BFI London Film Festival 2025

This year’s BFI London Film Festival will kick off on Wednesday, October 8 with Rian Johnson’s new Knives Out movie Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery at the Royal Festival Hall and cinemas across the UK.

From there, the UK’s biggest film festival will be pressing play on 11 days and nights of movies, big and small, at cinemas and venues across London and cities across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. 

Very much not a festival that’s just for the critics, snobs and VIPs, the LFF remains the most accessible of the world’s big film festivals. Which means you’ve got every chance of scoring seats to its packed line-up of new movies when tickets go on sale on September 16 (earlier for BFI members). 

What is the BFI London Film Festival?

Now in its 69th year, the London Film Festival is the UKs biggest film fest – an annual showcase for the best in premieres, new movies, restored works from the BFI archives, short films, virtual reality XR experiences, talks, panels and parties. 

When is the London Film Festival 2025?

This year’s LFF runs from Wednesday, October 8 to Sunday, October 19. 

Where is the London Film Festival Held?

As in recent years, the London Film Festival reaches far beyond the capital. London’s Southbank – the Royal Festival Hall, BFI IMAX, BFI Southbank, as well as the South Bank’s Marie Rambert Studio, Rambert for the LFF Expanded XR strand – represents its main home, with screenings also taking place at five London partner cinemas: Curzon Mayfair, Curzon Soho, ICA, Prince Charles Cinema and Vue West End.

There are multiple LFF venues outside London, too, including Nottingham’s Broadway Cinema, Cardiff’s Chapter Arts Centre, Glasgow Film Theatre, MAC in Birmingham, Belfast’s Queen’s Film Theatre, Showroom Cinema in Sheffield, HOME in Manchester, National Science and Media Museum in Bradford, Newcastle’s Tyneside Cinema, Watershed in Bristol and the newly reopened Filmhouse in Edinburgh.

What to see at the London Film Festival?

Rian Johnson’s new Knives Out movie Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery opens the fest at the Royal Festival Hall and cinemas across the UK on October 9. Expect big stars, with Daniel Craig, Josh O’Connor, Andrew Scott and Daryl McCormack all possibles for the red carpet. 

When do London Film Festival tickets go on sale?

The full festival programme will be revealed on September 3, with tickets on sale from September 16. Head to the official festival site for all pricing info.