BFI London Film Festival 2026 Preview: What to Watch at This Year’s LFF
By Alex Gilston - October 6, 2026
The changing of the seasons heralds one of the biggest events in the movie calendar in the UK - BFI London Film Festival. Celebrating its 70th year, the fest has a plethora of premieres, must see festival season features, short films, and screen talks from the 7th-18th October. Film Focus Online has put together a non-exhaustive list from the 251 films that will be showing in venues across central London.
Must-See Films
Wildwood
Wildwood follows Prue as she is whisked away on an adventure into the mysterious forest near her hometown of Portland as she attempts to save her brother Mac from the grasp of a woman named Alexandra.
Stop Motion animation house LAIKA is back with their first feature since 2019’s Missing Link. After being in development for 16 years Wildwood promises to be their most ambitious film yet clocking in as the longest stop motion animated film in history at almost two hours and twenty minutes. It is having its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival so the buzz for it is set to be on another level.
Fjord
Fjord tangles us in the Gheorghiu family - Romanian (Sebastian Stan) and Norwegian (Renate Reinsve) parents - who move back to the mother’s birthplace. When they are suspected of abusing their children their lives are thrown into chaos in the small town.
Fjord comes to the BFI London Film Festival fresh off its Palme D’Or win at Cannes. As it has premiered at more festivals since the word of mouth on it has dwindled and opinions have changed. If there’s one thing that this festival thrives on, it is a divisive film that will get people talking on both sides of the aisle.
The Debut
Mona Friedman decides to audition for a musical at a local arts center production, and when she gets the supporting role her life is upended as she becomes further embroiled in playing her character.
Jesse Eisenberg, coming off the back of A Real Pain, dips his toes into the musical genre directing Julianne Moore in what is set to be a powerhouse performance. Paul Giamatti brings up the rear as the director of the fictional musical that Jesse Eisenberg has written thirteen original songs for. It is the festival’s closing night gala, ending two weeks of movie watching with a bang.
Surprise Film
No plot details are available for this as is the case every year with one of the most anticipated events of the BFI London Film Festival calendar. The Surprise film has taken many forms over the years including incredible titles such as, School of Rock, Death Becomes Her, Lady Bird, and Saturday Night. It lands on the second Friday of the festival this year to give everyone a well needed second wind to get through the final few days.
There is a lot of speculation this year as to what the film could be. I Play Rocky, the fictional retelling of the making of hit film and Best Picture winner Rocky, is one of the favourites amongst theorists. Other titles mentioned by people online include, The Only Living Pickpocket in New York, Bucking Fastard, and Stuffed. It could also be Robert Eggers’ Werwulf as he is making a stop at the festival to do a screen talk without a project officially confirmed for the programme, which does arouse suspicion.
Awards Contenders
Elsinore
Elsinore sees Andrew Scott take on the role of legendary stage and screen actor Ian Charleson as he faces his own mortality whilst performing Hamlet at the National Theatre. Charleson took on the production in the final months of his life as he battled with his AIDS diagnosis.
Elsinore sees its European premiere at the festival. It has screened elsewhere to critical acclaim, mainly due to Andrew Scott’s performance as Charleson. Andrew Scott being a firm London Film Festival favourite, and his performance being widely praised means Elsinore could be a shoo-in for Best Actor nominations.
Ink
Danny Boyle helms a fictional account of the meteoric rise of The Sun newspaper, adapted by James Graham from his own stage play. The film follows Larry Lamb as he accepts an editor position at media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s Sun newspaper. Ink tracks The Sun’s descent into sensationalist tabloid and how it changed the media landscape forever.
Ink is a British production helmed by Oscar winner Danny Boyle. There may be a question mark on if it will break into America and gain some Oscar nominations but it is everything that the British Academy loves. That means some BAFTA noms could be on the horizon for the film. That being said Boyle came under fire at Toronto International Film Festival as there is clear use of generative AI in Ink. It comes after Boyle himself had spoken out against its use.
Genre Picks
Godzilla Minus Zero
Godzilla Minus Zero is the much anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed Godzilla Minus One. Takashi Yamazaki returns to write and direct. In postwar Japan a new monster threatens to wreak havoc as Godzilla returns in an unlikely role.
