BFI London Film Festival Returns to the Showroom
For the second year, the Showroom is very excited and proud to be an official Venue Partner of the BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express. Running from Wednesday 6 to Sunday 17 October 2021, the festival will showcase the best new cinema from around the world. Offering cinemagoers the chance to see some of the most anticipated films of the year ahead of their theatrical release.
The festival opens on Wednesday 6 October with Western, The Harder They Fall. The debut film by Jaymes Samuel, which tells the story of African-American cowboys. On Thursday 7 October is Spencer, Pablo Larrain’s much-anticipated follow-up to Jackie (2016). Spencer follows Princess Diana over a Christmas weekend at Sandringham, where she is contemplating ending her marriage. In the lead role, Kristen Stewart has received universal critical acclaim for her portrayal of the unhappy, stifled princess. The week continues with The Souvenir: Part II and Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho before highlighting two fascinating foreign language films on Sunday 10 October; Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Drive My Car is a restrained, riveting drama based on Haruki Murakami’s short story, while Sebastien Meise’s Great Freedom - winner of the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize at this year’s Cannes – is a captivating story of queer history in post-WWII Germany.
On Monday 11 October, the festival continues with the long-awaited big-screen return of Jane Campion and her gripping Western drama The Power of the Dog. Mid-week screenings of Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch and charming underdog tale The Phantom of the Open lead into a weekend of some excellent films. From Clio Barnard’s Bradford-based romance Ali and Ava to French auteur Jacques Audiard’s Paris 13 District, there really is something for everyone. The closing four films are some of the most special of the festival, led by Celine Sciamma’s delicate Petite Maman and Apichatpong Weerasethakhul’s first film made outside of Thailand, Memoria. The festival closes on Sunday 17 October with Flee, an animated documentary following a refugee’s story of love, resilience and survival, followed by the closing night gala of The Tragedy of Macbeth. This is Joel Coen’s first solo outing as a director, and stars Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand as the ambitious scheming couple.
Showcasing 15 films over 12 days, this is an unmissable festival programme of the best contemporary cinema from around the globe. Films showing as part of BFI London Film Festival will be screening from Wednesday 6 October, tickets are on sale now.
This article first featured in the Sheffield Telegraph on Thursday 23 September 2021.
Rose Butler
Acting Programme ManagerRead more posts by Rose Butler
