London Film Festival 2023
From the 4th of October until the 15th, the 67th annual London Film Festival took place at the BFI Southbank Centre and around the city of London. As a film student I was able to attend the film festival with the BFI’s Film Academy Pass as well as purchasing tickets to public screenings. At this year’s festival, I went to twenty public screenings. There were so many options for films I wanted to see this year I was not able to fit everything into the small window. However, I hope to see more of the festival’s selections when they are released either in cinemas or on streaming sights in the future. My screenings included general screenings as well as premieres. Premieres are always slightly more enjoyable because at least some of the cast and crew are there to present the film to the audience.
Wednesday October 4
The 67th annual London Film Festival’s opening night gala presentation was none other than Emerald Fennell’s second feature Saltburn. Without a ticket to the screening, my friend and I went to the red carpet for it, as it is such a wonderful experience to see cast, crew and guests all gather to celebrate the film. Due to the important SAG strike and actors following the guidelines, they did not show up to attend the premiere. However, the lovely Emerald Fennell graced the carpet with her presence. The honour and bliss she had for her film to be the opening night gala at the festival was shown. A lovely woman, she talked to us and thanked us for attending before heading into Royal Festival Hall. As for others, some TikTokers and Love Island stars showed up. A surprise was seeing Jessie Buckley and Claire Foy attending the film as general members of the public. We were also surprised by Paul Feig walking through with the public, but alas, he did come over and talk to fans.
As the red carpet was ending and everyone was headed inside, two lovely people walked up to my friend and I and offered us tickets into the film! We were shocked to say the least and of course we said yes. Not only were we both excited to see the film, but to see the opening night gala presentation at the London Film Festival is a hard thing to come by. The audience is always so vibrant and full of emotion when attending film premieres, it changes the experience of seeing the film. Emerald Fennell came on stage to present the film to the audience and returned at the end as well to do a quick Q&A. As always, having any member of the film’s team there changes your perspective of the film and makes it all the more interesting. As the film began and continued on, the audience reacted at every necessary moment. Is the film a comedy? Is it a horror? A psychological thriller? Like stated many times in the film “who cares”! Without giving anything away, make sure you see Saltburn as soon as it plays in a cinema near you.
Thursday October 5
Even though I love seeing as many films as I can at the film festivals, I do love having quieter days. Today I was able to attend the Screen talk with the one and only Emerald Fennell, and after seeing Saltburn last night, I was very excited for this. The screen talk was moderated by fellow female director Susanne Bier. During her screen talk, Emerald talked about her career as an actor, writer and director. Clips were shown of her previous works, including a scene from Careful How You Go (2018), Promising Young Woman (2020) and a scene from season two of Killing Eve (2018-2022). Emerald Fennell talked about her use of making messy characters and how she finds the most interesting characters are the ones that are messed up. If you have any interest in listening to her screen talk, be sure to seek it out if/when the BFI posts it to their YouTube channel.
After the screen talk, I happily went in to the second screening of Saltburn. I felt more knowledgeable the second time seeing the film with help from Emerald’s own words during the screen talk. The film is just as intriguing and psychosexual on the second watch. Even though I knew what happened in the film I was still excited to see every scene once again. Saltburn releases in cinemas later this year and I plan on pre-ordering my ticket as soon as they’re available so I can watch this masterpiece again.
Friday October 6
Probably my fullest day of the film festival, the third day included four screenings. Three in the ginormous Royal Festival Hall and one at Curzon Mayfair. The Bikeriders, The Killer, May December and Memory were today’s films.
Directed by Jeff Nichols, The Bikeriders tells a fictional story inspired by Danny Lyon’s 1967 photo-book of the same name. Taking place over the 1960s, a motorcycle club led by Johnny (Tom Hardy) grows from a simple place for outsiders to a life-threatening gang. Along with Hardy, the all-star cast includes Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, and Norman Reedus. The story of the gang focuses on Benny (Butler) told mainly through interviews given to Danny (Faist) by Kathy (Comer). Sometimes films with certain “vibes” are made for a specific audience, and in my opinion The Bikeriders was not made for an audience of me. However, that being said, I still enjoyed the film. The costume design and acting were the strongest aspects of the film. Jodie Comer and Tom Hardy led the film with terrific performances. The most interesting part of the film was the idea to adapt a screenplay from a photo-book.
