Scottish Cinema: BFI London Film Festival to screen exclusive premieres in Edinburgh and Glasgow, including hotly-tipped new movies from Wes Anderson, Jane Campion and Edgar Wright

For the second year in a row the BFI London Film Festival will be sharing some of their biggest premieres with Scottish audiences – here’s how to bag your ticket to walk the virtual red carpet.

Last year, for the first time in its history, the BFI London Film Festival shared several of its exclusive premieres with audiences in selected cinemas across the UK.

As Covid restrictions and social distancing meant fewer people were able to share a cinema, it allowed more cinemagoers than ever before to see previews of films that would go on to sweep the awards many months later.

Sold out screenings at the Edinburgh Filmhouse and the Glasgow Film Theatre included the first UK screenings of future Oscar-winners ‘Nomadland’, ‘Another Round’ and ‘Soul’, along with critical hits like ‘Undine’, ‘Ammonite’, ‘Supernova’ and ‘Mangrove’.

This year the prestigious festival of film is once again sharing some of its biggest hitters – here’s all you need to know.

When is the BFI London Film Festival?

The festival starts on Wednesday, October 6, and ends on Sunday, October 17.

The opening film is ‘The Harder They Fall’, directed by Jeymes Samuel, a drama inspired by the real-life stories of African-American cowboys featuring an all-star cast.

Wes Anderson's 'The French Dispatch' will be one of the highlights of the London Film Festival and is already being tipped for Oscars success.

The closing film is ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’, directed by Joel Coen, which is an adaptation of the Scottish play starring Frances McDormand and Denzel Washington.

Both films will be simultaneously screened at the Filmhouse and the GFT and are expected to include live introductions and post-film Q&As with directors and stars.

What are the other highlights?

Alongside the opening and closing galas there will be another 14 special screenings spread over the festival.

Kristen Stewart has been winning rave reviews for her performance as Princess Diana in ‘Spencer’, a film about the life of the tragic royal figure directed by Pablo Larraín.

Meanwhile, arguably the hottest ticket will be for Wes Anderson’s latest quirky masterpiece ‘The French Dispatch’, which tells the story of a struggling high-brow magazine and features a starry cast including Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Benicio Del Toro, Léa Seydoux, Frances McDormand, Timothée Chalamet and Jeffrey Wright.

There’s also the UK premiere of Edgar Wright’s ‘Last Night in Soho’, about a girl who finds big city life a challenge when she gets accepted into a trendy London fashion school. It features a knockout lead performance by Anya Taylor-Joy (a hot property after her success in ‘The Queen’s Gambit’) and Diana Rigg’s last screen appearance.

And further homegrown talent is on show with ‘The Souvenir: Part II’, the second half of director Joanna Hogg’s autobiographical account of secrets and lies in middle-class 1980s England starring Honor Swinton Byrne, Tilda Swinton, Joe Alwyn, Richard Ayoade, and Charlie Heaton.

What’s the full programme?

The films that will be shown as part of the London Film Festival at the GFT and the Edinburgh Filmhouse are as follows:

The Harder They Fall (Dir. Jeymes Samuel): Wednesday 6 October at 8pm.Spencer (Dir. Pablo Larraín): Thursday 7 October at 8.10pm.The Souvenir: Part II (Dir. Joanna Hogg): Friday 8 October, 8.20pm.Drive My Car (Dir. Ryusuke Hamaguchi): Saturday 9 October at 7pm.Last Night in Soho (Dir. Edgar Wright): Saturday 9 October at 8.15pm.Great Freedom (Dir. Sebastian Meise): Sunday 10 October at 4.35pm.The French Dispatch (Dir. Wes Anderson): Sunday 10 October, at 7.15pm.The Power of the Dog (Dir. Jane Campion): Monday 11 October, at 8pm.The Phantom of the Open (Dir. Craig Roberts): Wednesday 13 October, 8.30pm.Ali & Ava (Dir. Clio Barnard): Thursday 14 October, at 8.30pm.Paris, 13th District (Dir. Jacques Audiard): Friday 15 October, at 6pm.Petite Maman (Dir. Céline Sciamma): Friday 15 October, at 8.50pm.Flee (Dir. Jonas Poher Rasmussen): Saturday 16 October, at 5.45pm.Titane (Dir. Julia Ducournau): Saturday 16 October, at 8.20pm.Memoria (Dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul): Sunday 17 October, at 4pm.The Tragedy of Macbeth (Dir. Joel Coen): Sun 17 October, at 7.30pm.

How do I get tickets?

Tickets are still available for all screenings.

Book your seat at the Edinburgh Filmhouse here.

Book your seat at the GFT here.

Read more:

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