*UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 11.30AM WEDS 7th SEPT London, Wednesday 7 September: The programme for the 55th BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express launched today by Artistic Director Sandra Hebron, celebrates the imagination and excellence of international filmmaking from both established and emerging talent. Over 16 days the Festival will screen a total of 204 fiction and documentary features, including 13 World Premieres, 18 International Premieres and 22 European Premieres*. There will also be screenings of 110 live action and animated shorts. Many of the films will be presented by their directors, cast members and crew, some of whom will also take part in career interviews, masterclasses, and other special events. The 55th BFI London Film Festival will run from 12-27 October. GALAS & SPECIAL SCREENINGS: 2SHQLQJWKHIHVWLYDOLV)HUQDQGR0HLUHOOHV¶ZULWWHQE\3HWHU0RUJDQDQGVWDUULQJ6LU Anthony Hopkins, Jude Law and Rachel Weisz. Weisz is also the star of 7HUHQFH'DYLHV¶ closing night film, THE DEEP BLUE SEA, alongside a cast which includes Simon Russell Beale and Tom Hiddleston. Key talent will be in attendance for both films. George Clooney features in two Gala presentations - the political thriller THE IDES OF MARCH which he directs and stars in alongside Ryan Gosling, Evan Rachel Wood, Philip Seymour Hoffman DQG3DXO*LDPDWWLDQG7+('(6&(1'$176$OH[DQGHU3D\QH¶VODWHVWIHDWXUHAmong several literary adaptations are /\QQH5DPVD\¶V:(1(('727$/.$%287.(9,1ZLWK Tilda 6ZLQWRQ-RKQ&5HLOO\DQG(]UD0LOOHU75,6+1$0LFKDHO:LQWHUERWWRP¶VUHZRUNLQJ of 7KRPDV+DUG\¶V 7HVVRIWKH'¶8UEHUYLOOHV, with Freida Pinto and Riz Ahmed; and CORIOLANUS with Ralph Fiennes directing as well as taking the lead role alongside Gerard Butler and Vanessa Redgrave. Redgrave is also FDVWLQ5RODQG(PPHULFK¶V$121<0286 with Rhys Ifans, Joely Richardson and David Thewlis. Madonna directs romantic drama :(ZKLFKVWDUV$EELH&RUQLVK$QGUHD5LVHERURXJKDQG-DPHV'¶$UF\ZKLOVW6WHYH 0F4XHHQ¶s second feature SHAME has a cast that includes Carey Mulligan and Michael Fassbender. Fassbender can also be seen alongside Viggo Mortensen and Keira Knightley LQ'DYLG&URQHQEHUJ¶V$'$1*(52860(7+2'Foreign language cinema is represented by THE KID WITH A BIKE, the Cannes Grand Prix winner from the Dardenne brothers; 1DQQL0RUHWWL¶V:(+$9($323(DQG0LFKHO2FHORW¶VHQFKDQWLQJDQLPDWLRQ7$/(62) 7+(1,*+7+ROO\ZRRG¶VVLOHQWHUDLVFHOHEUDWHGLQ0LFKHO+D]DQDYLFLXV¶7+($57,67 * Figures correct at time of printing ZKLOVWWKLV\HDU¶VArchive Gala is the BFI National Archive¶V restoration of 0LOHV0DQGHU¶V THE FIRST BORN with a new score by Stephen Horne. FILM ON THE SQUARE: 6KRZFDVLQJVRPHRIWKLV\HDU¶VPRVWDQWLFLSDWHGDQGDFFODLPHGILOPVWKHVHOHFWLRQLQFOXGHV work from renowned directors such as Roman Polanski (CARNAGE), Gus Van Sant (RESTLESS), Werner Herzog (INTO THE ABYSS: A TALE OF DEATH, A TALE OF LIFE), Todd Solondz (DARK HORSE), -RQDWKDQ'HPPH ,¶0&$52/<13$5.