The 69th BFI London Film Festival takes place from 8-19 October at venues in London and across the UK. Tickets go on sale 16 September. BFI Members book early on 9 September and American Express® Cardmembers can access presale from 12 – 16 September.
Tickets from £10. £6 tickets for 16 – 25 year olds.
PILLION, dir. Harry Lighton (UK)
UK Premiere, Gala
Winner of the Un Certain Regard Screenplay Prize, Colin (Harry Melling) is a directionless wallflower letting life pass him by. That’s until Ray (Alexander Skarsgard), the impossibly handsome leader of a motorbike club, takes him on as his submissive. Ray uproots Colin from his dreary suburban life and introducing him to a community of kinky, queer bikers. He takes all sorts of virginities along the way. But as Colin steps deeper into Ray’s world of rules and mysteries, he begins to question whether he has found his calling, or simply swapped one form of suffocation for another?
THE HISTORY OF SOUND, dir. Oliver Hermanus (USA)
UK Premiere, Gala Strand
The highly anticipated love story starring Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor is set in 1917 Boston. Lionel—a young, talented music student—meets David at the Boston Conservatory, where they bond over a deep love of folk music. Years later, Lionel receives a letter from David, leading to an impromptu journey through the backwoods of Maine to collect traditional songs. This unexpected reunion, ensuing love affair, and the music they collect and preserve, will shape the course of Lionel’s life far beyond his own awareness.
MASPALOMAS, dir. Aitor Arregi, Jose Mari Goenaga (Spain)
UK Premiere, Special Presentation
76 year-old Vicente came out of the closet and left his wife and daughter when he was 50. He has spent the last 25 years living happily with his new partner in Maspalomas. However, when Vicente suffers from a stroke and wakes up from a coma, he is faced with an unexpected reality: he has been moved back to Donostia, and his daughter has placed him in a nursing home. At first, Vicente decides not to offer any explanation about his sexual orientation. Almost without realising it, Vicente returns to where he started – back into the closet, renouncing everything he worked so hard to achieve.
BLUE MOON, dir. Richard Linklater (USA)
UK Premiere, Gala
Lorenz Hart is a legendary lyricist who confronts his shattered self-confidence in Sardi’s bar. It´s March 31, 1943, and his former collaborator Richard Rodgers celebrates the opening night of his hit musical “Oklahoma!”. Blue Moon stars Ethan Hawke, Andrew Scott, Margaret Qualley, and more.
PETER HUJAR’S DAY, dir. Ira Sachs (UK)
UK Premiere, Create Strand
Peter Hujar’s Day stars Ben Whishaw and Rebecca Hall. This new film, directed by the award-winning filmmaker of “Passages,” centers around a conversation between photographer Peter Hujar and Linda Rosenkrantz. Set in 1974, the film illuminates New York’s vibrant downtown art scene and explores the introspective journey of an artist’s life.
SHE’S THE HE, dir. Siobhan McCarthy (USA)
International Premiere, Laugh Strand
Just before thier graduation, Alex and Ethan pretend to be trans women inorder to get into the girl’s lockers. It’s all a joke until Ethan realises: she really is trans. The two must reckon with their changing friendship and the process of coming out.
Explore all films and events at 69th BFI London Film Festival. https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/lff/Online/default.asp