With a short break in between, my second showing of the day was David Fincher’s The Killer. Michael Fassbender stars as The Killer in what can only be described as an exploration into the precision that goes through the mind of a professional killer on the job. As a perfectionist The Killer did not expect his fateful near miss, but when he does his world changes. The film follows The Killer as he battles his employers on an international manhunt that he swears is not personal. As there were many well shot action scenes in the film, it was easy to stay interested in the plot. The definite star of the film as a whole was Fassbender and his performance. The Killer is a good action movie if you’re in that mood.
Before the gala presentation of Todd Haynes’ May December, I attended the red carpet for the film. As always, there are hopes of seeing and speaking to any members of the cast and crew. With great luck, I accomplished my wish for today: I talked to Todd Haynes. He came over to the fans right away and had conversations with some of us. Ever since hearing him talk at the Retrospective that the Centre Pompidou held for him in Paris in May this year, I wanted to tell him about the impact his films have had on me, and I did just that. It was an incredible experience talking to Todd. He makes the best eye contact while having a conversation and then signed his film’s portion of the LFF pamphlet. This experience made my day, and it was followed by an incredible melodrama, that I would even consider adding the word psychological to as well to describe it.
Following the May December gala presentation, I attended the special presentation of Memory. However, it was held at the Curzon Mayfair, so I had under half an hour to make it from Southbank to Curzon Mayfair, quite a fun journey. The film was presented to the audience by director Michel Franco and lead actor Peter Sarsgaard. A gut-wrenching story of one’s memory slipping away, Franco’s film follows a topic difficult to discuss. Sylvia (Jessica Chastain) is a social worker whose simple life is blown apart when Saul (Peter Sarsgaard) follows her home from a high school reunion. Through their meeting, they open a door to their pasts and it looks at the faults of our memories. Both Chastain and Sarsgaard marvel in their leading roles, with beautiful chemistry. Memory was a sad yet ‘calm’ film to finish day three of the festival with.
Saturday October 7
Day four of the London Film Festival and I was able to secure last minute tickets to the Screen talk with Martin Scorsese. Then I caught the gala presentation of Killers of the Flower Moon and Fallen Leaves at Royal Festival Hall.
The 85-minute talk with Martin Scorsese was moderated by British director Edgar Wright. As a fan of Scorsese’s work, Wright stated several times how he could sit there for hours listening to Scorsese talk. Many of Scorsese’s past works were discussed and what he feels cinema is heading towards.
Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon has got to be his longest film yet. Being based on such a rich and heart-wrenching part of American history, the length of the film makes sense. Scorsese himself along with the chief of the Osage Nation were there to present the film to the audience. The film was adapted from David Grann’s non-fiction novel of the same name. After oil was found in Osage Nation land in Oklahoma in the 1920s, the Osage people prospered in wealth and riches. One by one, these people began to be killed off with no investigations into how or why. With superb directing along with career-best acting from Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone and Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon did not feel its length. Even though Killers of the Flower Moon will be released on Apple TV+ later this year, I highly recommend seeing it in cinemas, it makes the experience of the film all the much better. And cinemas are where films are meant to be seen, so you can give the film your full focus.
Sunday October 8
I attended two more film premieres today, day five of the London Film Festival. The two films were the headline gala for All of Us Strangers as well as Eileen, which is part of the festival’s Dare programme.
For the UK premiere of All of Us Strangers, we attended the red carpet to see the crew members. We saw director Andrew Haigh as well as a small number of other crew members. The film was then presented to the audience at Royal Festival Hall by Haigh and crew. A beautiful story of love and loss. All of Us Strangers is Haigh’s adaptation of Taichi Yamada’s 1987 novel Strangers. Adam (Andrew Scott) is a screenwriter living in a quiet London flat. One day his neighbour Harry (Paul Mescal) strikes up a conversation with him, which leads towards a closer type of intimacy. Still dealing with trauma from his past, Adam’s new relationship with Harry causes him to question these new changes in his life. Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal shine in this absolutely perfect film. Two strong leads with a combination of superb directing and style male this stunning film come to life and leave the audience gasping for air as the final scene ends.
Then it was finally time to see one of my most anticipated films of the year. Ever since Eileen premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January this year, I knew I needed to see it. Based on the novel of the same name by Ottessa Moshfegh, this psychological thriller follows Eileen (Thomasin McKenzie), a shy prison worker who’s days pass with fantasies of sex and suicide. That is until Rebecca (Anne Hathaway), the prison’s new psychiatrist shows up. With the attraction she feels for Rebecca, Eileen gets pulled into a crime that goes beyond her wildest dreams. The film is just what I wanted it to be, with twists and turns I never saw coming. McKenzie portrays her character in the perfect way, shy and nervous, while Hathaway’s charisma is showcased brilliantly. The cinematography of the film, as well as the soundtrack, also assist with the film as a whole and transports the audience into the psychological thriller taking place in the 1960s.