(5 and Jonas Mekas (SLEEPLESS NIGHTS STORIES). Star power is provided by Jack Black in Richard /LQNODWHU¶V%(51,(; 6HDQ3HQQLQ3DROR6RUUHQWLQR¶V7+,60867%(7+(3/$&(; Joseph Gordon-Levitt teams ZLWK6HWK5RJHQLQ-RQDWKDQ/HYLQH¶V, whilst Woody Harrelson VWDUVLQ2UHQ0RYHUPDQ¶V5$03$57GHYHORSHGIURPDVFUHHQplay by James Ellroy. %ULWLVKILOPVLQFOXGH$QGUHD$UQROG¶VEROGUHWHOOLQJRI:87+(5,1*+(,*+760DUF(YDQV¶ HUNKY DORY, a celebration of pre-SXQNVSRSFXOWXUHDQG1LFN%URRPILHOG¶V6$5$+ PALIN ± YOU BETCHA! International cinema takes centre stage in the West End with a SRZHUIXOVHOHFWLRQRISUHPLHUHVLQFOXGLQJ1RUZD\¶V-RDFKLP7ULHU¶VVWXQQLQJ26/2 $8*867VW%UXQR'XPRQW¶VSURYRFDWLYH+2566$7$1DQG&DQQHV*UDQG3UL[ZLQQHU 1XUL%LOJH&H\ODQ¶VDXGDFLRXV21&(8321$7,0(,1$1$72/,$0H[LFR¶s Gerardo Naranjo delivers a thrilling action film with MISS BALA, whist divided family life in Japan is the focus of Hirokazu Kore-HGD¶VHQJDJLQJ,:,6+, DQG$XVWUDOLD¶VPRVWLQIDPRXVVHULDO murder FDVHLQVSLUHV-XVWLQ.XU]HO¶Vfirst feature SNOWTOWN. Other feature debuts include 'HH5HHV¶VHPRWLRQDOO\SRZHUIXO3$5,$+6HDQ'XUNLQ¶VEHDXWLIXOO\GLVWXUELQJ0$57+$ 0$5&<0$<0$5/(1(DQG1LFN0XUSK\¶V1920s set supernatural tale THE AWAKENING. NEW BRITISH CINEMA: Original cinematic voices from across the UK making their debuts this year include D.R. Hood with the haunting WRECKERS starring Claire Foy and Benedict Cumberbatch, and Tinge Krishnan with the social drama JUNKHEARTS in which Eddie Marsan heads a cast which includes Tom Sturridge and Romola Garai. London is the setting IRU'H[WHU)OHWFKHU¶V drama WILD BILL, starring Charlie Creed-Miles; DQG$QGUHZ+DLJK¶VVHFRQGIHDWXUH WEEKEND, is an original and affecting romance. 1LUSDO%KRJDO¶VIUHVK\RXQJFDVWHQOLYHQ urban drama SKET, and LOTUS EATERS finds director Alexandra McGuinness introducing XVWRWKHFLW\¶VLQGXOJHQW affluent youth. )UDQFHV/HD¶V675$:%(55<),(/'6provides an escape to the country with a story of lust, rivalry and liberation. A strong selection of British work include films which imaginatively blur the boundaries between documentary and drama VXFKDV5LFKDUG-REVRQ¶VUHVSRQVHWRWKH,UDTZDU7+(6201$0%8/,676, Simon 3XPPHOO¶V6+2&.+($'628/and DREAMS OF A LIFE by Carol Morley. 3DXO.HOO\¶V portrait of cult hero, LAWRENCE OF BELGRAVIA and 'DQLHO(GHOV\Q¶V+2:725(- ESTABLISH A VODKA EMPIRE round out the documentary selection. FRENCH REVOLUTIONS: The focus on French cinema brings a wide range of new and established filmmakers including Dominik Moll, with THE MONK starring Vincent Cassel and Geraldine Chaplin. Chaplin also appears with Salma Hayek in AMERICANO, the feature debut of actor Mathieu Demy. From the directorial team of Nicolas Klotz and Elisabeth Perceval, LOW LIFE is a study of the trials facing French youth that has universal resonance whilst Laurent Achard provides a macabre touch in LAST SCREENING and popular comedian Emmanuel Mouret brings wry comedy to THE ART OF LOVE. Among a number of French directors returning to the Festival are Mathieu Amalric with a modern DGDSWDWLRQRI&RUQHLOOH¶VFODVVLFSOD\7+( SCREEN ILLUSION, Jean-Marc Moutout examining executive culture in EARLY ONE MORNING and Mathieu Kassovitz directing himself in the provocative military drama, REBELLION. CINEMA EUROPA: A diverse selection of filmmakers bring Europe into focus with films from countries including Belgium, Bulgaria, Ireland, Sweden, Austria, Romania, Poland, Slovakia, The Czech Republic, Denmark, The Netherlands, Russia and Iceland, as well as Italy, Spain and Germany. Highlights LQFOXGH%HQLWR=DPEUDQR¶VSRVW-Spanish Civil War drama THE SLEEPING VOICE; Iceland¶V5~QDU5~QDUVVRQ¶V92/&$12$QJHOLQD1LNRQRYD¶V TWILIGHT PORTRAIT, a study in Russian institutional corruption, $QGUHD0RODLROL¶V,WDOLDQ conspiratorial drama THE JEWEL , 8OULFK.