The 57th Annual BFI Film Festival is set to be held in London between the 9th and 20th of October, bringing with it a whole host of the world’s brightest silver screen talents.
As the largest public film festival in the UK, the event is a major part of any cinema-lover’s calendar and showcases the very best of both national and international filmmaking.
Last year, Jacques Audiard’s powerful Rust and Bone took the Best Film Award, and this year there are several films that will be fighting for the top honour. Before Midnight, starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, is one film that might receive a nod at the London Film Festival.
Celebrated novelist Cormac McCarthy has also written his first original screenplay for Ridley Scott’s new film, The Counselor, which might squeeze in front thanks to its incredibly strong cast. With actors including Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, this film has every chance of walking away with the coveted trophy.
Another exciting prospect is The Fifth Estate, which stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Julian Assange in this action-packed biopic. Bill Condon’s film about the WikiLeaks founder will come up against stiff competition from Fruitvale Station, which moved audiences to tears at the Sundance Film Festival in January.
Finally, the previously award-winning team of Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence shouldn’t be ruled out when they pair up again in Susanne Bier’s Serena, an emotional film set during the Great Depression.
Aside from the Best Film and Best British Newcomer Award, there is also the Sutherland Trophy, which is awarded to the most original debut film.
The Grierson Award is also up for grabs for the best feature-length documentary, and last year’s winner was Alex Gibney for Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God – an exploration of the Catholic Church’s cover up of scandals at the Vatican. The BFI Film Festival also hands out two BFI Fellowships for outstanding contribution to film, with Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter awarded this prestigious honour in 2012.
If you’re a film buff and want to support the celebration of British and international cinema, the BFI Film Festival is the perfect event for you.
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