For the London Film Festival’s 70th year, there’s no doubt it’s coming in with a bang. It may be one of the smaller film festivals on the calendar, but it’s certainly no less mighty. Over the years, we’ve seen incredible films premiere at the festival, including Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio in 2022, while the beloved Fantastic Mr. Fox opened the festival in 2009. Last year, Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet won Best Feature Film, while other winning titles, like Saïd Zagha’s Coyotes and Vincho Nchogu’s One Woman One Bra, shone a light on the independent filmmaking celebrated by the festival.
Running from 7 to 18 October this year, we’ve curated a list of the 10 films competing for Best Film at the London Film Festival that you’ll want to add to your watch list.
7 Miles Out
Director Carol Morley has adapted her semi-biographical novel into a feature film. The story follows her adolescent years in Stockport during the 70s and 80s, focusing on Ann who struggles in the wake of her father's suicide. Ann ultimately finds escapism through the emerging new-wave punk movement.
Act 3
Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor have created another film in their series of cinematic essays about life. For this one they engage in moving conversations about artists Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore. Analysing the two artists' decades long relationship, they find parallels between the two and their own personal lives.
Glaxo
By director Benjamín Naishtat, this story follows a close group of friends after an act of betrayal within the group leads to a set of terrible consequences. Described by Naishtat as a period-noir thrille, the film is based in the Argentine city of Chivilcoy. Things really reach boiling point when a retired police office and his young wife move into the area.
Imperium
Archival footage makes up filmmaker Sergei Loznita's film, in a story that reframes Soviet history through the gaze of an Italian cameraman who captured life there in the 70s. The footage wass uncovered from Rome's Audiovisual Archive of the Labour and Democratic Movement, and the film dabbles in themes of religion, territories, beliefs and the power dynamic between natives and colonisers.
Ketticè
Filmmaker Giovanni Tortorici has come together with Producer Luca Guadagnino on this coming of age story. Set in Palermo during the early 2000's, the story follows Giulio, a 16 year old with no enthusiasm for his future or education. From the outset alone, it sounds a very aligned with Guadagnino's filmography.
Look Back
By director Hirokazu Koreeda, this story follows two girls who bond over their passion for becoming manga artists. One more confident then the other, the two seemingly opposites come together for their shared love of the art form.
My Notes on Mars
This is director Lili Horvát's third feature film; it's a story that follows the sudden return of Sam's missing wife, who has no memory of anything that happened except her scientific research. A drama and love story that follows a couple navigating their second life together.
The Difficult Bride
From the director Rubaiyat Hossain comes the story of a soon-to-be-wed bride struggling with traditional cultural wedding rituals. A feminist body horror that dives into the extremes of traditional weddings.
The Idiot(s)
From filmmakers Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert, this is the story of a couple that live a self-exiled life in Germany. Starring Aimee Lou Wood and Johnny Flynn, it explores finding creative freedom when one is their own biggest obstacle.
Woman Unknown
From director May el-Toukhy, this story follows Marie, a young housemaid who is about to marry the older wealthy widower, who she also happens to work for. However, her secret past is catching up to her as she tries to preserve her new status as lady of the house.
