London Loves Cinema

For nearly two weeks, London becomes a celebration of cinema, bringing together major premieres, emerging talent and audiences from around the world. The BFI London Film Festival returns from October 7–18 with a programme designed to make the city itself part of the experience.

This year also marks the festival’s 70th anniversary — seven decades of introducing audiences to new stories, influential filmmakers and performances that continue long after the credits roll. Familiar names including Cate Blanchett, Andrew Garfield, Julianne Moore and Cynthia Erivo are part of the wider festival conversation, alongside films such as Artificial, The Debut and Elsinore.

Yet a film festival in London is never only about choosing what to watch. It is the anticipation before a premiere, the atmosphere of a packed cinema, the red carpets, conversations after a screening and everything the city offers between films.

For visitors, that means an opportunity to build an entire London experience around the festival. A screening can become the beginning of an evening — followed by dinner, drinks, a walk through the city or the discovery of somewhere completely new.

And that is where real experiences matter. Reviews can help you decide which places deserve a spot in your plans and what other visitors actually experienced before you arrive.

Whether you are travelling to London specifically for the festival or simply happen to be in the city while it is happening, make the most of the moment.

"Watch the stories. Experience the city. Share your own review."