The BFI London Film Festival is widely regarded as the UK’s premier film festival. Each year it introduces audiences to award contenders, acclaimed arthouse works, shorts from emerging filmmakers, and standout mainstream releases. The 2020 edition was notably more accessible than previous years, expanding screenings beyond central London to several major UK cities and, for the first time, making a large portion of its programme available digitally. Studio titles, streaming exclusives and independent films were presented alongside one another, all competing for attention in a year full of memorable entries. The festival’s Best Film prize went to Thomas Vinterberg’s Danish drama Another Round (Druk), while Best Documentary Feature was awarded to The Painter and the Thief. Here at The Film Magazine, we reviewed many festival selections and watched dozens of titles with the aim of compiling a clear, authoritative guide to the most promising films showcased at LFF 2020.
In this Movie List, contributors Charlie Gardiner, Leoni Horton and Joseph Wade present our selection of the festival’s most exciting films. The following list highlights ten titles that stood out for their ambition, craft and impact.
Make sure to tell us which films you’re most excited about in the comments, and follow us on Twitter for ongoing coverage from The Film Magazine.
1. One Night In Miami
Director: Regina King
Screenwriter: Kemp Powers
Starring: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom Jr
Regina King’s directorial debut treats a single evening of conversation with a tender, perceptive eye. The film finds humanity and vulnerability in four iconic figures as they confront fame, responsibility and racial politics. King’s approach softens hardened public images, letting the characters’ emotions give real urgency to their debates and frustrations. – Leoni Horton
One Night In Miami Review
2. Wolfwalkers
Directors: Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart
Screenwriter: Will Collins
Starring: Honor Kneafsey, Eva Whittaker, Sean Bean
Wolfwalkers pays homage to classic hand-drawn animation while forging its own visual identity. Its bold, textured art style and folkloric storytelling make it a standout in contemporary animation, balancing emotional depth with striking design to become a modern classic in its own right. – Charlie Gardiner
Wolfwalkers Review
3. David Byrne’s American Utopia
Director: Spike Lee
Screenwriter: David Byrne
Starring: David Byrne
Filmed with theatrical precision, Spike Lee’s adaptation of David Byrne’s stage show sits comfortably between concert film and performance art. It captures both the intellectual ideas Byrne explores and the ecstatic communal energy of live performance, delivering a cinematic concert experience that feels intimate and expansive at once. – Leoni Horton
David Byrne’s American Utopia Review
4. Supernova
Director: Harry MacQueen
Screenwriter: Harry MacQueen
Starring: Colin Firth, Stanley Tucci
Colin Firth delivers a quietly devastating performance as a man facing loss, backed by Stanley Tucci’s nuanced turn. The film is a restrained but emotionally rich examination of love, memory and the everyday choices that define care in the face of deterioration. Firth’s work here is a study in subtlety and lived experience. – Charlie Gardiner
Supernova Review
5. Possessor
Director: Brandon Cronenberg
Screenwriter: Brandon Cronenberg
Starring: Andrea Riseborough, Christopher Abbott, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Sean Bean, Tuppence Middleton
Brandon Cronenberg’s Possessor is an uncompromising, visceral exploration of identity, control and violence. Equal parts psychological thriller and body-horror, the film unnerves with its clinical precision and relentless intensity, delivering a disturbing, unforgettable cinema experience. – Leoni Horton
Possessor Review
6. Herself
Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Screenwriters: Clare Dunne, Malcolm Campbell
Starring: Clare Dunne, Harriet Walter, Conleth Hill
Herself centers on resilience and the struggle to rebuild a life. Anchored by Clare Dunne’s compelling performance, the film tells a humane, determined story about a woman navigating inadequate social systems while fighting to create a safe home for her children. It highlights the strength and solidarity of its characters with quiet power. – Charlie Gardiner
Herself Review
7. Relic
Director: Natalie Erika James
Screenwriters: Natalie Erika James, Christian White
Starring: Emily Mortimer, Robyn Nevin, Bella Heathcote
Relic is a quietly unsettling horror that uses atmosphere and metaphor to examine memory loss and familial decay. The film invites viewers into an interior world of anxiety and dread, making its emotional core—the experience of dementia—feel palpably intimate and terrifying. – Joseph Wade
Relic Review
8. Limbo
Director: Ben Sharrock
Screenwriter: Ben Sharrock
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Kwabena Ansah, Ola Orebiyi, Vikash Bai, Grace Chilton, Kenneth Collard
Ben Sharrock’s Limbo focuses on individual experience rather than grand political statements. Set in Scotland, the film reflects the disorientation of those caught between places and identities, portraying exile and uncertainty with a dry, humane wit that reveals the isolation of its characters. – Leoni Horton
Limbo Review
9. Nomadland
Director: Chloé Zhao
Screenwriter: Chloé Zhao
Starring: Frances McDormand
Frances McDormand gives a layered, lived-in performance in Chloé Zhao’s contemplative film about life on the road. The character work is subtle and richly textured, with McDormand imbuing every glance and gesture with history and quiet resilience. The film offers a compassionate study of community, survival and solitude. – Leoni Horton
Nomadland Review
10. Mangrove
Director: Steve McQueen
Screenwriters: Steve McQueen, Alastair Siddons
Starring: Shaun Parkes, Letitia Wright, Malachi Kirby, Rochenda Sandall, Gershwyn Eustace Jnr, Gary Beadle, Jack Lowden, Alex Jennings, Sam Spruell, Joseph Quinn, Jumayn Hunter, Richie Campbell
Mangrove is a collaborative, impassioned portrait of resistance and injustice. The film’s ensemble performances and precise filmmaking convey collective anger, dignity and the determination of those who fought against systemic discrimination. Its urgency and moral clarity make it one of the festival’s most powerful statements. – Joseph Wade
Mangrove Review
These ten films represent a cross-section of what made the BFI London Film Festival 2020 so compelling: bold directorial debuts, intimate character studies, inventive animation, and genre work that pushes boundaries. Which of these titles are you most excited to see? Share your thoughts in the comments below. For more coverage and updates, follow The Film Magazine on Facebook and Twitter.