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7 best film festivals in London

London’s thriving creative scene brings a whole host of film festivals and screenings to the city.
Daniel Radcliffe signs a fans photograph at BFI Southbank as other fans take photos and smile at him
Meet your favourite celebrities as they take to the red carpet for film festivals in London. Credit: Shutterstock. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

From major international festivals to mini retrospectives, London's cinemas host exciting film festivals all year round. Discover these top London film festival listings to keep on your radar during your visit to the capital. 

1. Raindance Film Festival

Explore the latest indie flicks at the Raindance Film Festival, the largest independent film festival in the UK. Beyond film screenings, which take place both online and at cinemas across London, the festival’s calendar also offers masterclasses, talks, panel discussions and networking events.

2. London Short Film Festival

interior shot of an old bus transformed into a cinema space with chairs and projector screen

See the best in short-form films at the London Short Film Festival. Typically taking place in January, this film festival presents up to 500 British and international shorts each year. The programme also includes workshops, panel talks and conversations with the filmmakers themselves.

3. London Film Week

Watch international stories on the silver screen during London Film Week, which takes place in December. Instead of showing a large number of films over many days, London Film Week selects only a handful of its best submissions to be presented to attendees.

4. UK Film Festival

Discover your new favourite filmmaker at the UK Film Festival, which promotes under-the-radar works that have gone on to be Oscar winners. Films are screened in Soho and come from a diverse array of creators from the UK and around the world.

5. BFI London Film Festival

An image of the front of BFI Southbank at night with groups of people sat outside at tables and walking in front of the building with lights illuminating the venue

Catch screenings of more than 150 films, including nearly two dozen world premieres, at the BFI London Film Festival. This festival showcases the best of new British film, but it also highlights international work in a variety of languages, styles and genres. Taking place over 12 days, the BFI London Film Festival also features talks with actors and directors as well as special galas.

6. BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival

Attend showings of the latest in queer cinema at BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival. These screenings represent the largest LGBTQI+ film festival in Europe. The festival takes place in spring, and all films are shown at BFI Southbank.

7. London Independent Film Festival

Mark your calendar for the annual London Independent Film Festival in April. This festival showcases early-career filmmakers with small budgets. LIFF screens films from more than 100 creators, and the festival lasts for 11 days.

Discover more of the best film experiences in the capital, or check out these film locations in London to see if you can recognise spots from some of the world's most iconic cinema.