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| Author | Mia Blakeney |
The BFI London Film Festival took place from Wednesday 9 to Sunday 20 October 2024.
Now in its 68th year, the festival was held at venues across London, around the UK and on the BFI Player, showcasing some of the best upcoming films from across the globe.
Members of the DCM team were lucky enough to attend many of the screenings, and have shared some of their highlights from the festival.
Last year’s festival included films such as Saltburn, Killers of the Flower Moon, Poor Things and The Holdovers, which made big headlines across the 2024 Awards Season, so keep an eye out for the following titles coming to cinemas soon!
To find out more or discuss any opportunities for any of these films, speak to your DCM rep today.
- Release date: 1 November 2024
- Target audience: 16-34 Women
- Est. DCM admissions: 130k
“Sean Baker (The Floria Project, Red Rocket) directs this barnstorming stress-comedy starring Mikey Madison (Scream 5, Once Upon a time in Hollywood) as Ani, a sex worker who falls in love with a rich Russian client. When the young oligarch’s parents are informed, Ani is dragged into a night of madness across New York City featuring hapless bodyguards, drunken scuffles and enough swearing to out-do Tarantino. The year’s funniest film, and Madison is surely destined for awards.”
Chris Rogers, Agency Executive
- Release date: 1 November 2024
- Target audience: ABC1 Adults
- Est. DCM admissions: 50k
“A touching British drama that touches on themes of family, race, and war. We explore the relationship between Saorise Ronan’s character trying to be a mother during war-torn London and trying to raise her biracial son George in a divided city – its sure to make you cry and laugh alike and feels like a perfect Sunday afternoon watch.”
Selindiona Saliasi, Agency Executive
- Release date: 8 November 2024
- Target audience: 16-34 Adults
- Est. DCM admissions: 150k
“I loved Piece by Piece! They found such clever ways to tell Pharrell's story, and the LEGO animation added a unique twist that made it even more engaging. What really stood out was being reminded of just how many iconic songs Pharrell has been a part of—it kept me hooked from start to finish. The combination of creativity and nostalgia made it a super enjoyable watch!”
Dionne Clayton, Agency Manager
- Release date: 8 November 2024
- Target audience: ABC1 Adults
- Est. DCM admissions: 50k
“Bird shows a raw and tragic look into this working-class family and the struggles of 12-year-old Bailey, played by Mykiya Adams, and her relationship with her single father who is played by Barry Keoghan. The film has a hyper-realistic view into poverty and abuse, and the neglect Bailey faces having to essentially raise herself. Whilst the film is quite tragic, there are also blends of hope sprinkled throughout where she meets the character Bird, who shows her a new way of life.”
Selindiona Saliasi, Agency Executive
"Every year, a British film comes along that gives you the feels in all the right places and this year I think that might just belong to Bird. I feel I have yet to see this year, a film that taps into the idea of naturae vs. nurture so perfectly and puts a spotlight on how much responsibility can fall onto the most vulnerable within our society, particularly it’s youngest members. Featuring stand-out performances from established cast members such as Barry Keoghan and Franz Rogowski and a breakout performance from young star, Nykiya Adams, this is almost a sure bet at next years BAFTAs, who love to celebrate the incredible film making coming out of the UK and Ireland. Bird should perform brilliant with both upmarket and young audiences who are seeking something a little different and a little grittier than the big blockbusters dominating Q4."
Korrine Eshun, Agency Manager
- Release date: 29 November 2024
- Target audience: ABC1 Adults
- Est. DCM admissions: 120k
“Ralph Fiennes and a stellar supporting cast (John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini among others) light the fuse of this dynamite Vatican drama. The Pope has died, and the election of a new leader of the Church is on. It’s a spiky and gorgeously-shot potboiler that has more in common with Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy than it does The Two Popes – a shoo-in for accolades come awards season.”
Chris Rogers, Agency Executive
“This title is sure to have you on the edge of your seat as we uncover one by one the church’s skeletons in their closet. An equally humorous film as well as thrilling – it’s best to go into this title knowing as little as possible, but the performances of Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci are sure to blow you away.”
Selindiona Saliasi, Agency Executive
Grand Theft Hamlet
- Release date: 6 December 2024
- Target audience: 16-34 Adults
- Est. DCM admissions: TBC
“This hilarious and sometimes moving documentary (shot entirely within Grand Theft Auto Online) follows two out-of-work actors stuck indoors at the height of the pandemic. With the help of friends, strangers, and fellow jobless thespians, the two attempt to stage a production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet entirely inside the game. Hilarity, genuine self-reflection and many botched takes ensue – find us another Shakespeare adaptation with as many rocket launchers…we’ll wait!”