Monday October 9
Having had planned to attend both the Maestro and Priscilla galas tonight, we changed our mind and just went to Priscilla so we could attend both of the red carpets for the two galas as they would have overlapped otherwise. The red carpet for the premiere of Maestro was so wonderfully surprising. Bradley Cooper did not show up. However, Bill Nighy showed up and visited the fan pens before continuing onto the carpet and into the cinema.
The moment we were waiting for finally came, the Priscilla red carpet and premiere. We had such high hopes that Sofia Coppola would attend. Even though she did not end up attending, due to personal reasons, the actress who plays Priscilla herself, Cailee Spaeny showed up to present the film to the audience alongside producer Lorenzo Mieli. Priscilla is Sofia Coppola’s take on Priscilla Presley’s memoir Elvis and Me. Using her own vivid visual style, Coppola brings nuance and attention to the youth of Priscilla Presley and the whirlwind that was her romance and relationship with Elvis Presley. There are few directors who are able to portray young females in such a soft, sentimental way. Sofia Coppola does just that with her film that explores the mesmerizing figure that was, and is, Priscilla Presley.
Tuesday October 10
Today was a small day with only the premiere of Foe at Royal Festival Hall. Director Garth David presented the film to the audience before the screening commenced. Based on the novel of the same name written by Iain Reid, David’s adaptation tells the story of Hen (Saoirse Ronan) and Junior (Paul Mescal) as they live together on farmland that has been in Junior’s family for generations. Their lives are thrown into turmoil when a stranger shows up at their door with a startling, life altering proposal. The film itself is lovely to watch, with a nice colour palette. The strongest element of the film is the acting and the chemistry that Ronan and Mescal have with each other. They hold the film together and show the love the characters have for each other. Following my watch of the film I now plan to read the novel to see where each aspect of the film and where the script was drawn from.
Wednesday October 11
The first showing of the day was another showing of Todd Haynes’ May December. Of course I wanted to see the film again to be able to reassess what happened in the film and because of the superb picture that Todd Haynes directed. On the second screening of another spectacular Haynes film, I was able to see so much more detail and even though I still did not fully digest the film, it helped more to watch it for a second time. May December leaves so many questions and leaves the audience wondering and wanting more.
After a quick afternoon break we attended the red carpet for the world premiere of Jeymes Samuel’s second feature film The Book of Clarence, which won’t be released in the UK until later next year. Despite the rain, the guests arrived with such happiness for the film’s premiere. The carpet was extended and joined by a DJ to hype up the attendees on the carpet. Director Jeymes Samuel himself was very kind and took time with each fan on the carpet before heading to the press section.
Later on, it was time for the Gala presentation of Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers. The carpet was much quieter for this film as it started raining more. We were still lucky enough though to speak to Payne before he talked to the press. A Christmas movie with a sort of Dead Poets Society feel, Payne’s film follows bad tempered instructor Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti) who must stay on campus at the New England prep school to be the guardian to a handful of students who cannot go home for the holidays. Eventually, through time spent together he forms a bond with the damaged, brainy troublemaker Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa) and with the school’s head cook, who just lost her son, Mary Lamb (Da’Vine Joy Randolph). The three have an adventurous school holiday but must be weary of the repercussions that may come with some foolishness. Perhaps just a little too long, The Holdovers is a fun and comforting Christmas film that should be one everyone watches over the holiday season. Representing the importance of a found family, and that family does not only have to be blood, but who we make it out to be.
Thursday October 12
My two films today were evening screenings: Molly Manning Walker’s How to Have Sex and The Zone of Interest directed by Jonathan Glazer.
Having previously worked as cinematographer on several projects, Molly Manning Walker makes her directorial and screenwriting debut with How to Have Sex. Three British teens go on holiday for what should be the best summer of their lives, a rite of passage. Tara (Mia McKenna-Bruce) and her friends Skye (Lara Peake) and Em (Eva Lewis) are in pursuit of drinks, sun and sex at the Cretan resort. One night, Tara’s experience turns sour and starts to question what happened, her friendships and her future.
