LFF For Free programme.
This year’s free talks and workshops will delve into a fascinating array of topics including how film and television shape our visions of the future, how cinema reinforces or challenges stereotypes of aging femininity, the on-screen portrayal of migration and the diaspora as well as contemporary depictions of sex and sexuality in film and television.
Master of modern murder mysteries and LFF Opening Night Gala Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery director Rian Johnson will discuss the process behind one of contemporary cinema’s most innovative mystery series and reflect on the films, books and storytellers that have influenced him. In The Wizard of Wicked, director Jon M. Chu takes us behind the curtain of his two-part cinematic spectacle giving the audience an exciting glimpse into the vision behind one of the most eagerly anticipated film events of the year. Pulitzer Prize winning writer and contributor to The New Yorker and NPR’s Fresh Air, highly acclaimed film critic Justin Chang, discusses his career in A Critical Eye.
Ahead of the premiere of Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, LFF is delighted to offer audiences the chance to see the BBC documentary When Bruce Springsteen Came to Britain on the big screen. Produced by Wise Owl Films, this touching and celebratory film, which was made to mark the 50th anniversary of Bruce Springsteen’s first UK concert, examines the American singer-songwriter’s unique relationship with the UK and his UK fans.
Alongside an exclusive interview with Bruce Springsteen, the documentary features contributions from Gurinder Chadha, Harvey Goldsmith, Jon Landau, Sir Michael Palin, Peter Gabriel, Rob Brydon, Stevie Van Zandt and Sting, alongside fans, who recount how hearing and meeting Springsteen changed their lives. The film also reveals the huge impact British music has had on Springsteen’s life and career.
Discover the story behind the restoration of the epic Indian blockbuster Sholay, voted Film of the Millennium in a BBC India online poll, and named the greatest Indian film in a British Film Institute poll in Celebrating Film Preservation with Film Heritage Foundation. Inspired by the photography of Kwame Brathwaite, the power of Black identity is celebrated and uplifted offering powerful messages for poetic reflection in the Black is Beautiful creative writing workshop.
Additional talks will see us revisit the enduring romance and cinematic legacy of Jane Austen’s beloved masterpiece Pride & Prejudice; uncover how real life and real people can be more extraordinary than any fiction could ever imagine in Stranger Than Fiction; hear how filmmakers challenge self-criticism and reclaim their artistic confidence in The Inner Critic: Silencing Self-Doubt; how the revolutionary spirit of French New Wave cinema continues to shape modern cinema, Still Nouvelle and look at how anxiety, depression and the complexities of mental health are depicted in film and series, Film & Mental Health: Is Cinema Helping or Hurting? In Let’s Talk About Sex (On Screen) industry experts Billy Holzberg, co-author of Bad Sex: Sexuality, Gender and Affect in Contemporary TV; Ita O’Brien, leading intimacy coordinator, creator of the Intimacy On Set Guidelines and author of Intimacy and Xuanlin Tham, author Revolutionary Desires: The Political Power of the Sex, discuss portrayals of sex and sexuality in contemporary film and television.
Launched in 2020, LFF Expanded is the festival’s showcase of immersive art, extended realities and gaming, inviting audiences to explore bold new frontiers of storytelling. This year’s Expanded programme includes FUTURE BOTANICA, a free installation where audiences collaborate with AI to co-create virtual landscapes where new forms of nature bloom before their eyes, transforming BFI IMAX into a speculative ecosystem of the future.
Now in its second edition, the free Games Lounge at BFI IMAX invites everyone to dive into a playful, and accessible showcase of imaginative, moving and wildly inventive games from around the world.
One of the year’s most acclaimed games, BLUE PRINCE is an elegant, genre-blending mystery inviting you on a quest where every door you choose redraws your path. A hilariously twisted romp through Renaissance art, DEATH OF THE REPROBATE tasks players with redeeming their souls – one questionable good deed at a time.
