What other movies will play at the BFI London Film Festival besides its opening film, Rian Johnson‘s “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery“? Thanks to THR, now we know, and it looks like an intriguing lineup for the fest’s official competition.
READ MORE: ‘Hedda’ Trailer: Tessa Thompson Stars In Nia DaCosta Drama Out October 22
It’s too early to pick a favorite yet, but expect Jonatan Etzler‘s “Bad Apple,” starring Saoirse Ronan, to be at the front of the pack. Ronan stars in the film as a teacher dealing with a troublseome 11-year-old pupil. It’s the second year in a row a Ronan-led movie premieres at BFI London, after Steve McQueen‘s “Blitz” opened the festival in 2024.
Other competition titles at BFI London this year include Nia DaCosta‘s “Hedda,” which had a brand-new trailer drop this morning, and Mona Fastvold‘s sophomore feature “The Testament Of Ann Lee,” starring Amanda Seyfried as the founder of the 18th-century Shakers religious sect. Fastvold’s partner Brady Corbet co-writes the film’s screenplay with her, and the film co-stars Thomasin McKenzie, Lewis Pullman, Stacy Martin, Tim Blake Nelson, Christopher Abbott, and Matthew Beard.
Then there’s “Rose Of Nevada,” the latest from “Enys Men” director Mark Jenkin, which has its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on August 30 before it bows at BFI London. George Mackay and Callum Turner star in the film as two men who were lost at sea 30 years ago and suddenly reappear in the harbor of a fishing village. Does Jenkins have an edge in the official competition, given its proximity to his native Cornwall? We’ll soon find out.
Elsewhere in the official competition, Lucrecia Martel‘s “Landmarks,” a documentary about the murder of indigenous leader Javier Chocobar. There’s also news films from Yemi Bamiro (“Black Is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite Story“), Shahram Moki (“Black Rabbit, White Rabbit“), and Nicolas Graux and Trương Minh Quý (“Hair, Paper, Water…“), as well as Kaouther Ben Hania‘s “The Voice Of Hind Rajab” and Yoon Ga-eun‘s “The World Of Love.”
Here’s an press statement from BFI London Film Festival director Kristy Matheson about the official competition titles: “Each title in this selection offers a bold and innovative approach to the medium. We are delighted to welcome filmmakers into the competition who’ve previously screened with the LFF alongside those making their first appearance at the festival. Featuring fiction, documentary and hybrid works drawn from global and U.K. talents, our 2025 Official Competition is sure to excite.”
Stay tuned for more lineup announcements for the 2025 BFI London Film Festival. The fest this year runs from October 8-19.
