The program for the 2016 BFI London Film Festival has been revealed. As previously announced, Amma Asante’s “A United Kingdom” will open the 60th edition of the fest. Based on a a true story, the period drama stars “Selma’s” David Oyelowo and “Gone Girl’s” Rosamund Pike, and depicts the controversial interracial relationship between the King of Bechuanaland and a London office worker.
Two of 11 films with Headline Gala slots are women-directed: Mira Nair’s chess underdog story “Queen of Katwe” and “An Education” director Lone Scherfig’s “Their Finest,” a dramedy set in London.
The Special Presentations program includes four titles, three of which are directed by women: “American Honey,” Andrea Arnold’s coming-of-age story, “The 13th,” Ava DuVernay’s exploration of U.S. race relations, and “Ascent,” Fiona Tan’s ode to Mount Fuji.
Nine films are under the Strand Galas umbrella, and only one of those is helmed by a woman: Maren Ade’s Cannes breakout, and Germany’s Oscar submission, “Toni Erdmann.”
Of 12 films screening in the Official Competition program, two are women-directed, amounting to 17 percent of the lineup: Kelly Reichardt’s ensemble drama “Certain Women” and Mijke de Jong’s “Layla M,” a drama centered on a newlywed Dutch-Moroccan teenager whose husband is a devout jihadist.
The First Feature Competition lineup is composed of 13 titles, four of which are women-directed — 31 percent of the slate. The program includes Houda Benyamina’s Cannes hit “Divines” and Julia Ducournau’s “Raw,” a horror film that tackles female sexuality and cannibalism.
In our books, the most exciting aspect of the BFI London Film Fest’s program is the Documentary Competition, and that’s because this competition lineup achieves the all-too-often-elusive distinction of featuring an equal amount of titles helmed by men and women. Twelve docs will screen: five are directed by a woman, and one is co-directed by a woman. The lineup includes “Chasing Asylum,” Eva Orner’s exploration of Australia’s offshore detention policies, and “All This Panic,” Jenny Gage’s portrait of seven girls on the brink of womanhood.
The numbers for women-directed features included in BFI London’s Competitions are very similar to last year’s fest.
Other films screening at the fest include “Planetarium,” Rebecca Zlotowski’s tale of spiritualist American sisters living in Paris starring Natalie Portman and Lily-Rose Depp (“Yoga Hosers”), and “Prevenge,” Alice Lowe’s portrait of a pregnant woman who embarks on a murdering spree.
Check out the women-directed features screening in the fest’s most prominent programs below. List adapted from BFI London Film Festival, which runs from October 5–16.
HEADLINE GALAS
- Mira Nair, “Queen of Katwe”
- Lone Scherfig, “Their Finest”
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
- Andrea Arnold, “American Honey”
- Ava DuVernay, “The 13th”
- Fiona Tan, “Ascent”
STRAND GALAS
- Maren Ade, “Toni Erdmann”
OFFICIAL COMPETITION
- Kelly Reichardt, “Certain Women”
- Mijke de Jong, “Layla M”
FIRST FEATURE COMPETITION
- Houda Benyamina, “Divines”
- Hope Dickson Leach, “The Levelling”
- Julia Ducournau, “Raw”
- Wang Yichun, “What’s in the Darkness”
DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
- Jenny Gage, “All This Panic”
- Eva Orner, “Chasing Asylum”
- Jon Nguyen, Olivia Neergaard-Holm, “David Lynch: The Art Life”
- Claire Simon, “The Graduation”
- Alma Har’el, “LoveTrue”
- Alice Diop, “On Call”