SOME GOODBYES WE MADE is a tender collection of farewell-themed minigames capturing life’s quiet endings – from moving out to falling out – in a beautifully diverse hour of play. Slice-of-life adventure game, DESPOLTE captures the childhood and the spellbinding hold soccer had on the people of Quito, Ecuador during the summer of 2001. SONGS OF TRAVEL is a beautifully animated graphic novel game weaving five migrant journeys into a powerful, personal portrait of identity, belonging and the search across Europe for a home.
Film in Print, a celebration of writing about film, also returns to the LFF for its second year, now in its new home at the BFI Reuben Library. Without David Lynch, our world would have been a more ordinary place, and author Tom Huddleston explores all aspects of Lynch’s truly eclectic output.
Two of the most prolific voices in film criticism – Anna Bogutskaya, head of Screen at SXSW London and Kim Newman, film critic, film historian and novelist – will take part in a wide-ranging conversation on the craft of writing using their shared love of horror as a springboard. Co-creators behind Ghibliotheque series of books and podcasts, Michael Leader and Jack Cunningham, are back at LFF for Free to unveil their globe-trotting new book, The Animation Atlas.
Lights, Camera, Genre! will take audiences on a journey in a series of lunchtime talks through the diverse and dynamic world that is movie genres. Whether it’s a hero in a revenge quest, epic journey through dangerous terrain or a battle against overwhelming odds, Action & Adventure will decode the genre’s lasting appeal and its power to transport into the worlds of danger, daring and determination.
Exploring distant galaxies, confronting rogue AI or questioning what it means to be human in Sci-Fi, we will discover how science fiction continues to push boundaries and expand the horizons of storytelling. Delve into a discussion of Horror, where suspense, fear and terrifying visuals combine to unsettle, scare and captivate audiences. Get ready to laugh out loud in Comedy, as we uncover cinema’s funniest storytelling and why laughter remains one of the most important tools for storytelling and connection.
Step into the mythical realms rich with myth, wonder and imaginative storytelling in Fantasy and dive into discussions of crime’s shadowy worlds, high stake dramas and gritty visual styles in Crime.
There are a couple of free family events, inspired by the screenings in this year’s LFF for the whole family to get stuck in. Bring your imagination and sense of fun to our Little Amelie’s Wall of Wonder – a giant, colourful space where you can share your thoughts, drawings and questions about life, childhood and the mysteries of the world. Ahead of the Animated Shorts for Younger Audiences screening, embark on a journey from Japan to Germany in the creative workshop Animated Journeys: Explore the Animation from Around the World.
Set the dancefloor alight on the Friday and Saturday nights of the festival, for a series of free DJ nights inspired by films in the festival. Turn up the volume on tracks that lit block parties and shaped hip-hop’s golden age in Wild Style; expect tracks from legends like Aretha Franklin, Fela Kuti, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Erykah Badu and Chaka Khan for Black is Beautiful; Rock out to legends of classic American rock, including anthems from ‘The Boss, at Born in the USA and embody the spirit of Pan-Africanism, at One Africa, a musical celebration inspired by The Eyes of Ghana.
Audiences can view a selection of free short films from this year’s BFI London Film Festival from the comfort of their home as well as a selection of high-profile LFF Screen Talks featuring leaders in contemporary cinema exclusively via the BFI Player first. Screen Talks will later be available for viewing on YouTube.
The 69th BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express takes place from Wednesday 8 October – Sunday 19 October 2025, with select screenings and events continuing outside of these dates.
LFF FOR FREE EVENT LISTINGS:
As these events are free there are invariably some ‘no shows’ on the day of the event. Therefore, tickets are over-allocated to compensate for this and, occasionally, an event may be over subscribed. Doors will open 15 minutes before the advertised time. Seating is unallocated and tickets don’t guarantee entry: admission is on a first come, first served basis for those with tickets. Please arrive early to avoid disappointment.
