“Elsinore” to Open the 70th BFI London Film Festival

The biographical drama “Elsinore,” directed by Simon Stone and written by Stephen Beresford, will open the 70th BFI London Film Festival. The European premiere is at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall on October 7, with lead actors Andrew Scott (also a producer) and Olivia Colman expected to attend. The story follows Scottish actor Ian Charleson as he prepares for his celebrated performance of *Hamlet* at the National Theatre while confronting the final months of his life.

Andrew Scott’s Elsinore to open landmark 70th BFI London Film Festival

Charleson, known for *Chariots of Fire* and *Gandhi*, was cast as Hamlet in a 1989 National Theatre production after Daniel Day-Lewis withdrew. Diagnosed with AIDS in 1986, he reprised the role in 1990 and died eight weeks later, becoming the first UK show-business figure to list AIDS as the cause of death. “Elsinore” dramatizes these final weeks, emphasizing his artistic triumph amid personal adversity.

The Guardian

• October 7–18, 2026 – BFI London Film Festival, opening gala on October 7.

Andrew Scott’s Elsinore to open landmark 70th BFI London Film Festival

• November 20, 2026 – Focus Features releases the film in limited U.S. theaters, expanding through Thanksgiving.

Hollywood Reporter

• January 29, 2027 – StudioCanal releases the film in U.K. cinemas.

Hollywood Reporter

The cast also includes Billie Piper, Johnny Flynn, Luke Thompson, David Dawson, Monica Dolan, Matthew Beard, Joe Locke, Georgie Glen, Sadie Soverall, Adeel Akhtar, Dickie Beau, Juliet Stevenson, and Peter Mullan.

Hollywood Reporter

BFI London Film Festival Artistic Director Kristy Matheson praised the film’s focus on community, resistance, and the triumph of art, highlighting Andrew Scott’s central performance. Director Simon Stone said he was proud to present a “quintessentially London film” on opening night, noting Charleson’s legacy on the West End, the Young Vic, and the National Theatre.

Simon Stone's Elsinore To Open BFI LFF 2026

• “Anchored by Andrew Scott’s astounding central performance, few films will leave a lasting imprint on audiences this year quite like Elsinore,” — Kristy Matheson, BFI London Film Festival Artistic Director

Deadline Hollywood

• “couldn’t be prouder to present this quintessentially London film on the opening night of the BFI London Film Festival.” — Simon Stone, director

Hollywood Reporter

These remarks capture the enthusiasm surrounding the film’s debut and its cultural significance.

The Guardian