10 British film and TV productions from the BFI London Film Festival 2024 that you won’t want to miss.
Now in its 68th year, the BFI London Film Festival (LFF) rolled out the red carpet this October to showcase some outstanding productions from all over the globe.
As always, my excitement to see all the upcoming releases was high and thanks to some careful planning, I managed to watch 15 films this year. Here are my top 10 British production picks from the line-up to whet your cinematic appetite:
Blitz
Cast by Nina Gold
Steve McQueen opened the London Film Festival for the third time, this year with his World War II drama, Blitz. Starring Saoirse Ronan, Harris Dickinson and Benjamin Clémentine, Blitz tells the stories of London citizens during the infamous bomb attack on London in 1940.
Written and directed by McQueen, Blitz emotionally reminds audiences of the horrors of World War II and the strength of ordinary people.
Blitz will be in select cinemas from 1 November and on AppleTV+ from 22 November.
Bird
Cast by Lucy Pardee
After the acclaimed success of films American Honey (2016) and Cow (2021), writer/director Andrea Arnold returned to the London Film Festival this year with her latest drama.
Franz Rogowski and Spotlight members Barry Keoghan and Nykiya Adams lead the cast of Bird, the weighted tale of a downtrodden family living in squalor as brother and sister Bailey and Hunter search for adventure.
Bird will be released in select cinemas and on Mubi on 8 November.
Conclave
Cast by Nina Gold
Directed by Edward Berger, Conclave follows ‘Cardinal Lawrence’, portrayed by Spotlight member Ralph Fiennes, as he’s burdened with the task of selecting the new Pope to lead the Catholic Church. As events unfold, he finds himself amid a conspiracy that could have lasting complications.
Alongside Fiennes is the outstanding cast of John Lithgow and Spotlight members Stanley Tucci and Lucian Msamati.
Conclave is in cinemas from 29 November.
Hard Truths
Acclaimed British filmmaker Mike Leigh returned to the London Film Festival this year with his latest film, Hard Truths.
Starring Spotlight members Marianna Jean-Baptiste, Michele Austin and Sophia Brown, Hard Truths is a character-based comedy-drama about a fierce mother, sister, and wife who finds it hard to see the bright side of things. With her fiery and sometimes abrasive personality, she navigates life with a chip on her shoulder. Thanks to her optimistic sister, they balance and support each other through daily life.
Hard Truths will be released in January 2025.
The Listeners
Cast by Shaheen Baig
Based on the novel by Jordan Tannahill, The Listeners is an exciting new television drama series from showrunner Janicza Bravo, whose previous work includes Russian Doll (2019) and Mrs. America (2020).
The Listeners stars Rebecca Hall as a tormented English teacher as she starts to hear a low humming noise that only she can hear. Hall is joined by Spotlight members Scottee, Alexander Anderson and many more talented performers in a great cast.
Having had its world premiere at the London Film Festival, the release date is still yet to be announced, but it will be available on BBC and BBC iPlayer.
A Thousand Blows
Cast by Shaheen Baig
Written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, A Thousand Blows sees Spotlight members Stephen Graham, Erin Doherty, Jason Tobin and Francis Lovehall in Victorian London’s East End as two brothers fight their way to survival and find themselves coming up against veteran boxer ‘Sugar Goodson’ (Graham).
This gritty, thrilling and powerful television series made its world premiere at this year’s London Film Festival and will be released on Disney+ in 2025.
Joy
Cast by Lucy Bevan and Olivia Grant
Netflix presents Joy, directed by Ben Taylor – the story of the first-ever test tube baby and the development of IVF treatment.
Told from the perspective of young nurse ‘Jean Purdy’, played by Thomasin McKenzie, she teams up with visionary scientist ‘Robert Edwards’, played by Spotlight member James Norton and Spotlight member Bill Nighy’s celebrated surgeon, ‘Patrick Steptoe’.
Together, they embark on the path of discovery whilst facing criticism from the church, the general public and the national media.
Joy is in cinemas from 15 November and on Netflix from 22 November.
That Christmas
Cast by Rachel Freck
From Locksmith Animation, the studio that brought Ron’s Gone Wrong to the London Film Festival in 2021, That Christmas is an exciting new animated film set in a quaint British seaside village during the build-up to Christmas.
Written by Richard Curtis and directed by Simon Otto, this festive treat is perfect for the whole family during the holiday season. The fantastic voice cast includes Spotlight members Brian Cox as ‘Santa Claus’ and Guz Khan as ‘Rudolph’, as well as Bill Nighy, Jodie Whittaker and Fiona Shaw.
That Christmas premieres on Netflix on 4 December.
Harvest
Cast by Shaheen Baig
The latest addition from Greek filmmaker Athina Rachel Tsangari is the eerie horror, Harvest. The fantastic cast is brimming with exciting talent, including Caleb Landry Jones and Spotlight members Harry Melling and Frank Dillane.
Adapted from Jim Crace’s acclaimed novel, Harvest is a chilling western drama that tells the story of a nameless village that mysteriously disappears. This intriguing story follows the twists and turns of childhood friends, farmer ‘Walter Thirsk’ (Jones) and Lord of the Manor ‘Charles Kent’ (Melling) who find themselves dealing with the outside world in ways they could never have imagined.
Harvest has been acquired by Mubi for release in the UK.
We Live in Time
Cast by Fiona Weir
We conclude our list of must-watch titles with another world premiere, We Live in Time from director John Crowley.
This heartfelt decade-spanning film tells the story of a couple who meet in a chance encounter. We follow them through the twists and turns of life as they navigate the time they have together after a medical diagnosis rocks their world.
Full of breathtaking performances, the cast is led by Oscar nominated actors Florence Pugh and Spotlight member Andrew Garfield.
We Live in Time is in cinemas on 1 January 2025.
My top 10 production picks highlight only a fraction of the exceptional talent on show at this year’s London Film Festival. Take a look at the full programme to find out more about the other films and series coming to cinemas and streaming services soon.
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