European Premiere Of Joel Coen’s The Tragedy Of Macbeth To Close The 65th BFI London Film Festival

Something Wicked This Way comes To London

The 65^th BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express is delighted to announce that this year’s Closing Night Gala will be The Tragedy Of Macbeth written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Joel Coen, and from Apple Original Films and A24.  The film will receive its European Premiere on Sunday 17 October at LFF Gala venue the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, with Joel Coen expected to attend…

The BFI London Film Festival is also pleased to announce that there will be simultaneous preview screenings of THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH taking place at LFF partner venues at cinemas across the UK.

Written and directed by Joel Coen and produced by Joel Coen, Frances McDormand and Robert Graf, a bold and fierce adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic, a tale of murder, madness, ambition, and wrathful cunning.

Writer, director and producer of The Tragedy Of Macbeth, Joel Coen, said: “Shakespeare belongs to the world but comes from Britain.  Having borrowed your cultural patrimony, and having had the great good luck to work with a few of your most brilliant actors, I’m honoured to bring this movie to the London Film Festival for its European premiere.”

Tricia Tuttle, BFI London Film Festival Director said: “We fell in love with Joel Coen’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s Scottish Play. Poised in a magical space between theatre and cinema, this is a stunning production. Bruno Delbonnel’s silvery monochrome photography captures the moody almost expressionist sets from designer Stefan Dechant and Carter Burwell has written a spell-casting score. And while the ensemble cast – including many UK talents – is thoroughly excellent, Frances McDormand and Denzel Washington mesmerise as the couple whose political ambition proved their fatal downfall. So many of us missed the big screen experience last year, and this a perfect celebration of this art form that’s built on ancient traditions of storytelling but with truly magical powers to convey intimacy and awesome scale and spectacle. It’s such a privilege to be Closing the LFF with a film of this extraordinary calibre and welcoming Joel Coen and his collaborators to the Festival.”

The BFI London Film Festival has previously announced that the Opening Night film will be the World Premiere of Jeymes Samuel’s THE HARDER THEY FALL starring Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, Delroy Lindo, LaKeith Stanfield, Danielle Deadwyler, Edi Gathegi, R.J. Cyler, Damon Wayans Jr. and Deon Cole with Regina King and Idris Elba.  The LFF’s American Express Headline Gala will be Jane Campion’s THE POWER OF THE DOG, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee.

The 65th BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express takes place from Wednesday 6 October – Sunday 17 October, 2021. The LFF Programme Launch will take place on Tuesday 7 September, 2021.

About the BFI

We are a cultural charity, a National Lottery distributor, and the UK’s lead organisation for film and the moving image.

Our mission is:

• To support creativity and actively seek out the next generation of UK storytellers
• To grow and care for the BFI National Archive, the world’s largest film and television archive
• To offer the widest range of UK and international moving image culture through our programmes and festivals – delivered online and in venue
• To use our knowledge to educate and deepen public appreciation and understanding
• To work with Government and industry to ensure the continued growth of the UK’s screen industries

Founded in 1933, the BFI is a registered charity governed by Royal Charter.

The BFI Board of Governors is chaired by Tim Richards.

The BFI London Film Festival
BFI London Film Festival is Britain’s leading film event and one of the world’s best film festivals. It introduces the finest new British and international films to an expanding London and UK-wide audience and attracts significant international film industry participation. LFF is a compelling combination of diverse films, red carpet glamour, friendly audiences and vibrant exchange. LFF provides an essential profiling opportunity for films seeking global success; promotes the careers of British and international filmmakers through its industry and awards programmes and positions London as the world’s leading creative city.

https://www.bfi.org.uk/london-film-festival

Tricia Tuttle Biography

Tricia Tuttle continues her role as Director of BFI Festivals for the fourth year. She was appointed the position following her role as Artistic Director of the 62nd Edition of the BFI London Film Festival in 2018 and five successful years as Deputy Head of Festivals at BFI, including BFI Flare and BFI London Film Festival.

Moving from North Carolina in 1997 to complete a joint MA at BFI and Birkbeck, University of London in Film and TV Studies, Tricia’s passion for film has seen her work as a programmer, lecturer, writer and journalist.  Her career has spanned a five year tenure at BAFTA, starting in 2008 and with her appointment as Film Programme Manager in 2011; programming the BFI London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (the pre-cursor to BFI Flare) and as Event Producer at London’s The Script Factory.  Tuttle has been instrumental in evolving BFI Festivals, continuing to expand audience reach year on year and introducing impactful initiatives such UK-wide cinema venue partnerships, digital screenings, LFF For Free and also BFI Flare’s FiveFilms4Freedom, in partnership with the British Council.