Maldon Film Club's 17th season continued in November with the screening of The Truth, the Golden Globe winner The Farewell and the Oscar-nominated Corpus Christi.

Our next film, Blinded by the Light, to be screened on Tuesday 14 December at Maldon Town Hall, describes how an Asian teenager, Javed Khan, living in Luton in 1987 comes to understand his family and find his voice through the music of Bruce Springsteen.

Javed is a British-Pakistani college arts student living in a family with a domineering father. Depressed by his oppressive family life and feeling he has no future in a hostile community, a newfound friend introduces Javed to the music of Bruce Springsteen. Touched by the rock star's powerfully eloquent affinity of his own feelings, Javed is inspired to reach out for his own dreams with his own talents.

However, although Javed finds friends he never expected in this personal quest, he also finds himself in conflict with his now unemployed father who stubbornly refuses to understand his son's new aspirations. In this conflict of values in a troubled time, Javed must decide what is truly important to him while his family struggles to understand what has changed and what remains with a new generation feeling born to run.

After a short break, the club returns in 2022 when the first two films to be screened are the Golden-Globe-nominated Portrait of a Lady on Fire, on Wednesday 5 January, followed by the Oscar-award-winner and highly acclaimed JoJo Rabbit on Wednesday 19 January.

The programme for the 2021/22 season, which covers a wide variety of themes with films from different regions of the world, continues until Wednesday 25 May, with films being shown fortnightly on Tuesdays in 2021 and Wednesdays in 2022.

The price of an annual subscription is just £25, which entitles members to free admission to all of the season's films.

In addition, there are a limited number of places for junior members aged 16-18 in full-time education and training at the reduced cost of £18.

Membership is open to all and new members will be made very welcome.

For further details and an application form please check out the website www.maldonfilmclub.uk, visit the Maldon Visitor Information Centre (11am - 4pm, Tuesday to Saturday) or contact me, John Salisbury, on 07905971608.

So why not join now and then enjoy the remaining 12 films for free!

Finally, on behalf of everyone associated with Maldon Film Club, may I take this opportunity to send you all my best wishes for the festive season and for the year ahead.