A Messy Guide to BFI London Film Festival 🎞️
We're going to LFF, and this is what we're seeing!
The annual BFI London Film Festival kicks off today! We’re so excited for another round of the LFF because watching films will inevitably gonna make you a better writer/filmmaker + you get to see the newest films from across the world before they are released in cinemas or it might be your one and only chance to see films that will not have international distribution.
Here are our Messy recommendations to this year’s film selection:
Anora (Writer/Director: Sean Baker)
This is one of the most highly anticipated films of the year especially after it snagged the Palme d’Or at Cannes. It’s about a young sex worker from Brooklyn who meets and impulsively marries the son of an oligarch, distributed by Neon.
Catch Anora either on the 11th, 15th or 20th for the regular screenings or if you’re an Industry pass holder, on the morning of the 11th before the premiere!
Queer (Writer: Justin Kuritzkes, Director: Luca Guadagnino)
As a big Luca Guadagnino fan I can’t miss his next project, the adaptation of William S. Burroughs’ semi-autobiographical novel set in 1940s Mexico City. Distributed by A24, this film already made a splash at the Venice International Film Festival so we’re very curious about how it plays out here in London.
Queer is playing on the 17th, 18th and 19th October for general public and on the 14th for Industry members!
All We Imagine As Light (Writer/Director: Payal Kapadia)
I missed out on the screening of this film when I was at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival a couple of months ago, but will not miss it at the LFF! This film is about the lives of three women and how they intersect and overlap. It’s a drama where the city of Mumbai play a central role. This is also the first Indian film to have won the Grand Prix at Cannes, so not too shabby.
Watch All We Imagine As Light on the 18th and 19th October or on the 14th and 16th as part of the Industry screening!
Queens of Drama (Writers: Alexis Langlois, Carlotta Coco, Thomas Colineau, Director: Alexis Langlois)
On a lighter note, I’m personally very excited for Queens of Drama. The film centres on a star-crossed romance between two singers who first meet as competitors in a television singing competition. It’s a queer Arte France film so naturally I’m already sold.
You can watch Queens of Drama this on the 15th and 16th October or 11th October if you have an Industry pass!
When the Light Breaks (Writer/Director: Rúnar Rúnarsson)
From one loved-up Icelandic sunset to the next, a young woman experiences a vibrant odyssey of emotions as she is forced to reframe the future she’d hoped for. This Icelandic beauty was the opening film for the Un Certain Regard selection of the 2024 Cannes and feels like the perfect end-of-summer film.
Catch When the Light Breaks on the 16th or 17th October for regular screenings or on the 13th October for the Industry screening!
Available at the digital viewing library for Industry pass holders!
Some special mentions <3
Sebastian (Writer/Director: Mikko Mäkelä)
Max, a 25-year-old aspiring writer living in London, begins a double life as a sex worker in order to research his debut novel.
The Balconettes (Writers: Noémie Merlant, Céline Sciamma, Director: Noémie Merlant)
As a heat wave brings a Marseille neighbourhood to the boil, three roommates gleefully meddle in the lives of their neighbours from their balcony. Until a late night drink turns into a bloody affair.
Viêt and Nam (Writer/Director: Trương Minh Quý)
In the depths of the underground coal mines, where danger awaits and darkness prevails, Nam and Viêt, both young miners, cherish fleeting moments, knowing that one of them will soon leave for a new life across the sea.
Eight Postcards from Utopia (Writer/Director: Radu Jude, Christian Ferencz-Flatz)
A found-footage documentary assembled exclusively out of post-socialist Romanian advertisements.
Available at the digital viewing library for Industry pass holders!
Universal Language (Writers: Matthew Rankin, Pirouz Nemati, Ila Firouzabadi, Director: Matthew Rankin)
Cultural identities and spaces blend in this deadpan, surreal comedy that channels classic Iranian cinematic universes to achieve something unique: unity through the shared language of film.
Shorts you shouldn’t miss:
Cold Snap (Writer/Director: Ellen Evans) - part of the Family Ties strand
A mother and daughter deal with terminal illness and loss, in this gripping and beautifully eerie film.
