News: BFI LFF 2026 to open with ‘Elsinore’ and close with ‘The Debut’

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Hello, this is Dom…

This year’s BFI Lonodon Film Festival will open with Elsinore and close with The Debut. Here’s what they had to say:

The Opening Night Gala at the 70th BFI London Film Festival is the European premiere of Elsinore.

Directed by Simon Stone, Elsinore is a powerful, deeply moving and inspiring true story of the actor Ian Charleson who faced incredible odds while preparing to give the performance of his life in Hamlet at the National Theatre in London.

The film stars Andrew Scott, Olivia Colman, Billie Piper, Johnny Flynn, Luke Thompson, David Dawson, Monica Dolan, Matthew Beard, Joe Locke, Georgie Glen, Sadie Soverall, Adeel Akhtar, Dickie Beau, Kadiff Kirwan with Juliet Stevenson and Peter Mullan.

‘Anchored by Andrew Scott’s astounding central performance, few films will leave a lasting imprint on audiences this year quite like Elsinore. We could not be prouder to open the 70th edition of the BFI London Film Festival with a film that centres community, resistance and the triumph of art.’

The UK premiere of director Jesse Eisenberg’s The Debut will be the Closing Night Gala at the 70th BFI London Film Festival.

In The Debut, a shy woman is unexpectedly cast in a local production of an original musical. Under the spell of the strong-willed and enigmatic director, she loses herself in the role and the high-stakes world of this community theatre production. The film stars Jesse Eisenberg, Julianne Moore, Paul Giamatti, Halle Bailey, Havana Rose Liu, Bernadette Peters, Colton Ryan, Lilli Cooper, Maulik Pancholy and Bonnie Milligan.

‘We are thrilled to welcome Jesse Eisenberg back to the LFF to close the 70th edition with his deliriously funny and heartfelt film. With its knockout performances and brilliantly sharp script, we’re excited to share this film which will have audiences in its thrall and renewed by the joyous and soulful power of cinema.’