Full Breakdown
70th BFI London Film Festival Announces Official Competition Lineup
8/19/2026, 8:41:11 AM
Core Event: Competition Lineup Unveiled
The British Film Institute’s London Film Festival (LFF) has released the ten titles that will contend for the Best Film Award in its 70th edition. The competition runs from October 7 to October 18, 2026, with the winner to be announced on the final night. The selected works represent ten countries—United Kingdom, Ireland, Brazil, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan and Poland—and span a range of genres from fiction to documentary.
Background & Context
Since the Best Film award was introduced in 2009, the LFF has highlighted “inspiring, inventive and distinctive filmmaking.” Recent winners include Jacques Audiard’s *A Prophet* (2012), Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s *Evil Does Not Exist* (2023), Adam Elliot’s *Memoir of a Snail* (2024) and Lucrecia Martel’s *Landmarks* (2025). The 2026 lineup continues the festival’s tradition of mixing established alumni with first-time competitors.
Data & Statistics
| Film (Country) | Director(s) |
|---|---|
| 7 Miles Out (UK) | Carol Morley |
| Act 3 (Ireland-UK) | Christine Molloy & Joe Lawlor |
| Glaxo (Brazil-Argentina) | Benjamín Naishtat |
| Imperium (Germany-France-Italy-Lithuania) | Sergei Loznitsa |
| Ketticè (Italy) | Giovanni Tortorici |
| Look Back (Japan) | Hirokazu Kore-eda |
| My Notes on Mars (Hungary-Austria) | Lili Horvát |
| The Difficult Bride (France-Bangladesh-Portugal-Norway-Germany) | Rubaiyat Hossain |
| The Idiot(s) (UK-Poland) | Malgorzata Szumowska & Michal Englert |
| Woman Unknown (Denmark-Latvia-Sweden) | May el-Toukhy |
The competition therefore showcases an “astonishing array of filmmaking styles,” ranging from period-noir thrillers to body-horror dramas and coming-of-age stories.
Official Statements & Responses
She added that the team finds the lineup “creatively nourishing” and looks forward to sharing the works with audiences throughout October.
Verbatim Quotes
- “As we celebrate the 70th edition of the BFI London Film Festival, it’s an honor to have a number of alumni filmmakers represented in the official competition alongside those making their first appearance at the festival,” — Kristy Matheson, said festival director
- “As we celebrate the 70th edition of the BFI London Film Festival, it’s an honour to have a number of alumni filmmakers represented in the Official Competition alongside those making their first appearance at the festival. Our 2026 competition selection brings an astounding array of filmmaking styles to the screen,” — Kristy Matheson, said festival director
What’s Next
The full festival programme will be unveiled on September 2, 2026. Awards juries will be announced in the weeks leading up to the festival, and the Best Film winner will be revealed on October 18, 2026, the closing night of the event.
