The 50th London Film Festival starts with a bang on Wednesday 18 October with the European premiere of Kevin Macdonald’s The Last King Of Scotland, starring Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Kerry Washington and Gillian Anderson.
The two week festival will include 181 features and 131 shorts alongside a host of live events, special commissions, screen talks and masterclasses. There will be four world premieres, 32 European and 123 UK premieres. The programme includes the latest work from Lars Von Trier (The Boss Of It All), Phillip Noyce (Catch A Fire), Roger Michell (Venus), and Anthony Minghella (Breaking And Entering).
The likes of Forest Whitaker, Richard Linklater, Tim Burton, Dustin Hoffman and Paul Verhoeven will be on hand to discuss their work in career interviews and masterclasses.
You’ll also be able to catch a few treasures from the BFI National Archives, such as Great Expectations, Oliver Twist and Distant Voices Still Lives; and Dr Strangelove: Or, How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb and The Big Country will be screened in newly restored 35mm glory.
The Closing Gala on Thursday 2 November brings the 50th anniversary celebrations to an end with the UK premiere of Alejandro González Iñárratu’s Babel, starring Cate Blanchett, Brad Pitt and Gael García; Bernal.
The Times BFI 50th London Film Festival runs from 18 October to 2 November.
For loads more information, visit www.lff.org.uk .
Tickets can be booked online at www.lff.org.uk or by telephone on 020 7928 3232 from Friday 29 September.
NFT members booking opens on Monday 18 September.
