The 70th BFI London Film Festival runs from 7 to 18 October 2026.
Elsinore, starring Andrew Scott, opens the festival, while Jesse Eisenberg’s The Debut closes it.
The programme features 251 works from 88 countries, including 33 world premieres.
Andrew Scott, Cynthia Erivo, Jesse Eisenberg and Julianne Moore are among the big names heading to the capital.
The BFI London Film Festival 2026 is ready to roll out the red carpet. Returning for its landmark 70th edition, the annual celebration of cinema will take place from 7 to 18 October 2026, filling London with premieres, galas, Screen Talks and some of the most talked-about films of the year.
Running across 12 days, the BFI London Film Festival 2026 will showcase 251 features, shorts, series and immersive works from 88 countries. The programme includes 109 works by female filmmakers and 33 world premieres, with events taking place at BFI Southbank, the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall and cinemas across central London. A selection of titles and events will also travel to 10 partner venues around the UK.
Opening the festival is Simon Stone’s Elsinore, which receives its European premiere at the Opening Night Gala. Andrew Scott takes the leading role as actor Ian Charleson, capturing a pivotal period in his life as he confronted his mortality while preparing to play Hamlet at the National Theatre. Scott is joined by an impressive British cast featuring Olivia Colman, Billie Piper, Johnny Flynn and Luke Thompson.
The Closing Night Gala on Sunday, 18 October turns the spotlight onto The Debut. Written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg, the film stars Julianne Moore, Paul Giamatti, Halle Bailey, Eisenberg and Cara Buono. The comedy-drama follows a woman who unexpectedly lands a leading role in a local musical, drawing her deeper into the colourful and complicated world of community theatre.
Away from the opening and closing nights, the Gala programme features plenty of heavy hitters. Highlights include Jordan Firstman’s feature directorial debut Club Kid, Florian Zeller’s psychological thriller Bunker, Paweł Pawlikowski’s Fatherland and Cristian Mungiu’s Fjord. Danny Boyle presents Ink, a story centred on Rupert Murdoch’s Fleet Street career, while Taika Waititi adapts Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel Klara and the Sun. James Gray returns with thriller Paper Tiger, Susanna White directs the screen adaptation of Suzie Miller’s acclaimed play Prima Facie, and Bassam Tariq presents Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother.
Film fans will also have an opportunity to hear directly from some of the industry’s biggest names. The 2026 Screen Talks programme includes Andrew Scott, Ava DuVernay, Brad Bird, Cynthia Erivo, James Gray, Jesse Eisenberg, John Malkovich, Mahershala Ali, Naomi Ackie and Sofia Coppola. Danny Boyle will also participate in the festival’s first Screen Talk held outside London, taking place at HOME in Manchester.
Kristy Matheson, Artistic Director of 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 recurring 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.”
Tickets for the BFI London Film Festival 2026 go on general sale at 10am on Thursday, 17 September. BFI Patrons receive priority booking from Wednesday, 9 September, followed by BFI Members from Thursday, 10 September 2026.
Where: BFI Southbank, Belvedere Road, South Bank, London, SE1 8XT
When: 7 to 18 October 2026.
Contact: https://whatson.bfi.org.uk