The BFI London Film Festival opened its 70th edition on October 7, bringing 12 days of premieres, red carpets and conversations to the UK capital. This year’s programme features 251 titles from 88 countries, including feature films, shorts, television series and immersive works, screening at BFI Southbank, cinemas across London and ten partner venues around the UK.
Opening and closing nights
The festival opened with Elsinore, directed by Simon Stone, a biographical drama about the actor Ian Charleson’s final stage performance. It stars Olivia Colman and Andrew Scott. Proceedings close on October 18 with The Debut, a musical comedy directed by Jesse Eisenberg and starring Julianne Moore.
Stars expected on the red carpet
Organisers lined up an especially busy fortnight of galas. Among the names expected in London are Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, Cynthia Erivo, Robert Pattinson, Jenna Ortega and Sebastian Stan. Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem each appear in two films, including Florian Zeller’s Bunker, in which they act together. Erivo, Sofia Coppola and Ava DuVernay are among those taking part in on-stage screen talks.
Ten titles generating buzz
- Wildwood: a stop-motion fantasy from Laika receiving its world premiere.
- Ray Gunn: Brad Bird’s animated neo-noir with Sam Rockwell and Scarlett Johansson.
- Artificial: Luca Guadagnino’s drama with Andrew Garfield playing Sam Altman.
- Ink: Danny Boyle’s British drama starring Guy Pearce as Rupert Murdoch.
- Klara and the Sun: Taika Waititi’s adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel, with Jenna Ortega.
- Primetime: Robert Pattinson as television host Chris Hansen.
- Paper Tiger: James Gray’s crime drama with Johansson and Adam Driver.
- Wild Horse Nine: featuring John Malkovich, fresh from his Volpi Cup win in Venice, and Sam Rockwell.
- Possible Love: Lee Chang-dong’s Venice Grand Jury Prize winner.
- The Trip to the Northern Lights: Michael Winterbottom reunites Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon.
The competition
Ten films compete for the festival’s Best Film award, including Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Look Back, Carol Morley’s 7 Miles Out and Sergei Loznitsa’s Imperium. Television also has a growing presence, with Marvel’s VisionQuest, starring Paul Bettany and James Spader, among the series on show.
Tickets and access
General ticket sales opened on September 17, and many screenings sold out quickly. Young people can apply for discounted tickets, and returns often become available close to screening times, so it is worth checking regularly.
Why London matters
Coming after Venice, Telluride and Toronto, London is one of the last major stops before awards campaigns move into high gear. Strong reactions here can sustain a film’s momentum through the winter. Follow premieres and red-carpet moments in our Celebrity section.