From the 5th October until 16th October the 66th edition of the BFI London Film Festival will take place. As ever, it can be mission impossible trying to choose what to go and see. With 164 films from around the world, we try our best to provide some of our favourites for this year’s upcoming film festival. As ever this is not a complete list, head over to the BFI website for full programme details.
The Whale (Dir. Darren Aronofsky)
After it’s world premiere earlier this month at Venice Film Festival, the film heads to London for it’s UK Premiere. The images shown Brendan Fraser was overcome with emotion all thanks to the reaction of the audience after the premiere. He plays a morbidly obese man, divorced and attempting to reconnect with his daughter. After several big films in the 1990’s and early noughties, Fraser will be hoping this be the launch pad for his big comeback.
Decision To Leave (Dir. Park Chan-Wook)
The latest crime mystery from Korean filmmaker who brought us The Handmaiden, Oldboy. A multilayered film that oozes Hitchcock that is much a love story as it is a Noir. When a man is found dead on a mountain side, a detective falls a woman who just happens to be the only suspect…And the dead man’s wife.
Pinocchio (Dir. Guillermo Del Toro)
After the disastrous Disney+ version starring Tom Hanks, who could truly give a classic fairytale a fresh input, Guillermo Del Toro? Del Toro has proven over the years he can easily blend horror with fairytales. Throw in stop motion animation, the story of the puppet who wants to be a boy. This will be a visual treat and even a darker story than the original Disney animation.
Holy Spider (Dir. Ali Abassi)
This Iranian thriller made it’s premiere at Cannes Film Festival, earlier this year. With Zar Amir-Ebrahimi also wining the award for best actress . A story of a serial killer killing off prostitutes then reporting the crime details to a local newspaper. When a journalist uncovers information that some quarters think the killings are not crimes. A captivating film set in early 2000’s that challenges the viewer on what is ‘justice’.
Bardo (Dir. Alejandro G. Iñárritu )
aka Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths is the follow up the follow up film from Oscar winning Mexican filmmaker. Who gave us The Revenant with a film considered his most personal. A story of a filmmaker returning to his home town after a long time only to find himself in a existential crisis. A film that promises to be inventive and intense on many levels.
Emily The Criminal (Dir. John Patton Ford)
We are living in a time with daily living costs are sky-rocketing. People are now daily finding themselves in debt and in this one our titular character takes things to drastic levels to get out of debt. Aubrey Plaza is a former student locked out of the jobs market thanks to a minor criminal record. Drowning in her debts, Emily is seduced by the quick fix of money and living on the edge. With her new venture mentor they take things to the next level, deeper into the Los Angeles Criminal Underworld. We watched this one at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, giving it a 4 star review with Plaza stepping out of her comfort zone with well earned praise. [our review]
You Won’t Be Alone (Dir.Goran Stoleveski)
An Australian- Macedonian creepy horror about a tale of young girl who is kidnapped in 19th century Macedonia. Taken from her mother transformed into a witch who is left to roam feral. She has a curiosity for humanity and nature leading to a taste for flesh. This film stars Noomi Rapace, Alice Englert which is about Experiencing humanity in different ages pretending to be human to learn or even mimic. Think tonally Under The Skin, The VVitch .
Living (Dir. Oliver Hermanus)
It’s only a matter of time when classic and much loved world cinema films find themselves adapted to the English language. This one has taken 70 years as it’s based on Akira Kurosawa’s 1952 film Ikiru. Not an American remake but a British one with Bill Nighy in the lead role. Story of an older man whose daily life is repetitive and has forgotten those wonderful things life can offer you. His life is about to change thanks to a life changing event. [our review].
White Noise (Dir.Noah Baumbach)
Adam Driver teams up once again with his Marriage Story director Noah Baumbach. Starring in the 1985 Don Delillo novel of the same name which was considered unfilmable. The film has many themes, with the main focus being an environmental disaster. Which see our character face death, life itself and technology.
The Banshees Of Inisherin (Dir. Martin McDonagh)
The follow up film for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Oscar winning Irish filmmaker. Any chance to see Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson share a screen, count us in! We find ourselves back in Ireland with two friends lives built around their visits and chats at a local pub. Their friendship is thrown into chaos when one declares he doesn’t want to be friends anymore. They slowly reunited through heartbreak but can that friendship mend like before? Dark Irish wit and comedy on cue.
The 66th BFI London Film Festival will take place between 5th until 16th October. Buy tickets here.