|KOHU¶V6/((3,1*6,&.1(66DQGWKH:RUOG Premiere of +DQV:HLQJDUWQHU¶V+87,17+(:22'6 There are a number of outstanding GLUHFWRULDOGHEXWVZKLFKLQFOXGH-RQDWKDQ&HQ]XDO%XUOH\¶VDEVXUGLVWURDGPRYLH7+( 628/2))/,(6$QGUHD6HJUH¶V/,$1'7+(32(7DQG0DULH.UHXW]HU¶V7+( FATHERLESS. From Germany, the unique DREILEBEN project brings together Christian Petzold, Dominik Graf and Christoph Hochhäusler with three very different features that share an incidental starting point. Documentary features include $QGUH\3DRXQRY¶V7+( BOY WHO WAS A KING DQG:+25(6¶*/25<IURP0LFKDHO*ODZRJJHUZKRZLOOEHRQH of the four Austrian filmmakers with work in the Festival who will be participating in a special panel discussion on the current state of Austrian cinema. WORLD CINEMA: An extensive selection of the finest features and documentaries from across the globe includes new films from well known filmmakers and emerging voices. Highlights from the US include NATURAL SELECTION, the brilliant debut from Robbie Pickering that swept the ERDUGDWWKLV\HDU¶V6;6:Film Festival awards; Ken Kesey and The Merry Band of Pranksters¶ trek across America is revisited in MAGIC TRIP from directors Alison Ellwood and Alex Gibney; whilst a journey of a different kind features in %UDGHQ.LQJ¶V+(5(, part road-movie, part love-story and part investigation of cinema itself. 7ULVWDQ3DWWHUVRQ¶V skateboarding documentary DRAGONSLAYER and 0LFKDHO%DUQHWW¶VKXJHO\HQWHUWDLQLQJ SUPERHEROES about real life crimefighters offer fascinating glimpses of American life. Latin American cinema is well represented with HARD LABOUR, a blistering dissection of the class structure of Brazilian society from directors Juliana Rojas and Marco Dutra; KAREN CRIES ON THE BUS, the debut feature froP&RORPELD¶V*DEULHO5RMDV9HUD Laura &LWDUHOOD¶V267(1'(DQG6DQWLDJR0LWUH¶V THE STUDENT, both from Argentina. The notable rise of ethnically Tibetan filmmaking is evidenced in 3HPD7VHGHQ¶VOLD DOG and Sonthar Gyal¶V THE SUN-BEATEN PATH whilst other East Asian highlights include Hong 6DQJVRR¶V7+('$<+($55,9(6 and Kim Kyung-0RRN¶V67$7(/(667+,1*6ERWK from South Korea-LDQJ:HQ¶V/(77+(%8//(76)/<&KLQD¶VKLJKHVW-grossing film; Ann +XL¶V$6,03/(/,)(, and <X\D,VKLL¶V0,768.2'(/,9(56 Indian cinema is represented this year by titles including 6DOLP$KDPHG¶V$%86212)$'$0DUDUHDQGSRLJQDQWWDOH of Muslim community life in Kerala; *XUYLQGHU6LQJK¶V$/062)7+(%/,1'+256( and .DXVKLN0XNKHUMHH¶VFXOWILOPLQWKHPDNLQJ$66+2/(. EXPERIMENTA: 7KLV\HDU¶VSURJUDPPHIHDWXUHVDQLQQRYDWLYHDQGFXWWLQJHGJHselection of films to inspire. Highlights include TWO YEARS AT SEA, the new work from Jarman Prize nominee and Rotterdam Tiger Award winner Ben Rivers; CORRESPONDENCE: JONAS MEKAS ± JL GUERÍN, a series of five cinematic letters presented in Spanish and English; and FREE RADICALS: A HISTORY OF EXPERIMENTAL FILM from Pip Chodorov. Lewis Klahr returns to the Festival with THE PETTIFOGGER and other featured filmmakers include Phil Solomon, Chick Strand, Gabriel Abrantes, Robert Fenz and Nathaniel Dorsky.