The 70th BFI London Film Festival has unveiled its full programme for 2026, bringing an extraordinary selection of films, series, immersive works and special presentations to London and audiences across the UK from 7 to 18 October.
Marking seven decades of the prestigious festival, this year’s LFF will once again welcome audiences to its flagship venues at BFI Southbank and the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, alongside screenings at cinemas across London and selected partner venues around the UK.
The 12-day festival will feature an impressive 33 World Premieres, including nine features, two series, two mid-length films, 19 shorts and one immersive work. The programme will also include 16 International Premieres and 20 European Premieres, underlining the festival’s position as one of the major events on the international film calendar.
The feature programme is divided into strands designed to encourage discovery and welcome audiences into different corners of contemporary cinema. This year’s strands are Love, Debate, Laugh, Dare, Thrill, Cult, Journey, Create, Experimenta, Family and Shorts, with additional Series and LFF Expanded programming woven throughout.
BFI London Film Festival 2026 World Premieres
Among the major World Premieres are IN THE SHADOWS, Anthony Wonke’s British boxing biopic; Laika’s latest animated feature WILDWOOD, directed by Travis Knight; and Brad Bird’s animated caper RAY GUNN.
The World Premiere programme also includes Carol Morley’s semi-autobiographical adaptation 7 MILES OUT, Sean Mathias’ adaptation of the West End hit FRANK AND PERCY, and Federico Borgia’s dark exploration of domestic life, PRINCE.
Comedy and documentary will also be strongly represented, with Mohsen Amiryousefi’s cinematic autofiction THE BANNING CURSE, Siu-pong Wong’s THE WHISPER OF SUNLIGHT, and Ken Fero and Tariq Mehmood’s electrifying documentary REBELLION, centred on the Bradford 12.
Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan will reunite for Michael Winterbottom’s latest instalment, THE TRIP TO THE NORTHERN LIGHTS, while comedian Leo Reich makes his series debut with IT GETS WORSE.
The World Premiere line-up is completed by RED THE OCEAN AROUND U, a new immersive experience from CROSSLUCID and Orion Facey.
International Premieres include Boots Riley’s anti-capitalist film I LOVE BOOSTERS, while this year’s Patron’s Gala will present Tony Gilroy’s stylish portrait of a classical musician, BEHEMOTH!
Other International Premieres include Giovanni Tortorici’s vibrant coming-of-age story KETTICÈ, Hyun Lee’s debut FRENCH GIRLS, Nanette Burstein’s documentary CARL SAGAN: WE ARE MADE OF STAR STUFF, Alejandra Pérez González’s Mexican animation MY FRIEND THE SUN, and Ashley Duong’s heartfelt hybrid documentary BA’S BOOK.
The programme will also feature Jessica Johnson and Ryan Ermacora’s richly cinematic 35mm documentary CONCRETE TURNED TO SAND, alongside Leonardo Pirondi’s allegorical sci-fi fable TROPICAL FRACTALS.
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LFF Galas Bring Major New Films to Royal Festival Hall
The Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall will host a packed programme of Gala screenings throughout the festival.
Highlights include Siân Heder’s BEING HEUMANN, exploring the life of disability rights activist Judith Heumann, and Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s intense psychological drama THE BELOVED.
Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo’s genre-defying queer epic LA BOLA NEGRA will also screen as a Gala, alongside Florian Zeller’s psychological thriller BUNKER and Jordan Firstman’s feature directorial debut CLUB KID.
Paweł Pawlikowski will present his exploration of postwar Germany, FATHERLAND, while Cristian Mungiu brings his moral drama FJORD to the festival.
This year’s Mayor’s Gala will be INK, Danny Boyle’s kinetic drama about Rupert Murdoch’s career in Fleet Street.
Other Gala highlights include Taika Waititi’s adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s bestselling novel KLARA AND THE SUN, Andrew Haigh’s A LONG WINTER, Andrey Zvyagintsev’s contemporary Russian adaptation of Claude Chabrol’s La Femme infidèle, MINOTAUR, and James Gray’s atmospheric thriller PAPER TIGER.
