| Date | |
|---|---|
| Author | Mia Blakeney |
The BFI London Film Festival, now in its 67th year, has started to announce some of its programme for its 2023 edition, including the Opening and Closing films, and the American Express Gala film. DCM is once again proud to be an official media partner of the festival.
Academy Award winner Emerald Fennell’s new film, Saltburn, will open the festival. Saltburn stars Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, Alison Oliver, Archie Madekwe and Carey Mulligan, and tells a story of privilege and desire centred on student Oliver Quick (Keoghan).
Oliver is struggling to find his place at Oxford University and is one day invited to the sprawling familial home of Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi), the titular Saltburn, for a summer he'll never forget.
Saltburn will open the BFI London Film Festival on Wednesday 4 October 2023.
James Hawes’ One Life has been announced as the festival’s American Express Gala Film. Starring Anthony Hopkins, the film tells the true story of Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, who saves 669 children from the Nazis in World War II. As his life goes on, Winton lives in guilt with the memories of the children he was not able to save, until a live television show “That’s Life” surprises him with the surviving children, now as adults fifty years later, seated in the audience with him.
Winton is played by both Anthony Hopkins and Johnny Flynn at different stages of his life, and Helena Bonham-Carter stars as his mother. The cast also includes Jonathan Pryce, Lena Olin, Romola Garai and Alex Sharp.
One Life will receive its European premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on 12 October 2023.
Closing this year’s London Film Festival will be The Kitchen, the feature directorial debut of Oscar-winning actor Daniel Kaluuya, and Kibwe Tavares. The Kitchen is set in dystopian London, where the gap between rich and poor has become insurmountable. The Kitchen is one of the only forms of social housing that remains.
The film explores themes of community, inequality, family and resilience and stars Kane (Kano) Robinson as the lead, Izi, and Jedaiah Bannerman as 12-yesr-old Benji. The cast also includes Hope Ikpoku Jr, Teija Kabs, Demmy Ladipo, Cristale and BackRoad Gee.
The Kitchen will close the BFI London Film Festival with its world premiere on Sunday 15 October 2023.
The full line-up for the festival will be announced on 21 August.
The BFI London Film Festival will run from 4 to 15 October 2023 at venues in London and around the UK and is an event not to be missed. Stay tuned for DCM’s coverage of the festival!