Rhoda (Writer/Director: Alex Lawther) - part of the Trials and Tribulations strand
After years of living alone, Rhoda takes in a lodger, but the change unsettles the equilibrium of her home.
Space(s) (Writer/Director: Luke ‘Frsh’ Fannin) - part of the Family Ties strand
A young man searching for his place in the world takes matters into his own hands.
And Granny Would Dance (Maryam Mohajer) - part of the Wondering, Wandering strand
A tale of love, grief and resilience. At its heart, it is a tribute to the solidarity of Iranian women.
Pigs (Writer: Sophia Jennings, Director: Julia Jackman) - part of the Family Ties strand
One night, Laura goes to dinner at her Mum’s flat, only to realise that there is no more wine left. At least, no more wine left for her.
All of these are available at the digital viewing library for Industry pass holders!
Industry events, talks and the dreaded networking:
Fade In: Emerging Writers in Conversation supported by WGGB
11th October | 3:30PM-4:30PM | Picturehouse Central Screen 4
This talk seems especially relevant to Messies, as screenwriters will be talking about their first experiences in writers’ rooms, writing labs and screenwriting competitions + if you’re a WGGB member there is a networking event following the talk which we can’t miss!
New Waves Networking Cocktail
12th October | 6:30PM-8:30PM | Institut Français
This event is specifically for anyone thinking about a Franco-British co-production and as someone who just attended a European writing lab, let me tell you, there’s a lot more opportunities in mainland Europe than in the UK.
UK Talent Party
13th October | 8PM-10PM | Sea Containers 12th Knot
This is the rooftop bar centrepiece of the BFI LFF UK industry events where delegates have a chance to connect with other filmmakers and emerging talent, so it obviously had to be on our Messy list!
Good Stories: Originals, Adaptations and Remakes
16th October | 11:45AM-12:45PM | Picturehouse Central Screen 4
We can all see the amount of adaptations, remakes and sequels in cinema these days and it can be really disheartening to the screenwriters among us who focus on writing original stories, so I think it’s really important for us to know what the market actually looks like and what execs are looking for.
Industry Happy Hours
11th-12th & 14th-16th October | 5PM-7PM | Picturehouse Central Members' Bar
Each day has a different networking focus, including Directors UK, FOCUS and Women in Film & TV!
Industry Speed Networking
10th, 14th & 16th October | 4PM-5PM | Picturehouse Central Members' Bar
If you’re someone who thrives in a timed, stressful environment then maybe speed networking is a place for you!
Messy Collective Meet-Up
14th October | 6PM-8PM | Retro Bar
We couldn’t help but add our own little meet-up for those of us who are doing LFF for the first time and maybe just want to do it as a group. Whether you’re an industry pass holder or not, come along to our Messy Meet-Up and find people who you can be comfortable around, talk about the films you’ve just watched or even if you’re looking for a buddy to walk into a networking event room with!
Final tips and tricks to survive and get the most out of LFF:
Delegate directory
Use the delegate directory if you’re an industry pass holder and filter through to find people you want to connect with. Thinking about a co-production for your next film with Spain or Poland? Have a look if any producers/broadcasters or sales from those countries are coming to LFF! Watched a short you loved and wanna connect with the director? Filter by films and find their contact details!
Twitter/X & Instagram
Events like the LFF are a GREAT excuse to finally reach out to those people you’ve been following on socials for months, if not years, and set up a meeting! Festivals exist in a sort of vacuum where people are much more likely to squeeze you into their packed day if you’re both already at the same location rather than do it during regular working hours. Do a call out on Twitter and ask who is coming! Share Insta Stories from the festival! Use social media to connect!
Messy LFF WhatsApp group
Whether you’re an industry pass holder or are buying general tickets, come join our BFI London Film Festival group chat where we recommend each other films, look for buddies to go to networking nights with and commiserate about the BFI LFF booking platform app hahaha (but please, BFI, fix it)
Big love to you all and see you at the BFI!
The Messy Women xx