There’s nothing quite like a creature feature to sink your teeth into, but none hit as hard as a film featuring the king of the monsters. If Minus Zero balances the big set pieces with the intimate human drama like Minus One did then Yamazaki will surely be onto a winner.
The History of Concrete
Comedian and documentarian John Wilson takes it upon himself to go to a Hallmark writing workshop and uses the things he learns to make a documentary about concrete.
Documentary films are always a mainstay of London Film Festival but The History of Concrete looks to be an extra special one as it takes Hallmark movies, which have become a genre within themselves over the years to make what is going to be a playful film.
The Face of Horror
In The Face Of Horror Eleanor comes back to life after being murdered, and along with her sister she seeks to take vengeance on the man who betrayed her and her family.
Horror always has its home at the BFI London Film Festival at the Prince Charles Cinema off Leicester Square and this year is no different. What better to do if you’re in a spooky mood than watch The Face of Horror which is a love letter to Technicolor horror films.
Hidden Gems
Iron Boy
In Iron Boy Christophe is an 11-year-old farm boy whose life changes forever as he becomes sick and is forced to wear an iron corset. His new found circumstances offer him the opportunity to explore life in a whole new way.
Written and directed by former Pixar animator Louis Clichy, Iron Boy is one of the lesser known animated offerings from this festival. With juggernauts like Wildwood and Ray Gunn it’s easy for it to get lost in the background. It’s distinctive watercolour style is more than enough reason to give it a chance.
To Hold a Mountain
Set in the remote highlands of Montenegro, To Hold a Mountain follows a mother and daughter who are defending their ancestral mountain from being used as a NATO military training ground.
To Hold a Mountain won the grand jury prize for world cinema documentary at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and has also been selected as Montenegro’s pick for Best International Feature at next year's Oscars.
Sweet Milk Lake
Jake returns to the small country town of Sweet Milk in Australia where he grew up. He is looking to make peace with his estranged father before he dies, but when he turns up he is mistaken for his twin brother Sam.
Harvey Zielinski makes his feature debut, writing, directing and starring in Sweet Milk Lake. Queer stories, especially focusing on transgender people are more important than ever in the current social and political climate. Especially when they are told by the community that they are about.
Personal Picks
Ray Gunn
Ray Gunn is the last human private investigator in a futuristic neo-noir city called Metropia. Aliens, murder, intrigue, and a famous star named Venus Nova all come together in a sprawling investigation.
Brad Bird initially wanted to make this film back in the 90s but it was seen as too mature to take a risk on. Instead he was given a chance on The Iron Giant and the rest, as they say, is history. In his first film since The Incredibles 2, Brad Bird finally brings his passion project to the screen in all of its Blade Runner-inspired glory.
It Gets Worse
Three university best friends are on the brink of being evicted by their landlord in London. As a spate of new gen-x/z comedies pop up like Adults and Overcompensating, It Gets Worse seems to be the British answer to them.
The only TV show on the list, It Gets Worse is created by Leo Reich, and if you’re chronically online you may have already seen a clip from it posted by A24 on TikTok. The scene involves show creator Leo Reich and his therapist played by Andrew Scott. Except it soon becomes clear it isn’t his therapist but a quick hook-up. Scott says some of the most diabolical things a person has ever said and it is absolutely side-splitting. If the clip is anything to go by then it’s going to be absolutely hilarious.
Club Kid
Jordan Firstman plays Peter, a washed-up party promoter. His life is thrown on its head when he is forced to care for 10-year-old Arlo, his son who he didn’t know existed.
Club Kid is set to be one of the best of the festival, a queer story that has had nothing but acclaim from the other places it has screened. Firstman made his mark in Rachel Sennott’s sitcom I love LA as Charlie Cohen, so a film where he is at the helm is an exciting prospect.
Find the complete schedule for the BFI London Film Festival HERE.
For more features, reviews, and deep dives into film and TV, keep it locked to Film Focus Online.
Alex Gilston
Senior Writer
Alex is a film critic, and self confessed Disney expert. His passion for film is huge, so to be able to write and talk about them is a personal dream of his.
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