‘Hope Gap’ & ‘Official Secrets’ Announced for BFI London Film Festival

Two feature films made with Screen Yorkshire’s investment have been selected to screen at this year’s ‘BFI London Film Festival’ (02 – 13 October 2019). The programme line-up, announced today (29 August 2019) includes William Nicholson’s ‘Hope Gap’, which will be showcased as one of eleven Headline Galas during the festival & Gavin Hood’s ‘Official Secrets’ which will open as this year’s ‘Debate Gala’. Both feature films were backed by Screen Yorkshire’s ‘Yorkshire Content Fund’ and filmed in the region over summer 2018. Also debuting at this year’s festival, in the Official Competition strand is horror ‘Saint Maud’, filmed partly in Scarborough and Armando Iannucci’s ‘The Personal History of David Copperfield‘, filmed partly in Hull, which will have its European premiere at the festival, screening as the Opening Night Gala. Both feature films shot in the region with support from with support from Screen Yorkshire’s Film Office.

Keira Knightley in 'Official Secrets' on location in Leeds

The 63rd BFI London Film Festival (LFF) in partnership with American Express will present 229 feature films from some of the world’s greatest filmmakers and emerging talent. For 12 days from 2-13 October 2019 the LFF will celebrate the diverse landscape of international cinema, showcasing films set to entertain and inspire, provoke debate and tackle the urgent issues of our time. More and tickets

At this moment when the UK is adapting and reshaping our place in the world, the BFI London Film Festival really underlines the soft power of the art of film and showcases the dynamism of global exchange and partnership. All the BFI’s cultural programmes, from BFI Southbank to BFI Player, have sought to be an active champion at the heart of the global cinema story and this year’s LFF does this so powerfully with its incredibly rich and diverse programme and the international filmmaking community who love being here.

Amanda Nevill, CEO, BFI

Hope Gap © Origin Pictures

Hope Gap

Family drama ‘Hope Gap‘, starring Bill Nighy, Annette Bening and Josh O’Connor, shot for 5 weeks across the UK, in Leeds and Doncaster and the eponymous Hope Gap, Seaford in Sussex. ‘Hope Gap’ is directed by two time Oscar nominated British screenwriter William Nicholson (Gladiator, Shadowlands), OBE, FRSL, director, playwright and novelist, who directs from his own script. BFI London Film Festival Tickets.

Official Secrets

Dramatic true life story ‘Official Secrets‘ stars two-time Oscar®-nominated actress Keira Knightley as courageous journalist Katharine Gun, who leaked a top-secret National Security Agency memo, putting her life and career on the line and changing the course of modern history. Matt Smith also stars alongside two-time Academy Award® nominee Ralph Fiennes and Matthew Goode. ‘Official Secrets’filmed primarily in Yorkshire with investment from Screen Yorkshire, at locations including: Leeds City Centre, Chapel Allerton, Roundhay, Boston Spa, Otley Police Station, Bradford City Hall, Shipley, Keighley and Robin Hood Airport, Doncaster and the Northern Film & TV Studios. Production Offices were based at Prime Studios. Additional scenes were filmed in Manchester and Liverpool. BFI London Film Festival Tickets.

The Personal History of David Copperfield

This year’s Opening Night Gala at the festival will be ‘The Personal History of David Copperfield’, directed by the multi-award-winning writer, filmmaker and broadcaster Armando Iannucci (The Death of Stalin) and starring BAFTA Award winner Dev Patel as David Copperfield. The film will receive its European Premiere on Wednesday 2nd October at ODEON Luxe Leicester Square. This fresh take on Charles Dickens’ classic novel boasts a stellar British cast, led by Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie, Peter Capaldi, Ben Whishaw, Paul Whitehouse and Gwendoline Christie, many of whom are expected on the red carpet in Leicester Square. ‘The Personal History of David Copperfield’ filmed partly in Hull with support from Screen Yorkshire’s Film Office. BFI London Film Festival Tickets.

Saint Maud

‘Saint Maud’ is the debut feature from director Rose Glass, in which a mysterious nurse becomes dangerously obsessed with saving the soul of her dying patient. It screens in Official Competition for the Best Film Award, which recognises inspiring, inventive and distinctive filmmaking. The Film 4 / BFI backed feature filmed partly in Scarborough in November 2018 with support from Screen Yorkshire’s Film Office. BFI London Film Festival tickets.