It takes a strong person to be able to write and direct a film with such a relatable and important story. Many girls end up in situations where they aren’t sure if they know what happened or were okay with what was happening. Molly Manning Walker created How to Have Sex to tell a story. With incredible acting by McKenna-Bruce, a real powerhouse, Manning Walker’s story came to life and a message was passed along with it as well.
Then it was time for the premiere of The Zone of Interest, a film that has been on my watchlist since it premiered at Cannes Film Festival in May of this year and received many positive reviews. Glazer’s film tells the story of the Höss family living in Auschwitz. Rudolf Höss is the commandant of Auschwitz. He and his wife hope to build their dream life for their family in a house next to the camp. Sadly, I must say that Glazer’s film did not have the same effect on me as it did to the majority of its audience. While it was shot beautifully, the plot was insufficient to me, and I plainly was not interested. That being said, as others have enjoyed it, it might just be one of those films for me.
Friday October 13
A morning showing of James Hewes’ One Life started what would be my second last day at the 67th London Film Festival. As opposed to last night’s premiere, One Life follows British stockbroker Nicholas Winton (Anthony Hopkins and Johnny Flynn – young Nicky) as he visits Czechoslovakia just before the breakout of World War II in the 1930s. Based on a true story, Winton forms a plan to help rescue vulnerable Jewish children before the onset of war. This operation became known as the Kindertransport. Cinematography that feels like a classic British film, and talented performances by Hopkins, Flynn and Helena Bonham Carter. One Life leaves you learning something that you might not have known about the holocaust, and about one man who did not want any credit but just wanted to help Jewish children in need.
I was able to see the press and industry showing of The End We Start From at TIFF in September this year. After enjoying the film so much, I wanted to talk to any member of the crew who took part in making this beautiful film. That was why I attended the red-carpet premiere of Mahalia Belo’s The End We Start From. With immense luck, I was able to talk to both the director Mahalia Belo and writer Alice Birch as they arrived at the carpet for the premiere. Telling Belo and Birch that I loved their film and seeing their reactions was so touching and I am glad I had the opportunity to do so.
My last film of my second last day was Kim Jee-woon’s Cobweb. The premiere of the London Film Festival’s special presentation film was introduced by Jee-woon himself. Another film that caught my attention after premiering at Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. Cobweb is a film within a film. In 1970s Korea, Director Kim (Song Kang-ho) has just finished filming his newest film Cobweb, when he decides to reshoot and rewrite the ending. He then must get all the cast and crew back for what he calls a two day reshoot. Things start to turn chaotic, and barriers continue to show up and director Kim tries to finish his artistic ambitions and complete his masterpiece.
Saturday October 14
The 10th day of the London Film Festival was my last. I had a lovely morning by attending the Letterboxd meetup. It was so much fun to talk to Ella Kemp about my last four watched and starting debates surrounding the films and limited series I have recently logged. We debated whether or not one should log TV shows on Letterboxd, and even though it is controversial I choose to do it anyways since they put them on there. Then, after mentioning I cried, Ella asked me if I cry easily, and I proceeded to name all the film festival films that I have cried during so far.
My second last film of the festival was the Japanese film Monster directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda. This film follows Saori Mugino (Sakura Ando) a mother who becomes worrisome when her son Minato (Soya Kurokawa) starts to behave strangely. As the film begins from the mother’s perspective, Kore-eda takes the audience in a direction that leads you to believe an alternate ending may occur. A slow build-up and multiple character perspectives are involved in what ends in a beautiful story of every type of relationship that could be in a young boy’s life.
My final film of the 67th London Film Festival was Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things. Lanthimos’ newest feature film brings Emma Stone as protagonist Bella Baxter to the big screen. Bella is reincarnated by “mad” scientist Dr. Goodwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Having been captive to Baxter’s home, Bella longs for the world and runs off with Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo). Upon this escape, she goes on a whirlwind adventure across continents and learns many, many things. Through Lanthimos’ typical style, he adapts the novel Poor Things into his own film and story. With the help of talented performances from Stone, Dafoe and Ruffalo, Poor Things is another eerie Yorgos Lanthimos film.
As always, the BFI brings such a curated selection of films to another one of their festivals. The 67th edition pulled all the stops. Even without the actors being able to attend, it was lovely seeing the directors and other crew members present their films. There were so many films that I was unable to see at this year’s festival, but I will try to see them as they release in the future. Hopefully all the films from the festival make their way into the public eye and the world can keep enjoying the art that is film and cinema.
Poster credits to Letterboxd.
