The BFI London Film Festival is much more than just films. During its 11-day line-up from October 7-18, the festival’s ‘LFF For Free’ programme offers a slew of interactive events like DJ nights, panel discussions, book readings, video games and VR journeys. And the best bit? You don’t need to pay a penny.
Here are all the highlights from the ‘LFF For Free’ line-up that you need to add to your October calendar. As these are free events, entry is mostly based on a first-come-first-served basis. So, it’s best to show up slightly early to get yourself the best spots.
Shake a leg at one of the DJ nights
Relive the best tunes of 2016 in a Club Kid-themed DJ night (9pm-1am, Oct 17) or step into 1980s-themed New York fashioned after Ira Sachs’s The Man I Love (9pm-1am, Oct 9). Other options to dance it out include a celebration of Latin American film and music (9pm-1am, Oct 10) while DJ Terry T-Rex soundtracks a night full of indie dance, acid house and Balearic sounds of Manchester of the late-’80s and early-’90s (9pm-1am, Oct 16). All the DJ nights are free to attend at the BFI Southbank bar for 18+ audiences.
Catch some short films from Cate Blanchett’s Displacement Film Fund
The brainchild of Oscar-winning actor Cate Blanchett, the Displacement Film Fund celebrates diverse and timely narratives from filmmakers probing the lives of displaced communities. This year’s shorts programme includes films that follow a group of Afghan housewives gathering at a Kabul gym, an Iranian writer in exile struggling with learning a new language, a Ukrainian woman undergoing therapeutic hypnosis, a Somali musician juggling a court date with a wedding performance, and two Syrian journalists exploring immigration tussles.
The filmmakers behind these intimate dramas include renowned auteurs like Maryna Er Gorbach, Mo Harawe, Hasan Kattan, Shahrbanoo Sadat, and Mohammad Rasoulof. The latter returns to the festival with the short Sense of Water after stunning London audiences in 2024 with his Iranian political drama The Seed of the Sacred Fig. (BFI Southbank, 2.45pm, Oct 9).
LFF Expanded includes free games and a VR journey
The festival’s Expanded sections explores new horizons of storytelling with the immersive experience Red The Ocean Around U that keeps on changing its storyline with every decision (1-9pm, Oct 7-17, 1-5pm, October 18) or play some thought-provoking alternate video games in the Games Lounge (1-9pm, Oct 7-18). Head to BFI IMAX for both experiences.
Attend free talks, book signings and industry sessions
Free talks and panels are spread across the festival, from A Different Man star and disability rights activist Adam Pearson discussing his career and advocacy for more inclusive storytelling (11.30am, Oct 18) to Pride and Prejudice and House of Cards screenwriter Andrew Davies taking over the Reuben Library to celebrate his new memoir An Unsuitable Boy: A Life in Scripts (1pm, Oct 17). Acclaimed documentarian Mark Cousins sinks his teeth into the ‘The Story of Documentary Film’ (11.30am, Oct 10) while members of the London Film Critics’ Circle share the writing that shaped their film criticism (11am, Oct 10).
A panel discussion inspired by the Gala Screening title I Love Boosters looks into ‘The Politics of Looking Good’ (2pm, Oct 10) with researcher Dr Darren Gray tries ‘Rethinking Disability in Horror’ (1pm, Oct 18). Other events include a panel on ‘Female Vampires on Screen’ (5pm, Oct 18) and a talk with writer Helen McCarthy on leading ‘A Life in Manga and Anime’ (1pm, Oct 10).
Design some masks, bugs (and even mermaid tails) with the kids
You can bring out your creative side at the many craft workshops that celebrate the children’s strand of this year’s film line-up. You can choose from building your own bugs akin to A Mighty Adventure (10.15 am, Oct 10) or make magical masks inspired by forest creatures from Wildwood (12.15 pm, Oct 11). Those looking for a more marine adventure can even design their own mermaid tales for a colourful arts workshop inspired by Julián (12.15 pm, Oct 10).
Compete in a film locations quiz
Now, this is a film quiz that’s perfect for readers. Testing your knowledge around some of cinema’s most unforgettable locations, this quiz celebrates the release of Jane Crowther’s book Behind the Screens: 100 Locations That Made Movie History (5pm, Oct 17).
Sit down for a live edition of the Girls on Film podcast
Hosted by critic Anna Smith, the Girls on Film podcast has been a regular fixture at the festival. This year, it returns with a live edition with Smith chatting with several LFF filmmakers, including Carol Morley who joins the festival this year with her semi-autobiographical coming-of-age tale 7 Miles Out (2pm, Oct 13).
Head to the official festival website for full programme info and tickets.
Everything you need to know about this year’s LFF.
5 brilliant things to see at the LFF (that aren’t movies).