The BFI Southbank has unveiled its stellar June 2025 line-up, and film fans are in for a rich, eclectic month of screenings, talks, and special events. Whether you’re a lover of cult cinema, auteur filmmaking, or rare archival prints, here are five standout reasons to book your tickets now:

1. Barbara Loden’s Cult Legacy Revisited

June kicks off with Wanda and Beyond: The World of Barbara Loden, a season devoted to the groundbreaking American actor-writer-director whose only feature film, Wanda (1970), has soared in reputation. As well as screenings of Loden’s lesser-known work and influences, audiences can look forward to a symposium on 7 June, featuring filmmaker Ross Lipman and curator Elena Gorfinkel. If you’re a fan of feminist cinema or overlooked auteurs, this season is unmissable.

2. A Provocative Dive into Michael Haneke’s Oeuvre

Complicit: The Films of Michael Haneke brings a full retrospective of the Austrian master known for unflinching social critique. Expect screenings of Funny Games, Amour, and The Piano Teacher (the latter two getting special re-releases), plus in-depth panel events exploring Haneke’s dark, precise cinematic style. A special 25 & Under introduction on 5 June makes this a perfect entry point for younger cinephiles.

3. BFI Film on Film Festival Returns

The celebrated Film on Film Festival returns for its second edition, showcasing films exclusively on celluloid prints. Highlights include a pristine IB Technicolor print of Star Wars (1977) on Opening Night and the original 35mm pilot of Twin Peaks to close the festival – introduced in person by Kyle MacLachlan himself. There are also treasures from the Stanley Kubrick archive and even a rare nitrate print of Un Chien Andalou.

4. Spotlight on Contemporary Voices: LOLLIPOP and Bread and Roses

Two powerful new films take centre stage. Lollipop (2024), Daisy-May Hudson’s narrative debut, follows a mother’s fight for her children post-prison, screening on 5 June with cast and crew Q&A. And as part of Refugee Week, Bread and Roses (2023) offers a visceral account of Afghan women resisting Taliban rule, followed by an important panel discussion on 20 June.

5. Strangeness and Satire with Stewart Lee and Sophie Sleigh-Johnson

Comedy meets avant-garde in Code: DAMP, a one-night-only event on 25 June celebrating the surreal and subversive in British television. Hosted by comedian Stewart Lee, this Experimenta mix will dissect the domestic underworld of sitcoms through the lens of Sleigh-Johnson’s new book — expect medieval instruments, Situationist theory, and Holsten Pils.

---

From restored classics and cult icons to daring new voices and live events, the BFI’s June 2025 programme is a cinephile’s dream. Explore the full listings and book your tickets via bfi.org.uk.

---