This year’s BFI London Film Festival will kick off with as close to a sure bet as you can get: the world premiere of the movie version of ‘Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical’. From there, the UK’s primo film festival will continue its post-pandemic revival in fine style with 11 days and nights of galas, screenings, events, shindigs and film-related happenings around London and other cities around the UK. It’s the most democratic of the world’s big film festivals, with tickets readily available to the public and simultaneous screenings taking its galas out to movie-lovers nationwide.
The leaves might be turning orange but hibernating is not an option. Classically, autumn is the time when London’s cultural scene comes alive: new theatre shows head to the stage, galleries are filled with fresh exhibitions, and large-scale events take over the town. And this year London is serving up a buffet of delicious unmissable events and things to do this autumn.
After blockbuster exhibitions? Check out the British Museum’s ‘Heiroglyphs’ or the V&A’s ‘Hallyu! The Korean Wave’. Want to see stunning art? Frieze, the National Gallery’s Lucian Freud: ‘New Perspectives’ and Chinese artist LuYang have your back. Looking for powerful new theatre? Grab tickets to the RSC’s stage adaption of Studio Ghibli’s ‘My Neighbour Totoro’ or a major new revival of Arthur Millar’s ‘The Crucible’ at the National. Rather dance to big beats? Hit up Dialled In festival or Waterworks.
Or, catch one of the many city-wide events celebrating all the odd nooks and crannies of our glorious city. Like Totally Thames, which will be celebrating our beautiful, dirty old river with night-time flotillas, boat races and exhibitions. Or Open House, unlocking private and secret buildings all over town for us to have a gander around.
Yes, autumn is here and there is a bountiful harvest of brilliant stuff to get up to. Better start filling up your diary.
Want more? Find out what else is happening in September, October, and November 2022.