BFI London Film Festival announces full 2025 programme
Alongside these, the Patrons’ Gala will show the UK premiere of Philippa Lowthorpe’s H Is for Hawk, while other highlights include Luca Guadagnino’s After the Hunt, Sydney Sweeney’s Christy Martin biopic Christy and Guillermo del Toro’s retelling of Mary Shelley classic Frankenstein.
The BFI London Film Festival has announced its full 2025 programme, with 247 titles from 79 countries showing between 8-19 October.
As previously announced, the Festival will open with the international premiere of Rian Johnson’s Wake Up Dead Man and close with the UK premiere of Julia Jackman’s 100 Nights of Hero.
Now, though, the BFI has revealed that the American Express Gala is the UK premiere of Hikari’s Rental Family, the Cunard Gala is the UK premiere of Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly and the Mayor of London’s Gala is the European premiere of Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet.
Alongside these, the Patrons’ Gala will show the UK premiere of Philippa Lowthorpe’s H Is for Hawk, while other highlights include Luca Guadagnino’s After the Hunt, Sydney Sweeney’s Christy Martin biopic Christy and Guillermo del Toro’s retelling of Mary Shelley classic Frankenstein.
In total, the Festival will boast 27 world premieres, 11 international premieres and 20 European premieres.
Kristy Matheson, BFI London Film Festival director, said: “This autumn we invite audiences to craft their own festival journey across our programme of premiere screenings, dynamic interactive exhibitions and compelling talks programmes with some of cinema’s leading practitioners.
“We look forward to you joining us this year to experience the incredible state of the medium in 2025–brimming with formal innovations, provocations and essential roadmaps for navigating the world around us.”
Alongside screenings of major films, the BFI will host a series of Screen Talks with the likes of Yorgos Lanthimos, Daniel Day-Lewis and Chloé Zhao, as the Festival returns to BFI Southbank, The Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, and cinemas and venues across central London.
LFF On Tour will also visit 11 UK-wide partner venues, with two new venues–National Science and Media Museum, Bradford (2025 City of Culture), and Filmhouse, Edinburgh–joining the line-up.
Meanwhile, nominated titles from the short film competition will be available digitally for free across the UK on BFI Player from 8-26 October.
Ben Roberts, chief executive, BFI, said: “Audiences are at the heart of the LFF and the festival brings them an incredible breadth of stories from some of the most talented and creative filmmakers from the UK and across the world.
“Huge thanks to our Festival team for presenting a brilliant programme, American Express for its 16 years of headline partnership and all our other partners and supporters.”