Charlie Kaufman, the writer of Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, has made his directorial debut with Synecdoche, New York. The film is a singularly inventive affair and tells the story of theatre director Caden Cotard (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and his drive to produce his masterwork. Living in Schenectady, New York, Cotard’s life is looking bleak. His marriage is faltering, his work is stalled, and his body is beginning to fail. When he receives a ‘genius grant’ for his work he sees a way to reinvent his existence and moves his theatre company to a warehouse in New York City to embark on an on-going project, based on constructing a representation of his life.

Kaufman’s stellar cast includes Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Michelle Williams, Samantha Morton, Emily Watson and Diane Wiest.

To claim two free tickets for the preview screening on Sunday, May 10, choose a cinema from the list below, then click on the link below and enter the movie password when prompted. You will be given a reservation number. Write it in the space provided on the offer page in the April 3 edition of Culture, in the Sunday Times, and present the offer page at the cinema on the day of the screening with your e-mail confirmation.

Synecdoche, New York opens in cinemas on May 15

Click here to claim your tickets (enter the movie password: 8641)

Tickets are strictly subject to availability and are allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Screenings take place on Sunday, May 10, at 10.30am for an 11am start.

Participating Picturehouse cinemas:

London: Clapham Picturehouse; The Gate, Notting Hill; Screen on the Green, Islington; The Ritzy, Brixton.

Outside London: The Belmont Picturehouse, Aberdeen; The Cameo, Edinburgh; Cinema City, Norwich; Phoenix Picturehouse, Oxford; Picturehouse at FACT, Liverpool; Stratford-upon-Avon Picturehouse; City Screen Picturehouse, York; Arts Picturehouse, Cambridge.

Culture+ members: can claim a free medium popcorn or non-alcoholic drink on presentation of their membership card.

Terms and conditions:

Tickets are subject to availability and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis via the website. Each reader may claim up

to two tickets. An allocation of priority tickets has been made available to Culture+ members. Culture+ members can receive a free medium popcorn or hot or cold nonalcoholic

drink on presentation of their membership card. Readers who successfully book tickets must present this page and an e-mail confirmation at the cinema on Sunday,

May 10, 2009, at 10.30am for an 11am start. No photocopies of the page will be accepted. Pages downloaded from the E-paper will not be accepted. No cash alternative.

No late admittance. Cinemas reserve the right to refuse admission. In the event of a dispute, the cinema manager’s decision is final.