BFI’s London Film Festival reveals first full series agenda

Succession

The BFI’s London Film Festival (LFF) has revealed its first full series programme for the first time in its 65-year history, offering TV-related discussion as well as the premiere of the third season of Succession.

The LFF Series agenda will include screenings of new episodes from eight shows in total, including Franco-Argentinian show 4 Feet High, docuseries Curse Of The Chippendales, Barry Levinson’s Dopesick, and Australian drama Fires.

South Korean fantasy Hellbound, family series Maya And The Three and French drama The Rope will also be screened, alongside Succession.

The LFF Series strand will also explore the increasing convergence of film and TV, with talent from the shows also taking part in the festival’s public and industry-facing talks and events.

While the Festival included some episodic shows in 2020 – including two episodes from Steve McQueen’s Small Axe series – the 65th Festival marks the full launch of LFF Series.

BFI London Film Festival director, Tricia Tuttle, said: “LFF Series is not a departure for us but rather a belated and welcome addition to the BFI London Film Festival.

“While film has always taken centre stage at LFF, the BFI offers a vibrant year round programme of classic and contemporary television programming at the Southbank. And the BFI National Archive television collection is the largest accessible archive of British TV programmes in the world. Film remains at the heart of the Festival but we are thrilled to use the LFF platform to showcase the incredible work being made in series form.”

LFF Series programmer, Rowan Woods, added: “The launch of the LFF Series programme comes at a time when the boundaries between film and television are increasingly porous, with authored, cinematic work being made for both the big and small screens, and creatives – and audiences – moving fluidly between the two.

“This year’s programme reflects the exciting range of work being made in the episodic space, from high-end drama to short form web series, via documentary and animation, and across multiple different genres. That the work hails from Argentina, Mexico, France, Australia, South Korea, USA and the UK only confirms how astonishingly vibrant the international television landscape is right now.”

The Festival takes place from Wednesday, 6 October to Sunday, 17 October, 2021.