The 70th BFI London Film Festival is officially underway, and if the opening couple of days are anything to go by, film fans are in for a seriously exciting 12 days.

The festival kicked off on October 7th and runs until October 18th, bringing 251 films, shorts, series and immersive works from 88 countries to audiences across London and the UK.

Andrew Scott steals the spotlight on LFF opening night

The festival got off to an emotional start last night, with Irish star Andrew Scott taking centre stage as Elsinore officially opened the festival.

Scott stars as Scottish actor Ian Charleson in the powerful new drama, which received a standing ovation following its premiere at the Royal Festival Hall.

The film follows Charleson as he prepares to play Hamlet at the National Theatre while privately facing an AIDS diagnosis.

Scott has already received plenty of praise for his performance, and he is also one of the festival’s headline Screen Talk guests.

His sold-out conversation at BFI Southbank gives audiences the chance to hear him talk about his career, from Pride and Sherlock to All of Us Strangers, Ripley and now Elsinore.

It’s a big year for Irish talent

Irish talent is making a major impression across this year’s festival.

Among the films to watch is Act 3, the latest work from Irish filmmakers Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor. The Ireland-UK production is competing for the festival’s Best Film Award and explores ageing, family history, artistic relationships and memory.

There’s also Cartoon Saloon’s Julián, Dublin-set coming-of-age story Lemonade, Saoirse Ronan’s short film Paper Plane and Martin McDonagh’s highly anticipated Wild Horse Nine, starring John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell.

So, while the festival is taking place in London, there is plenty for Irish audiences to keep an eye on.

And the Screen Talks are bringing the big names

If you love hearing what happens behind the scenes, the LFF Screen Talks are a major attraction this year.

Alongside Andrew Scott, the line-up includes Sofia Coppola, Ava DuVernay, Brad Bird, Cynthia Erivo, Jesse Eisenberg, John Malkovich, Mahershala Ali, Naomi Ackie and James Gray.

And for the first time, one of the festival’s Screen Talks is heading outside London, with Trainspotting director Danny Boyle appearing at HOME in Manchester.

Today alone sees Screen Talks with Scott, Coppola and Brad Bird, although all three are already sold out, showing just how much interest there is in this year’s festival.

But there’s plenty more to come…

And we’re only two days in.

Among the films generating plenty of anticipation are Artificial, starring Andrew Garfield, Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine, Mike Leigh’s Ink and The Blood Countess, starring Isabelle Huppert.

The festival also has a strong international line-up, with films ranging from major awards contenders to smaller discoveries that could become the titles everyone is talking about once the festival is over.

There are also documentaries, animation, television, shorts and immersive experiences on the programme, meaning the LFF is about much more than the big red-carpet premieres.

With screenings and events taking place right through October 18th, there’s plenty of time for more surprise performances, festival favourites and, inevitably, a few films that leave audiences divided.

One thing is already clear: the 2026 London Film Festival has started with a bang, and with Andrew Scott leading the charge, Irish talent is very much part of the conversation.