Subscribe to watch - 14-day free trial, then £4.99 a month

Code 46
Michael Winterbottom's cult sci-fi stars Tim Robbins and Samantha Morton as star-crossed lovers in a totalitarian world; set to an intoxicating soundtrack by David Holmes' Free Association.
Director: Michael Winterbottom
Overview
A love story set in Shanghai, the day after tomorrow. William (Tim Robbins) is sent there for 24 hours to investigate a fraud at the Sphinx insurance company. Having taken an empathy virus he is able to read suspects' minds. Maria (Samantha Morton) is an employee of Sphinx where she creates 'papelles', a form of combined insurance cover and passport that offer citizens their only chance to travel outside their designated zones. William's enquiries soon reveal that Maria is the suspect who has been selling fake papelles, but finds himself unable to turn her over to the authorities. Instead, he falls deeply in love with her - a move that will change his life forever...
This sci-fi romance from versatile director Michael Winterbottom has been described as a futurustic Brief Encounter (1945), detailing how love can survive in a harsh totalitarian environment. It showcases the filmmaker's skill in conjuring a credible futuristic world from a modest budget, and its atmospherics are greatly enhanced by an intoxicating soundtrack from David Holmes' Free Association.
Related

Lord of the Flies Lord of the Flies
Drama 1963 91 mins Director: Peter Brook
Peter Brookβs Palme dβOr-nominated adaption of the classic novel by William Golding.

Sky Peals Sky Peals
Science Fiction 2023 91 mins Director: Moin Hussain
A coming-of-age tale about a father-son relationship that might just be out of this world.

The Untamed The Untamed
Fantasy 2016 98 mins Director: Amat Escalante
Amat Escalante follows Heli with a boundary-pushing, mind-blowing mix of sex, sci-fi and social drama.

The Day the Earth Caught Fire The Day the Earth Caught Fire
Science Fiction 1961 100 mins Director: Val Guest
The BFIβs HD remaster of the British sci-fi classic. A journalist discovers that the Earth has been knocked off its axis and is moving ever closer to the sun. Is the Earth doomed?

Last and First Men Last and First Men
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2020 70 mins Director: JΓ³hann JΓ³hannsson
Two billion years ahead of us, a future race of humans finds itself on the verge of extinction. Tilda Swinton narrates this visually stunning lament for humanity by acclaimed composer JΓ³hann JΓ³hannsson (Sicario, Arrival).

Little Joe Little Joe
Horror 2019 105 mins Director: Jessica Hausner
Jessica Hausnerβs cool, witty and unsettling sci-fi starring Emily Beecham and Ben Whishaw.

Jesus' Son Jesus' Son
Drama 1999 108 mins Director: Alison Maclean
Billy Crudup stars as a young drifter who gets hooked on heroin in this star-studded story of addiction, recovery and redemption.

Under the Skin Under the Skin
Melodrama 1997 83 mins Director: Carine Adler
Carine Adlerβs sexy and dark debut, starring Samantha Morton in her first major feature film role.

Reawakening Reawakening
Thriller 2024 90 mins Director: Virginia Gilbert
BAFTA-winner Jared Harris stars as a father wrestling with uncertainty when his daughter reappears a decade after vanishing.

A Night of Knowing Nothing A Night of Knowing Nothing
Drama-documentary 2021 99 mins Director: Payal Kapadia
All We Imagine as Light director Payal Kapadiaβs bold and distinctive feature debut explores the political climate of contemporary India.

Caligula: The Ultimate Cut Caligula: The Ultimate Cut
Period drama 2023 178 mins Director: Tinto Brass
Malcolm McDowell and Helen Mirren star in one of the most controversial films in cinema history, presented here in an entirely new cut compiled from the original rushes.

All We Imagine as Light All We Imagine as Light
Romance 2024 118 mins Director: Payal Kapadia
Payal Kapadiaβs Cannes Grand Prix-winning portrait of three women is a transcendent tale of love and sisterhood.

The Universal Theory The Universal Theory
Thriller 2023 118 mins Director: Timm KrΓΆger
The spirits of Lynch, Lang and Hitchcock haunt this cold war mystery-thriller with an awesome Alpine backdrop.

The Love Witch The Love Witch
Comedy 2016 121 mins Director: Anna Biller
A modern-day witch uses spells and magic to get men to fall in love with her, in Anna Biller's outrageous tribute to 1960s Technicolor melodramas.