The 70th edition of the BFI London Film Festival has officially come to a close. After weeks of packed cinemas, star-studded red carpets, and endless screen-hopping, the Close-Up Culture team is looking back at their time at the fest.
From massive 25-film marathons to unexpected discoveries, here is how our team experienced LFF – along with the standout highlights that we cannot stop thinking about.
Anna Mayers
I haven’t been able to attend the festival for the last few years, so I was determined this year to see a good amount. I’m really proud of myself for doing four days back to back, managing 10 features in total. I also got to see some friends I’ve not seen in a while which reminded me that the festival is much more than just watching, it’s about connection. Even if I was shattered by the end, ha!
I always feel funny telling people that the reason I’m tired is due to being at the cinema, but big shout out to anyone who committed to watching lots over multiple days, especially if working around the rest of your life too! My only tips for anyone ever asking ahead of attending LFF are to take lots of snacks and get as much sleep as you can. Until next year…
Highlight: Dependence. I gave this documentary five stars, and have not been able to stop thinking about it. Again on connection, films and the festivals that celebrate them do brilliant things at allowing people’s stories to be on the screens they deserve, reaching audiences they might not have. I’m so pleased I was able to watch this in a room of people going on the filmmaker’s journey together.
Coverage:
Primetime – “Hypnotising and haunting”
In The Shadows – “I cried tears of sadness”
Zero Intention Of Living Quietly – “Stunningly insightful“
Iron Boy – “Brilliant story to watch with the whole family“
Paper Tiger – “Leaves you thinking how life can suddenly change“
Dependence – “For 94 minutes, this entire family attempts to wear their heart on their sleeve“
Genevieve Dammery
LFF was a bit ill-timed for me this year, clashing with a trip to NYC that had been in the works for several months (check out our review of the Australian Ballet’s performance of Oscar in NYC here). All the same, it was amazing to see London buzzing for the festival, and I managed to catch two films online (Prince, Elephants in the Fog) and three in person (Club Kid, Prima Facie, A Place to Heal) upon my return to London.
Highlight: Watching Club Kid at Royal Festival Hall. Is it ideal seating for a watching a film? No, the balcony brings a special type of neck pain. Was the atmosphere electric? Yes. Did 11am feel very early to be watching a film with prolonged party scenes? Absolutely. But I laughed, I cried, and I had a great time. Jordan Firstman’s feature directorial debut has proven that he is absolutely one to watch, and next year you bet I will be ready to take on LFF with full force!
Coverage:
A Place To Heal – “A compelling watch“
Elephants In The Fog – “Shah’s debut is a sensitive, visually assured work“
Prince – “Borgia finds something deeply human in an inherently ridiculous situation”
James Prestridge
LFF was a bit of a washout for me this year. A combination of travel commitments and a far too blasé approach to the press booking system meant I managed to catch a grand total of one feature and two shorts. Not exactly a festival for the ages, then. Still, there were bright spots: catching up with friends at Picturehouse Central, fun Zoom calls with talented directors, and seeing the film community turn out in such impressive numbers was a reminder of what makes LFF special.
Highlight: Act 3. Sometimes, all it takes is one film. This documentary essay took me completely by surprise, drawing me into an almost hypnotic meditation on the past and how we use it to make sense of the future. It was the kind of unexpected discovery that makes even a festival spent largely away from the cinema feel worthwhile.
Coverage:
Navigating the World with a Spoon for a Head: The Making of Babyface
The Contradictions of Love: Inside 9 Temples to Heaven
The Shark in the Supermarket: Zhong Kaifeng on the Real-Life Absurdity Behind Atlantic Rhapsody
How a Grandmother’s Secret Poetry Inspired Untitled Woman
Why Director Rodolphe Populus Turned Climate Change Into a Ski Lift Nightmare
Östlund Meets Aster: Shir Ariya and Charlie Stockdale on The Sorrows of Young Charlotte
Ella Eastaway
I had such an amazing time at my first film festival, I watched over 25 films, made countless videos, conducted multiple interviews, and met loads of amazing people! I can’t wait for next year! I’m aiming to focus more on writing my reviews straight away, as I heavily focused on online content this year. I’m also hoping to do even more interviews, galas and pre-festival!
Highlights: Elsinore, La Bola Negra, Club Kid, Bunker and Ray Gunn
Coverage:
Chloe Fay
My first ever LFF! It has been a dream of mine to attend and I finally made it! I caught the gala screening of Behemoth, and as a lover of both film and music I was in complete awe.
To be in the same room as people I admire has been incredibly inspiring (Eva Victor!!) and I am already so looking forward to next year.
Highlight: It has been such an exciting couple of weeks, the buzz from the film community has been wonderful and I feel so lucky to be part of it, everyone I have connected with over the festival has truly been beyond lovely. The best reminder of why I love to love film!
Coverage:
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