BFI London Film Festival 2026: A Guide to the 70th Edition

The BFI London Film Festival marks its 70th edition this year, running from Wednesday 7 to Sunday 18 October 2026. The programme includes 251 features, shorts, series and immersive works from 88 countries, among them 33 world premieres.

Run by the British Film Institute, it remains one of the few major film festivals where members of the public can buy tickets for almost the entire programme, alongside industry delegates.

Where it happens

Screenings take place across seven London venues:

BFI Southbank and the BFI IMAX
the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall
the ICA on The Mall
the Prince Charles Cinema, Vue West End and Curzon Soho

The festival also screens selected titles at venues around the UK.

What to look out for

The programme is organised into themed strands — including Love, Debate, Laugh, Dare, Thrill, Cult, Journey, Create, Experimenta and Family — which make it easier to navigate. Gala screenings on the South Bank bring red carpets and cast appearances, while Screen Talks give audiences the chance to hear directly from leading filmmakers. City AM reports that this year’s Mayor of London’s Gala is Ink, Danny Boyle’s film about Fleet Street.

Tickets

General sale opened on 17 September. Popular galas sell out quickly, but the festival releases returns and runs a standby queue at the BFI Southbank box office before screenings, so it is worth trying on the day.

Make a day of it

The festival’s final days, 14 to 18 October, overlap with Frieze London and Frieze Masters in Regent’s Park, making mid-October one of the busiest cultural weeks of the year in the capital.