Chris Rogers, Agency Executive
- Release date: 13 December 2024
- Target audience: ABC1 Adults
- Est. DCM admissions: 100k
“Luca Guadagnino’s (Call Me By Your Name, Challengers) Queer explores the experience of queer men in 1940s Mexico City. It follows Daniel Craig’s William Lee, an American expat who becomes infatuated by Drew Starkey’s Eugene Allerton, a younger man whose ambiguous sexuality entices Lee. The film thrives at transforming niche themes of male queerness in the 40s yet represent universal queer experiences. Guadagnino provides a refreshing take on a queer issues, making Lee’s story extremely personal, yet universally understandable. The performances of Craig and Starkey are standouts, presenting convincing depictions of their multifaceted characters without ever falling into the dangerous category of stereotypes. Guadagnino injects aestheticism into every inch of the film, with his distinct artistic vision heightening the film’s symbolism and world building.”
Louis Christofi, Marketing Assistant
- Release date: 1 January 2025
- Target audience: ABC1 Women
- Est. DCM admissions: 600k
“A beautiful but unconventional love story, flicking between time as a couple navigate through a life changing situation. It's a deeply moving and raw story carried by Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield (pack tissues!). Their onscreen chemistry is mesmerising and makes the audience fall in love with them both! A definite favourite of mine from the festival, can't wait to see it again in January!”
Maddy Wordsworth, Agency Manager
- Release date: 10 January 2025
- Target audience: ABC1 Adults
- Est. DCM admissions: 250k
“If you love Kieran Culkin as Roman Roy in Succession, you’ll love him as Benji Kaplan in A Real Pain, who embarks on a road trip through Poland with his cousin David (Jesse Eisenberg), to honour their grandmother, who fled Poland during the war. It’s a setup ripe for pathos but what surprised me was how consistently funny it was, particularly the first half. As the stresses in Benji and David’s relationship become clear, and their tour visits some particularly distressing sites, the film earns its pathos and Culkin gets the opportunity to show a range I haven’t seen from Succession (admittedly, I’ve only seen the first two series). It’s a performance that is going to bother the major awards bodies and it’s a film that people will love during the January awards season.”
Tom Linay, Content Business Director
- Release date: 10 January 2025
- Target audience: ABC1 Adults
- Est. DCM admissions: 250k
“Pablo Larraín’s third instalment in an unofficial trilogy focusing on women of history (following Jackie and Spencer) details the last days of Maria Callas, the greatest of all opera divas. Secluded in Paris with her staff, two poodles, and an imagined film crew, Callas is brought brilliantly to life by Angelina Jolie in her finest performance. Shot largely on grainy 16mm film, this colourful reverie is by turns funny, elegiac and deeply moving.”
Chris Rogers, Agency Executive
- Release date: 31 January 2025
- Target audience: ABC1 Adults
- Est. DCM admissions: 75k
“Chronicling the manic 90 minutes in the build up to the taping of the first show 50 years ago, Saturday Night features an all star cast in some uncanny takes on the classic comedians we’ve grown to love over the past half a century. Dylan O’Brien is a major stand-out as Dan Akroyd alongside Lamore Morris as Garret Morris, the first black performer on Saturday Night Live who questions his place on the comedy show having come from a stage background. Filled with slapstick comedy, wordplay and some ingenious uses for Muppets - Saturday Night is a fun watch for anyone, regardless of if they’re an SNL fan or not. In a period dominated by more serious and upmarket dramas, this should be the perfect light weight relief for audiences looking for a bit of fun on a cold January night."
Korrine Eshun, Agency Manager
- Release date: 31 January 2025
- Target audience: ABC1 Adults
- Est. DCM admissions: 150k
“Mike Leigh’s Hard Truths balances hilarity with tragedy, resulting in a nuanced narrative. The film serves as a character study of Marianne Jean-Baptiste’s Pansy, a character haunted by her mental turmoil. Jean-Baptiste’s masterful performance embodies the juxtaposing characteristics of Pansy, seamlessly embodying her distressing melancholy with witty humour. This creates a beautifully flawed and complexed protagonist the audience can’t help but sympathise with.”
Louis Christofi, Marketing Assistant
- Release date: 14 February 2025
- Target audience: ABC1 Women / HP&CH
- Est. DCM admissions: 70k
Memoir of a Snail won the Best Film award in Official Competition at the BFI London Film Festival.
“This film is wickedly funny but supplies a huge magnifying glass on to the complexities of life, covering the extreme tragedies it encompasses, the beautiful moments you share with people who are not always perfect, and the randomness of it all can sometimes just make you smile. This film makes you leave the cinema thinking about how much time we have here and how we want to use it. Inspiring and funny. A must watch.”
Georgia Loddi-Hill, Agency Executive
Find out more about all upcoming films at www.dcm.co.uk/films