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The cooler than thou BFI (British Film Institute) and building on the South Bank isn’t a cool enough venue for all the events of the BFI London Film Festival. Events spread out around both the jazziest and most bohemian venues in town as the London Film Festival treads that fine line between red carpet splendour and art house intelligentsia chic. Some events are hounded by paparazzi and some events the stars the paparazzi are trying to catch can’t even get tickets to – they’re just not cool enough.

Each year the festival is critisised for being either too-British or not-British-enough, depending on how many important British films are included in the main schedule, but this festival is intended to be an event in world cinema. The London Festival feed off the other major Film Festivals in Cannes and Venice etc. by showing their best offerings in an accessible way – yes, it’s cool, but so cool that it’s not actually that hard for members of the public to get tickets, the aim being that we, the public get a chance to see some great pieces of cinema that wouldn’t normally get a showing down your local Odeon.

As well as the crème de la crème of other festivals, cinemaphiles can also see advance screenings and premieres, some old classics you may not have seen on the big screen, works and shorts by up and coming film making talent and attend lectures and Q&A’s with film makers. It’s also a competition and the opening gala, the awards ceremony and the festival closing do London proud with their black tie turn out and air thick with dirty, geeky film talent and sleek, flashing, glamour.

The London Film Festival runs for two weeks in October, if you’re in London you can’t miss the hype and press coverage. To get the tickets you want either become a member of the BFI and take advantage of advance ticket sales, check down the bottom of the programme for the smaller events or lay your rug our early at one of the free outdoor venues. “I laughed I cried, I enjoyed it more than Cats. Five Stars”.

BFI London Film Festival Homepage.

Written by  Kat Mackintosh.

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