes, by preventing them from getting pregnant