Thursday 9th – Sunday 19th October
A Wicked Celebration, Daily 12.00 – 20.00
BFI Southbank | Mezzanine
Discover props, costumes and behind-the-scenes photography from Jon M. Chu’s Wicked films.
Thursday 9th October
Lights, Camera, Genre! Horror
BFI Southbank, NFT4 | 12:30 – 13:30 | 15+
Delve into a discussion of horror, where suspense, fear and terrifying visuals combine to unsettle, scare and captivate audiences.
The Art of the Whodunit: Rian Johnson on Knives Out
BFI Southbank, NFT1 | 13.00 – 14.00 | 15+
The master of modern murder mysteries joins us to discuss his creative process as director and writer, and how he’s reinventing the genre.
Friday 10th October
The Wizard of Wicked
BFI Southbank, NFT1 | 11:00 – 12:00 | 12+
Director Jon M. Chu discusses his groundbreaking vision of Oz.
Lights, Camera, Genre! Fantasy
BFI Southbank, NFT4 | 12:30 – 13:30 | 15+
Dive into this discussion of crime’s shadowy worlds, exploring gripping stories, high-stakes drama and gritty visual styles that define this suspenseful, thrilling genre.
DJ Night: Wild Style
BFI Southbank, BFI Bar | 21:00 – 01.00 | 18+
A night inspired by Charlie Ahearn’s Wild Style, celebrating the early NYC hip-hop scene.
Saturday 11th October
The Work and World of David Lynch
BFI Southbank, BFI Reuben Library | 11:00 – 12:00 | 15+
Author Tom Huddleston takes us behind the red curtain to explore the late, great filmmaker’s eclectic output and wide range of cultural influences.
Lights, Camera, Genre! Crime
BFI Southbank, NFT4 | 11:30 – 12:0 | 15+
Dive into this discussion of crime’s shadowy worlds, exploring gripping stories, high-stakes drama and gritty visual styles that define this suspenseful, thrilling genre.
From Metropolis to Ex Machina and Beyond
BFI Southbank, NFT4 | 12:00 – 13:00 | 15+
Tracing the evolution of AI representations on the screen.
The Art of Conversation
BFI Southbank, BFI Reuben Library | 13:00 – 14:00 | 15+
A discussion with a panel of expert journalists who specialise in interviewing the stars, filmmakers and creatives behind our favourite films.
Rewriting the Reel: Telling Our Own Stories
BFI Southbank, Blue Room | 14:00 – 15:00
Join us for an inspiring and unfiltered panel discussion featuring disabled filmmakers who are flipping the script on how disability is shown on screen.
Gaming & Cinema: Storytelling in the Multiverse
BFI Southbank, NFT4 | 14:00 – 15:00 | 15+
Join us to explore how gaming culture is influencing film language and vice versa.
Saluting the Silver Screen
BFI Southbank, BFI Reuben Library | 15:00 – 16:00
Join critic and author Jane Crowther to learn about the world’s most spectacular cinemas, from Hollywood to Hong Kong.
Diaspora Dreams: Migration, Memory & Belonging in Cinema
BFI Southbank, NFT4 | 16:00 – 17:00 | 15+
An examination of how migration and diaspora are portrayed on screen, with a focus on identity, nostalgia and dislocation.
Author on Author: Kim Newman and Anna Bogutskaya in Conversation
BFI Southbank, BFI Reuben Library | 17:00 – 18:00 | 15+
Two leading film experts share their experiences and insights from the frontline of film criticism.
DJ Night – Black is Beautiful
BFI Southbank, BFI Bar | 21:00 – 01.00 | 18+
A musical celebration inspired by Black Is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite Story, spanning soul, funk, disco, hip-hop, house, and Afrobeat.
Sunday 12th October
A Critical Eye: Justin Chang in Conversation
BFI Southbank, BFI Reuben Library | 11:00 – 12:00
Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, The New Yorker film critic and NPR’s Fresh Air host discusses his acclaimed career.
Film & Mental Health: Is Cinema Helping or Hurting?
