London Film Festivals
BANFF Film Festival
Photo by Marko Prezelj
From cinematic blockbusters to cult classics and intriguing shorts, London is constantly rolling out the red carpet for the silver screen.
Buzzing, edgy and often decadent event from start to finish.
Dates: 10th - 19th January 2020
Returning for a fourteenth year, the London Short Film Festival comes to four venues across London this January with hundreds of film screenings, each hand-picked for the occasion. Renowned for its crazy, avant-garde and challenging offerings, the festival sees around 70 events take place at the ICA, Picturehouse Central, Hackney Picturehouse, Moth Club and Hackney Attic. Films include drama and documentaries examining London life, comedy shorts and the Best UK Short Film Award shortlist. The LSFF really is an ultra buzzing, decidedly edgy and often decadent event, accompanied by training sessions, drunken bashes, live music and awards.
Ideal for anyone looking for a leg-up into the film business.
BFI Southbank, Belvedere Road, South Bank, South Bank, London, SE1 8XT
Tube: Waterloo Station
, Embankment Underground Station
Dates: 16th - 19th February 2017
Showcasing the work of young filmmakers, the BFI Future Film Festival returns for its tenth birthday this February and once again offers a packed programme of workshops, masterclasses, networking opportunities and screenings designed to inspire and develop film knowledge. Focusing on fiction, animation and documentary, young filmmakers aged between 16 and 25 are invited to submit their short films in each category for consideration at the Future Film Awards - the best will be shown to a panel of industry experts who will offer their advice and feedback. For anyone looking for a leg-up into the film business - whether you're advanced or a beginner, a writer or a producer - this is a must.
This collection of adventure, action and environmental films creates an adrenaline-packed programme.
Union Chapel, Compton Terrace, London, N1 2UN
Tube: Highbury & Islington Station
Dates: 07th - 18th March 2017
The most breathtaking and inspiring collection of adventure, action sports and environmental films returns to the UK. The London leg of the annual Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour comes to the Union Chapel for twelve nights of mind-blowing films, shorts and documentaries paying homage to the great outdoors. In 2017 the festival carries two unique and entirely different film programmes so you can go along twice and still see new films. Showcasing remote landscapes, vibrant cultures and extreme sports such as hiking, biking, skiing, climbing, paragliding and kayaking, the festival draws on some of the world's best film makers and accomplished outdoor heroes to celebrate the wonders of the natural world through film.
Ten days of sci-fi themed film, music and immersive experiences.
Prince Charles Cinema, 7 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BY
Tube: Leicester Square Station
, Piccadilly Circus Station, Covent Garden Station
Dates: 15th - 22nd May 2019
The Sci-Fi-London Film Festival lands this April offering ten days of film, live music and immersive experiences. It brings with it 6 world premieres, 13 UK premieres, 25 features, 51 shorts and 4 VR shorts as well as classic cult events. The festival will open with the UK premiere of Caught at Rich Mix, which takes us back to the great days of British science fiction, while other films on the line-up include The Rizen, Flora, Yesterday Last Year, Sublimate and Space Detective. Further events include a sci-fi screenwriting workshop, an electronic live music event from Krautwerk, the world's only cosplay for dogs and a dystopian VR experience.
The spin off of America's indie film festival showcases films screened at the Utah festival in January.
Picturehouse Central, 7-14 Coventry Street, London, W1D 7DH
Tube: Piccadilly Circus Station
, Leicester Square Station
Dates: 30th May - 02nd June 2019
Bringing four days of original film, Sundance London returns to Picturehouse Central in June. The UK spinoff of America's indie film festival founded by Robert Redford in 1987 will showcase films screened at the Utah-based film festival in January. With screenings celebrating independent filmmakers, the festival presents a series of both UK and world premieres. This year's festival kicks off with a screening of Beatriz at Dinner, attended by Salma Hayek and director Miguel Arteta. Other films on the line-up include the UK premiere of Wilson, starring Woody Harrelson, the international premiere of Crown Heights and the international premiere of The Big Sick. The closing feature will be A Ghost Story starring Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara. Plus, this year will see the introduction of a surprise film, which will only be revealed when the opening credits roll.
The capital rolls out the red carpet for A-list film stars once again.
BFI Southbank, Belvedere Road, South Bank, South Bank, London, SE1 8XT
Tube: Waterloo Station
, Embankment Underground Station
Dates: 07th - 18th October 2020
London rolls out the red carpet for the BFI London Film Festival this October, with a wealth of A-list stars in attendance for premieres of their films. This year's programme is yet to be announced but last year saw Nicole Kidman, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Lupita Nyong'o attend. As well as the glitzy red carpet glamour and opening gala razzmatazz there are events for everyone at the festival, from informal post-screening Q&As to films for families and from guest appearances to workshops and masterclasses.
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