LFF 2026: Jesse Eisenberg's The Debut to Close Festival

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The 70th BFI London Film Festival (LFF) is in full swing, running until October 18, 2026, with Jesse Eisenberg's comedy The Debut set to close the festival. The UK premiere of Eisenberg's film, described by the BFI as a "raucously funny love letter to community theatre", will be the Closing Night Gala at the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall. The festival opened on October 7 with the European premiere of Simon Stone's Elsinore, a true story about the Scottish actor Ian Charleson. A milestone edition For its 70th edition, the LFF is presenting 251 features, shorts, series and immersive works from 88 countries. The programme includes 33 world premieres, and 109 works are made by female filmmakers, 43 per cent of the line-up. "When this festival first sprung to life 70 years ago, little more than a decade after the end of the Second World War, British society was in a period of rapid social change," said Kristy Matheson, artistic director of BFI Festivals. "Like now, we turn to artists to synthesise our times." BFI chief executive Ben Roberts said that "the blockbusters, the indie breakouts and the debuts have drawn audiences to cinemas in record numbers" this year. Eisenberg returns to directing Eisenberg, the Oscar-nominated star of The Social Network, has become an acclaimed filmmaker in recent years. His previous film as writer-director, A Real Pain, won Kieran Culkin the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. The Debut sees him return to LFF as one of many alumni filmmakers in this year's programme. His link to The Social Network is especially timely this week, as Aaron Sorkin's follow-up, The Social Reckoning, has just opened to a weak $5.5 million in North America. Galas and big names The gala programme at the Royal Festival Hall features some of world cinema's biggest names. Danny Boyle's Ink, about Rupert Murdoch's Fleet Street career, is the Mayor of London's Gala, while Tony Gilroy's Behemoth! is the Patron's Gala. Other galas include Taika Waititi's adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's Klara and the Sun, Martin McDonagh's Wild Horse Nine, Mike Leigh's Tender Loving Care, Paweł Pawlikowski's Fatherland, Cristian Mungiu's Fjord and Lee Chang-dong's Possible Love. On the series side, Marvel Television's VisionQuest, from Disney 's Marvel, brings back Paul Bettany as Vision, with James Spader returning as Ultron. Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan reunite with Michael Winterbottom for The Trip to the Northern Lights. African and diaspora voices African filmmakers have a strong presence. Nigerian filmmaker Olive Nwosu's Lady is in the First Feature Competition for the Sutherland Award, alongside British actor Ashley Walters' directorial debut Animol and Rwandan filmmaker Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo's Ben'Imana. The BFI's list of returning alumni also includes Nigerian filmmakers Arie Esiri and Chuko Esiri, the twin directors of Eyimofe, as well as Daniel Oriahi and Senegalese-French director Alain Gomis. The festival circuit has been good to African cinema this year, as seen in Dear Ajayi's festival run and the scale of the Ibadan International Film Festival . Awards to come Alongside the Official Competition for Best Film, the LFF hands out the Sutherland Award for first features, the Grierson Award for documentaries and a Best Short Film prize. Audience Awards for Best Feature, Best Short and Best British Discovery also return. Elsinore and Ian Charleson The opening gala, Elsinore, tells the story of Ian Charleson, the Scottish actor best known for Chariots of Fire, whose stage work became legendary. Simon Stone, the Australian theatre and film director, returns to the festival with the film. What's next The festival's award winners will be revealed as the event heads towards its October 18 close with The Debut. With 10 partner venues across the UK also screening selected titles, the festival reaches well beyond London. Many of the films premiering this fortnight are expected to shape the awards season heading towards the 99th Oscars . Sources: BFI | BFI | BFI