BFI Southbank, NFT 4 | 12:00 – 13:00 | 15+
A look at how anxiety, depression and the complexities of mental health are depicted in films and series.
Little Amélie’s Wall of Wonder
BFI Southbank, NFT2 Foyer | 12:30 – 1:30
Before watching Little Amélie, dive into a world full of curiosity and imagination.
Long Live Film Mags! Editors Roundtable
BFI Southbank, BFI Reuben Library | 13:00 – 14:00 | 15+
Taking the temperature of our greatest film magazines, with insights from the editors in charge.
Soft Boys & Sad Girls: Vulnerability on Screen
BFI Southbank, NFT4 | 14:00 – 15:00 | 15+
An exploration of how contemporary films and shows are reframing emotional expression and vulnerability.
Around The World of Animation
BFI Southbank, BFI Reuben Library | 13:00 – 14:00
Taking the temperature of our greatest film magazines, with insights from the editors in charge.
The Inner Critic: Silencing Self-Doubt
BFI Southbank, NFT 4 | 16:00 – 17:00
Behind every creative mind is a doubting voice. Hear how filmmakers challenge self-criticism and reclaim their artistic confidence.
The Directors Chair
BFI Southbank, BFI Reuben Library | 17:00 – 18:00 | 15+
Delve into the filmographies of iconic filmmakers, with a panel of authors and film critics
Monday 13th October
Lights, Camera, Genre! Action & Adventure
BFI Southbank, Blue Room 12:30 – 1:30 | 15+
Get ready for a discussion that explores the heart-pounding thrills, daring heroes and explosive sequences that define the action and adventure genre.
Tuesday 14th October
Lights, Camera, Genre! Westerns
BFI Southbank, Blue Room | 12:30 – 1:30 | 15+
Saddle up for this discussion of rugged cowboys, brave settlers, notorious outlaws, duels at high noon and the wild untamed frontier that characterise the great Westerns.
Wednesday 15th October
Lights, Camera, Genre! Musicals
BFI Southbank, Blue Room | 12:30 – 1:30 | 15+
This discussion celebrates the vibrant fusion of song, dance and narrative that makes musicals a uniquely expressive genre.
When Bruce Springsteen Came To Britain
Vue West End Screen 5 | 15.30 – 16.30 | 15+
Ahead of the LFF Premiere of Deliver From Nowhere, this documentary marks the 50th anniversary since Bruce Springsteen’s first UK concert and his special relationship with the country.
Thursday 16th October
Lights, Camera, Genre! Sci-Fi
BFI Southbank, NFT4 | 12:30 – 1:30 |15+
Journey through visionary science fiction worlds, with their futuristic technology, dystopian landscapes, alien encounters and wildly imaginative storytelling.
Girls on Film Live at LFF
BFI Southbank, Blue Room | 14:00 – 15:00
A fun, feminist film chat with the world’s leading podcast about women in film, hosted by Anna Smith.
Friday 17th October
Lights, Camera, Genre! Comedy
BFI Southbank, NFT4 | 12:30 – 1:30 | 15+
Get ready to laugh as we explore the wild, witty world of comedy, in a journey through cinema’s funniest storytelling moments.
Born in the USA
BFI Southbank, BFI Bar | 21:00 – 01.00| 18+
A night dedicated to the legends of classic American rock, including anthems from ‘The Boss’, who is the subject of the new film Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere.
Saturday 18th October
This is London: Small Stories, Big City
BFI Southbank, NFT1 | 11:00 – 12:00 | 15+
A selection of shorts from some of London’s most exciting new voices, funded by BFI NETWORK and delivered by Film London.
Black Is Beautiful
BFI Southbank, Blue Room | 11:00 – 12:30
A Poetry Writing Workshop Inspired by the photography of Kwame Brathwaite.
Voices From the Frontline of Regeneration
BFI Southbank, BFI Reuben Library | 11:00 | 15+
A panel discussion exploring London’s ongoing regeneration and its deep, often overlooked impact on Black, Brown and migrant communities.
