The BFI has announced that the 56th edition of the BFI London Film Festival, in partnership with American Express, will run from 10 – 21st October 2012. 

 

Despite being shorter than in previous years, it will feature an increase in the number of screenings and venues, in new parts of the capital.

 

As part of BFI Head of Exhibition and Festival Director Clare Stewart’;s new strategic direction for the LFF, the new structure, alongside new programme categories, competitive sections and enhanced Awards, is “designed to give a wide and diverse audience more opportunities to take part in the Festival and celebrate outstanding films from the UK and around the world from both new and established talent.”

 

According to the BFI, the cinema going axis between the major Leicester Square cinemas (Odeon West End, Vue West End, Odeon Leicester Square and Empire) and BFI Southbank will be maintained but the Festival’;s reach will be extended into 4 new regional London cinemas: the Hackney Picturehouse, the Renoir in Bloomsbury, Screen on the Green in Islington, and the Rich Mix in Shoreditch. The Festival will continue to screen at the ICA and will expand its use of Curzon Mayfair, the Ritzy in Brixton, and Cine Lumiere, Kensington which will all screen films for the full duration, of the festival. With a increase in the number of primetime evening and weekend screenings, not only will more people be able to get involved “but the festival also has the opportunity to boost its commercial potential,” says the BFI.

 

Commenting, Clare Stewart, BFI Head of Exhibition and Festival Director said: “The BFI London Film Festival is one of the jewels in the capital’;s cultural crown and we want to ensure that as many people as possible have the opportunity to experience it. Whether it’;s a film aficionado diving straight in to our festival programme or a moviegoer coming to the festival for the first time – more screenings, more venues and more London boroughs makes it a Film Festival for everyone.”