As the flashbulbs begin to dim from the Venice Film Festival, the The 65th BFI London Film Festival has taken the baton and unveiled its full programme for October’s celebration of cinema, featuring some well-received carry-overs such as Pablo Larrain’s Spencer, Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch, and Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog, as well as opening night gala The Harder They Fall, and Joel Coen’s The Tragedy of Macbeth, which brings the curtain down on proceedings.
The Gala sections will undoubtedly feature the hottest tickets in ol’ London town, because as well as those mentioned above, that’s where you’ll find Paul Verhoeven’s Benedetta, Reinaldo Marcus Green’s Williams sisters biopic King Richard, Eva Husson’s Mothering Sunday, Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho, Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Lost Daughter, Joanna Hogg’s The Souvenir: Part II and Sarah Smith and Jean Philippe-Vine’s animated Ron’s Gone Wrong.
Aside from the headliners, the beauty of LFF can be found in the diversity of its programming, with some real gems hidden just a few feet away from the well-trodden red carpet. The inclusion of more TV premieres mean that fans of Succession can get to see the first two episodes of season 3 before they’re released, while Train to Busan director Yeon Sang-ho’s supernatural mini-series Hellbound will also be previewed at the festival.
Look a little further and you’ll find Ana Lily Amirpour’s follow-up to A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, the Kate Hudson starring fantasy oddity Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon making its UK debut, or peruse the documentary section and discover Andrea Arnold’s Cow, which is a 94min insight into the life of a dairy cow, and the complete antithesis of her last appearance at the LFF with American Honey.
However, rather than have us list the entire line-up for you, why don’t you make yourself a cuppa, explore the full programme here, and rest-assured that we’ll bring you the very best coverage when the BFI London Film Festival kicks off on October 6th.