Programme announced for the 70th BFI London Film Festival
Skwigly
The 70th BFI London Film Festival (LFF) today announces the full programme line-up, presented in cinemas, online and across the UK. Over twelve days from 7 – 18 October, the LFF invites audiences to return to its fantastic flagship venues in the heart of London, BFI Southbank and the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall. The LFF Gala programme will screen at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, while BFI Southbank alongside many of Central London’s iconic cinemas will host Special Presentations, Official Competition titles and films and series from all Strands of the Festival, with global film talent from behind and in front of the camera in attendance. For UK wide audiences a curated selection of features and a special Screen Talk, will also be showcased at 10 partner venues in major cities across our nations and regions.
The LFF will present a captivating and diverse programme of 251 features, shorts, series and immersive works from 88 countries playing across the 12 days of the festival. This includes 109 works made by female filmmakers (43% of the programme) and 33 World premieres.
Kristy Matheson, Artistic Director, BFI Festivals, said:
When this Festival first sprung to life 70 years ago, little more than a decade after the end of the Second World War, British society was in a period of rapid social change. Then, like now, we turn to artists to synthesise our times. And what a vision they have for us in 2026; tumults of the era live inside our programme, but so too do cinematic thrills, moral conundrums and a reoccurring exploration of care and community. If you find yourself in London, or across the UK, this October, the opportunity to experience worlds outside ourselves will be on offer. We hope you can join us.
Ben Roberts, Chief Executive, BFI said:
This year, the blockbusters, the indie breakouts and the debuts have drawn audiences to cinemas in record numbers. A reminder that discovering a new film in a room of fellow fans is a thrill like nothing else. As our anticipation builds for LFF, we’re grateful to everyone who helps us fill screens across the UK: to our brilliant audiences, Members and Patrons; the visionary filmmakers and film teams who bring their work; our generous funders, sponsors and industry partners; and, of course, the excellent teams at the BFI.
LFF Animation Highlights
WILDWOOD, dir. Chris Butler (USA)
World Premiere
A forest inhabited by magical beings is the setting for this epic saga from stop motion masters LAIKA. When her baby brother is kidnapped by a large flock of crows, Prue hotfoots it to a local forest where a wondrous world of mystery and peril awaits. This breathtaking, hugely ambitious new film from LAIKA (Coraline, Kubo and the Two Strings) is a masterpiece of stop-motion storytelling on an epic scale and quite unlike anything you will have previously seen, with an all star cast including Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Mahershala Ali and Angela Bassett.
RAY GUNN, dir. Brad Bird (USA)
Brad Bird’s smart animated caper, set in in a futuristic world where humans and aliens co-exist, sees a private eye drawn into a murder investigation. In an alternate 1939, in the giant futuristic city of Metropia – a corrupt world where aliens are the dominant species – down-trodden PI Ray Gunn investigates a murder. But all is not what it seems. Brad Bird (The Incredibles, The Iron Giant) delivers a film with a pitch-perfect script, stunning design and a voice cast that includes Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson and Tom Waits. It’s first-rate filmmaking for all ages.
IRON BOY, dir. Louis Clichy (France)
With its smooth, hand-painted style, Iron Boy is a warm, moving animation about an 11-year-old boy who is forced to rethink his outlook on the world when he receives a life-changing diagnosis. Louis Clichy’s precise, handsomely produced tales finds young Christophe the subject of ridicule at school due to his issues with posture that make him appear ‘wonky’. A solution is found in the form of an iron brace. At first, it makes him feel like a robot and places him at odds with his proud father who questions his future on the family farm. But then he discovers the possibility of a different life.
JULIAN, dir. Louise Bagnall (Ireland)
Cartoon Saloon’s heartfelt animated tale about a boy who is proud to be different is a surefire hit. Young Julian, a bright child with a love of bling and sparkles, is sent to Brooklyn to stay with his Dominican grandmother. It’s tough initially, but when he
learns about the forthcoming Mermaid Parade, something clicks – he is a mermaid! This flawless and uplifting film from LFF favourites Cartoon Saloon is a celebration of what it means to be young, different and loved.
A MIGHTY ADVENTURE, dir. Toe Yuen (Taiwan)
This lovingly created, dialogue-free animated tale follows a trio of insects who undertake an epic journey. A butterfly and a grasshopper are removed from the forest and taken to an apartment in the city. Here, they befriend a spider who tries to help them
on the long journey back home, which is fraught with dangerous challenges. This innovative, engrossing and dialogue-free animated adventure transports us into a familiar world, albeit from the microcosmic perspective of its protagonists.
MY FRIEND THE SUN, dir. Alejandra Pérez González (Mexico)
In this engrossing and brightly coloured animated triumph, a young girl is transported to the home of the Mexican gods and has to fight to find her way back home. Art obsessed Xóchitl discovers the mural she has painted at her home in Mexico City is a portal to Tollan, where the gods reside. Transported there, she is initially welcomed, even declared the Sixth Sun. It’s a move that angers a vengeful and dangerous rival and Xóchitl faces a struggle to return home. This glorious animation is rooted in the richness of Mexican culture and history.
FULL PROGRAMME AVAILABLE AT bfi.org.uk/lff