"Artists have taken us to some giddy highs."
The BFI London Film Festival (LFF) is a key event in the calendars of many film fans.
Ranging from diverse content to entertaining stories, the festival promises a movie galore which is exciting and memorable for the audience.
The 2024 LLF will present a vibrant programme comprising 2,543 features, shorts, series, and immersive work.
These will come from 79 countries featuring 63 languages.
Furthermore, 112 works made by female and non-binary filmmakers will be presented.
So, which films are the ones to look out for at the prestigious BFI London Film Festival?
Join DESIblitz as we present seven of them.
All We Imagine As Light
Director: Payal Kapadia
Stars: Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, Hridhu Haroon.
Directed by Payal Kapadia, All We Imagine As Light was the first Indian film to compete in the main competition at the 77th Cannes Film Festival.
It went on to win the Grand Prix. The movie stars Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, and Hridhu Haroon.
The film shows the intertwining of three women in Mumbai.
They grapple daily with the opportunities and hardships of existence in the city.
All We Imagine As Light represents the many shades of working-class Mumbai, resulting in a deeply moving film on urban migration and dislocation.
Santosh
Director: Sandhya Suri
Stars: Shahana Goswami, Sanjay Bishnoi, Kushal Dubey
Sandhya Suri helmed this thriller set in North India. In the film, a housewife becomes a policewoman and is sucked into a high-profile case.
Santosh is widowed and in a misogynistic community, she is considered a liability.
Her taking over her husband’s role as the police constable is complicated by the murder of a teenager.
Sandhya Suri’s captivating drama has a moral conflict at its core as Santosh navigates oppression and duty.
Sister Midnight
Director: Karan Kandhari
Stars: Radhika Apte, Masashi Fujimoto, Daemian Greaves
Directed by Karan Kandhari, this comedy presents a frustrated and misanthropic newlywed named Uma.
She discovers feral impulses that land her in unlikely situations.
Uma has few skills in the house and tries to coordinate life in her husband’s cramped flat with only one room.
She eventually sets out to explore the city alone, embracing fresh desires along the way.
Sister Midnight is unique, original, and humorous.
The Churning
Director: Shyam Benegal
Stars: Smita Patil, Girish Karnad, Naseeruddin Shah, Amrish Puri
A film restored by the Film Heritage Foundation for this film festival is Shyam Benegal’s The Churning.
The film was originally released in 1976 and was titled Manthan.
It was famously funded by 500,000 farmers and it explored the graphic truths of class and caste in rural Gujarat.
When a city vet arrives in a poor village, he discovers alarming inequalities.
He makes it his mission to pay the dairy farmers a fair price for their milk and challenges hierarchies and stability along the way.
Based on the world’s biggest dairy development programme, The Churning is a cinematic marvel and its presence at the film festival is sure to enhance the event.
Shambhala
Director: Min Bahadur Bham
Stars: Thinley Lhamo, Sonam Topden, Tenzin Dalha
This film by Min Bahadur Bham showcases a young Nepalese woman trying to find her missing husband in the Himalayas.
Living there are Tashi and Pema. Pema’s pregnancy comes at a time when Tashi goes missing.
As the gossip mills begin to spin questioning Pema’s fidelity, she embarks on a perilous search to find her husband, Tashi.
Tashi’s brother joins her and soon Pema’s journey becomes a tale of self-discovery.
A Nice Indian Boy
Director: Roshan Sethi
Stars: Karan Soni, Jonathan Groff, Sunita Mani
Roshan Sethi directs this delightful rom-com which stars Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff.
In A Nice Indian Boy, Naveen meets Jay and a romance soon culminates in engagement.
However, Naveen’s family is not expecting Jay in their lives which adds a fresh queer and Indian spin on the tropes of the rom-com.
At its core, A Nice Indian Boy is a charming celebration of love and acceptance which will brighten the BFI London film festival.
Superboys of Malegaon
Director: Reema Kagti
Stars: Adarsh Gourav, Vineet Kumar Singh, Shashank Arora
Bollywood filmmaker Reema Kagti, who helmed Aamir Khan’s Talaash (2012) makes another memorable directorial venture.
Superboys of Malegaon chronicles a true saga of resourceless filmmakers.
In the film, Nasir Shaikh is hugely passionate about making it in Bollywood.
Reema’s film is set to bless this film festival with this relatable tale as Nasir embarks on an unforgettable quest to become a national phenomenon.
The 2024 LLF is adorned with great cinema and stories told by unique and essential voices.
Director Kristy Matheson enthused: “This year, artists have taken us to some giddy highs and poked at our tender underbellies.
“We invite everyone to come to the BFI London Film Festival to discover and enjoy the whole spectrum of moving images.”
Chief Executive Ben Roberts added:
“The real joy of LFF for me is seeing the hard work of so many talented filmmakers come to life and given the prominence and noise that they deserve.
“I want to thank our brilliant festival team and everyone involved in bringing these films to our LFF audience.
“With extra special thanks to American Express and our other partners and supporters.”
The 2024 BFI London Film Festival will take place from October 9 to October 20, 2024, at the BFI Southbank and other venues across London and the UK.
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