Still Nouvelle: The French New Wave’s Influence on Modern Cinema
BFI Southbank, NFT4 | 12:30 – 13:30 |15+
This talk looks at the way that the French New Wave continues to be relevant in today’s cinema.
Archives of a Present Future
BFI Southbank, BFI Reuben Library | 13:00 – 14:00
A panel discussion and workshop led by global majority LGBTQIA+ artists, filmmakers and archivists, exploring archives as powerful tools for shaping the future.
Pride and Prejudice: A Timeless Romance
BFI Southbank, NFT4 | 14:30 – 15:30 | 15+
A celebration of the enduring romance, and cinematic legacy, of Austen’s beloved masterpiece.
Celebrating Film Preservation with the Film Heritage Foundation
BFI Southbank, BFI Reuben Library | 16:00 – 17:00 | 15+
Find out the story behind the restoration of the epic Indian blockbuster Sholay and Gehenu Lamai (The Girls), the landmark Sri Lankan portrait of girlhood.
Reel Poverty: Stories of Struggle, Survival and Dignity in Trying Times
BFI Southbank, BFI Reuben Library | 17:30 – 18:30 | 15+
An exploration of how directors and writers portray poverty – not as a statistic, but as a lived experience.
On Our Own Terms
BFI Southbank, NFT 4 | 16:30 – 18:00 | 15+
This session looks at how to build ethical, sustainable arts practices in film and beyond.
One Africa
BFI Southbank, BFI Bar | 21:00 – 23:40
A musical celebration inspired by the film The Eyes of Ghana and Ghana’s first president Kwame Nkrumah’s dream of one Africa and the spirit of Pan-Africanism.
Sunday 19th October
Animated Journeys: Explore Animation from Around the World
BFI Southbank, Foyer | 11:00 – 12:00
Join us for a creative workshop inspired by The Animation Atlas: The Ghibliotheque Guide to the World of Animated Film.
Botanical Futures: Plant-Based Solutions for Climate and Sustainability
BFI Southbank, BFI Reuben Library | 11:00 – 12:00
A timely conversation sparked by Future Botanica, an Augmented Reality app that enables users, in collaboration with an AI, to design speculative ecosystems with new nature.
Beyond Words: The Power of Visual Storytelling
BFI Southbank, BFI Blue Room | 11:30 – 12:30
Discover the art of visual storytelling in this inclusive workshop inspired by the silent film era – when stories were told without dialogue.
Mum’s The Word: Motherhood on Screen
BFI Southbank, NFT4 | 12:00 – 13:00 | 15+
From perfect mums to messy ones – join us for an exploration of the many faces of motherhood, as portrayed in film and television.
Femme Fatale to Final Girl: Evolving Archetypes in Genre Cinema
BFI Southbank, BFI Reuben Library | 13:00 – 14:00 | 15+
An examination of the development of iconic female tropes across noir and horror – from the seductive femme fatale to the resilient final girl.
Coming of (Older) Age: The Older Woman
BFI Southbank, NFT4 | 14:00 – 15:00 | 15+
From maternal archetypes to eccentric outliers, this discussion will consider how cinema reinforces or challenges stereotypes of aging femininity.
Imagining Just Futures
BFI Southbank, Blue Room | 14:00 – 17:30 | 15+
Explore how film and television shape our visions of the future and imagine just, anti-oppressive worlds through storytelling.
Let’s Talk About Sex (on Screen)
BFI Southbank, BFI Reuben Library | 15:00 – 16:00 |18+
A panel of writers and filmmakers discuss representations of sex and sexuality in contemporary film and television, and what these representations can tell us about sexual politics and gender cultures today.
Stranger Than Fiction: Larger-Than-Life True Stories on the Screen
BFI Southbank, BFI Reuben Library | 17:00 – 18:00 | 15+
We look at unbelievable true stories brought to life on screen – real people, real drama and events more extraordinary than any fiction could imagine.
