In Focus: London Film Festivals

Can’t make it to Cannes or Toronto this year? Never mind: here are three London film festivals for something closer to home, giving silver screen lovers access to flicks and their stars a few months before the masses this spring and summer.

3 Must Visit London Film Festivals 2025

BFI Flare

Now in its 39th year, the LGBTQIA+ festival opens with Andrew Ahn’s The Wedding Banquet, which premiered at Sundance and follows two couples – one gay, the other lesbian – setting up a lavender marriage to appease their traditional grandparents. The programme also includes Hot Milk, adaptated from Deborah Levy’s Booker Prize-nominated novel, starring Emma Mackey, Fiona Shaw and Vicky Krieps, and If I Die, It’ll Be Of Joy by director Alexis Taillant, a touching rebuttal of our preconceptions about old age. Of the selection of fantastic documentaries, don’t miss Sally!, a powerful homage to Sally Gearhart, one of the most iconic lesbian activists of the 70s. 19–30 March, Southbank; bfi.org.uk

SXSW London

What started as a major music festival in 1987 in Austin, Texas, South by Southwest (SXSW) added a concurrent film and television festival in 1994 which has become one of the biggest in the US, held annually and hosting every A-lister imaginable. This inaugural European edition takes place in East London, with confirmed speakers including Idris Elba, Katherine Ryan and Grammy award-winning artist and filmmaker Jenn Nkiru, who has directed for the likes of Beyoncé. 2–7 June, Shoreditch; sxswlondon.com

Raindance

Still to be announced; at the time of writing, submissions have only just closed. The UK’s largest independent film festival – now in its 33rd year and spanning the heart of London’s film district – was established to celebrate maverick filmmaking with the best in certain categories eligible for Oscar nominations. Previous award winners and attendees have included Andrew Scott, Michael Winterbottom, Rory Kinear and Chiwetel Ejiofor. 18–27 June, West End; raindance.org