Lee Chang-dong’s POSSIBLE LOVE, Susanna White’s adaptation of Suzie Miller’s acclaimed play PRIMA FACIE, Mike Leigh’s TENDER LOVING CARE, Martin McDonagh’s WILD HORSE NINE, and Bassam Tariq’s YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER will also screen as Galas.
The previously announced Opening Night Gala will be the European Premiere of Simon Stone’s ELSINORE, based on the powerful true story of actor Ian Charleson.
The festival will conclude with the Closing Night Gala, the UK Premiere of Jesse Eisenberg’s raucous community-theatre comedy THE DEBUT.
Special Presentations and LFF Expanded
The 2026 festival will also feature a wide-ranging selection of Special Presentations.
Ava DuVernay returns to the US Constitution with documentary 14TH, a decade after her Emmy Award-winning 13th. The Archive Special Presentation will be GONE TO EARTH, a major new restoration of one of Powell and Pressburger’s most overlooked films.
The Experimenta Special Presentation, SHAB-NAMEH: WOMEN OF IRAN’S FORGOTTEN LEFT, will pair Maryam Tafakory’s short film Ghazal-e Sork with a live film performance by the artist.
BFI Flare will present SWEET MILK LAKE, Harvey Zielinski’s coming-of-age drama about a trans man mistaken for his cisgender brother.
The Series Special Presentation will bring THE TRIP TO THE NORTHERN LIGHTS to audiences, reuniting Rob Brydon, Steve Coogan and Michael Winterbottom for another journey filled with their trademark banter.
Meanwhile, WATER BODY will headline the Immersive Special Presentation, taking audiences on a journey through the hidden flows of the planet in a site-specific installation by acclaimed UK studio Marshmallow Laser Feast.
Now entering its sixth year, LFF Expanded will showcase nine projects spanning immersive art, virtual reality, artificial intelligence and video gaming.
The Expanded programme will also introduce a major new venue at St Martin-in-the-Fields, with WATER BODY leading the programme from the striking new home in the heart of London.
LFF Awards and Competition Line-Up
The festival’s competitive sections will once again showcase emerging and established filmmaking talent from around the world.
The First Feature Competition: Sutherland Award will feature 9 TEMPLES TO HEAVEN, ANIMOL, BEN’IMANA, A COMMON STORY, FOREST HIGH, FRUIT GATHERING, LADY, THE LAST DAY, MASC and OUR SHARE OF SAND.
The Documentary Competition: Grierson Award line-up includes BA’S BOOK, THE CALF DOLL, CONCRETE LAND, CONCRETE TURNED TO SAND, DEPENDENCE, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HARLEM, QUEER EDWARD II and SUMO: SPIRIT WEIGHS NOTHING.
The festival’s Audience Awards will also return, giving audiences the opportunity to vote for their favourite works across three categories: Audience Award: Best Feature Film, Audience Award: Best Short and Audience Award: Best British Discovery.
The Official Competition for the Best Film Award was previously announced, with the section continuing the festival’s tradition of celebrating bold, innovative filmmaking from around the world.
BFI London Film Festival 2026 Across the UK
While the heart of the festival remains in London, the 70th BFI London Film Festival will once again reach audiences nationwide.
Alongside screenings at BFI Southbank, Royal Festival Hall and cinemas across Central London, a curated selection of features and a special Screen Talk will be presented at 10 partner venues in major cities across the UK’s nations and regions.
With an expansive programme covering everything from major international cinema and animation to documentaries, genre films, television, immersive art and video games, the 70th BFI London Film Festival promises to be one of the most ambitious editions in the event’s history.
The 70th BFI London Film Festival runs from 7 to 18 October 2026.
For the full programme and ticket information, visit the official BFI London Film Festival website.
