The 66th BFI London Film Festival (LFF) in partnership with American Express on Thursday announced the
full programme line-up, which will be presented in cinemas and online, across the UK. Over twelve
days from 5–16 October, the LFF will return to its fantastic flagship venues in the heart of London –
BFI Southbank and the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, which between them host Galas,
Special Presentations and the Official Competition. Films and series from all strands of the Festival
screen in many of central London’s iconic cinemas with a curated selection of features showcased at
10 partner venues across the UK.
The full programme features films, series and immersive art works from over 63 countries with 41%
of the programme made by female and non-binary directors/creators or co-directors/creators and
34% made by ethnically diverse directors/creators.
Every feature and series screens to audiences in the UK for the very first time, with many shown
publicly to for the first time ever anywhere in the world. Premieres include 23 feature film and 3
series World Premieres, 6 feature film International Premieres and 15 feature film and 2 series
European Premieres. As previously announced the LFF Expanded programme of Immersive Art
features 6 World Premieres. World Premieres from filmmakers and artists include: GUILLERMO DEL
TORO’S PINOCCHIO; a new series from television auteur Hugo Blick, THE ENGLISH, starring Emily
Blunt and a brand new commission AR from acclaimed filmmaker Guy Maddin, HAUNTED HOTEL: A
MELODRAMA IN AUGMENTED REALITY. International Premieres include SHE SAID, starring Carey
Mulligan and Zoe Kazan and based on the booked from New York Times journalists Jodi Kantor and
Megan Twohey, and award-winning documentary filmmaker Ondi Timoner’s LAST FLIGHT HOME.
Major European Premieres include: EMPIRE OF LIGHT from Sam Mendes; GLASS ONION: A KNIVES
OUT MYSTERY from Rian Johnson; MY POLICEMAN, directed by Michael Grandage and starring
Emma Corrin, Harry Styles and Rupert Everett; Chinonye Chukwu’s TILL, starring Danielle Deadwyler
and Whoopi Goldberg; ALLELUJAH, directed by Richard Eyre adapted from Alan Bennett’s play, with
stars including Judi Dench and Jennifer Saunders; Frank Berry’s AISHA starring Letitia Wright and
Josh O’Connor, and LADY CHATTERLEY’S LOVER, directed by Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre and also
starring Emma Corrin alongside Jack O’Connell. LFF will host the European Premieres of several
major new filmmaking voices: Sundance award-winner Nikyatu Jusu with NANNY; acclaimed theatre
director Lila Neugebauer’s CAUSEWAY starring Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry and
photographer and documentarian Elegance Bratton’s THE INSPECTION.
Audiences will enjoy a rich programme of fiction, documentary, animation, artists’ moving image,
short film, newly restored classics from the world’s archives, and exciting international works made
in immersive and episodic forms. LFF for Free will return to BFI Southbank with a programme of in-person events and screenings as well as a programme of free short films and events that will be
available across the UK virtually. The Festival will also be accessible UK-wide via a specially curated
programme of feature and short films on BFI Player, which viewers will be able to enjoy for a full
week after the Festival (from 14–23 October).
Source/image: BFI
