Category: LONDON
Cinema Made in Italy – 2026
A new renaissance in Italian cinema is drawing audiences back to theatres, led by a dynamic generation of filmmakers—many of them women—whose work is resonating with contemporary viewers. The Made in Italy festival returns this spring at London’s BFI Southbank, showcasing ten new films alongside a classic, and highlighting the remarkable creativity currently shaping Italy’s film industry.
Ovo: Cirque du Soleil’s Living, Breathing Micro-World
Cirque du Soleil returns to the Royal Albert Hall with Ovo, a mesmerising reimagining of its 2009 production. Inspired by the hidden world of insects, the show blends aerial artistry, contortion, and Brazilian-inflected music into a vibrant study of movement, metamorphosis, and life in motion.
Mountains and Seas – Song of Today
Blending ancient Chinese myth with music, movement, and poetry, Mountains and Seas – Song of Today confronts climate crisis, rising fascism, and collective grief through a powerful non-Western lens.
Absent – Iraqi War Drama Brought Powerfully to the Stage
Absent is a poignant and sharply relevant adaptation of Betool Khedairi’s Iraqi novel, exploring life in a Baghdad apartment block after the first Gulf War. Through Dalal’s perspective, the play reveals how sanctions, conflict and fear erode trust and community, reminding us that when the elephants fight, the grass gets trampled.
Lee Miller: A Life Through the Lens
Tate Britain’s major retrospective of Lee Miller celebrates one of the 20th century’s most complex and brilliant photographers — a fashion model turned Surrealist muse turned fearless war correspondent. Featuring over 230 works, the exhibition traces a life lived through art, conflict, and reinvention.
The Films That Refused to Be Forgotten
With over 247 films screened at this year’s BFI London Film Festival, only a handful left an enduring resonance—films that confronted grief, reflected our political anxieties, and celebrated cultural identity. From Benedict Cumberbatch’s most powerful performance to a revelatory Hamlet starring Riz Ahmed, this review turns to the films that go beyond awards buzz, speaking instead to the depths of the human experience.
London Film Festival 2025: Must-Watch Films
In this passionate review of the London Film Festival 2025, Bettina Gracias reflects on over twenty films ranging from heart-warming international gems to politically charged dramas and major Oscar frontrunners. She highlights the films that lingered in her memory, exploring themes of tradition, loss, migration and artistic legacy, and reveals which titles are most likely to capture audiences—and awards—over the coming year.
HollyShorts 2025
Explore the standout short films of HollyShorts 2025, where hope, humor, and humanity collide. From heartfelt documentaries to bold fiction and animation, this year’s festival delivers unforgettable stories from emerging filmmakers worldwide.