The 68th BFI London Film Festival 2024
Launch Report by Carlie Newman
Another year gone and it’s time for this year ‘s London film festival. The Press launch took place this week and it looks as though we have a good number of excellent films to look forward to.
There will be 253 titles from 79 countries. In addition to its home on the Southbank at the BFI Southbank and the Royal Festival Hall, the festival will also have films showing in cinemas and venues across central London and at nine LFF partner cinemas across the UK.
It runs from 9 to 20 October and the full programme is available from the BFI LFF. Tickets go on sale from 17 September.
The opening night gala is BLITZ (director-screen writer Steve McQueen, UK) and the closing night gala is PIECE BY PIECE (director Morgan Neville, USA). In addition to gala screenings there are also special presentations and films open for the official competition and other LFF competition awards.
Once again, the films are linked under the headings LOVE, DEBATE, LAUGH, DARE, THRILL, CULT, JOURNEY, CREATE, EXPERIMENTA, SHORTS, and LFF EXPANDED, FAMILY, and TREASURES – which provide pathways for audiences to navigate the extensive programme
I am particularly looking forward to seeing the opening and closing Galas and R.J. Cutler and David Furnish’s ELTON JOHN: NEVER TOO LATE. Also Pedro Almodovar’s THE ROOM NEXT DOOR, starring Julianne Moore and Tilda Swindon.
These look worth watching as well: Mike Leigh’s HARD TRUTHS; Ben Taylor’s JOY starring Bill Nighy; the new restoration of SILENT SHERLOCK and WATERSHIP DOWN; Sadie Frost’s biographical documentary TWIGGY; Brett Goldstein’s ALL OFYOU starring him and Imogen Potts; Andrea Arnold’s BIRD; THE SURFER starring Nicholas Cage; SUPERMAN:THE CHRISTOPHEN REEVE STORY; THE PIANO LESSN starring Samule L. Jackson and John David Washington; THAT CHRISTMAS – a family gala animated film written by Richard Curtis.
Get your tickets now!
Bfi.org.uk/lff 020 7928 3232