London Film | 9–18 October 2026 | Free
The BFI London Film Festival celebrates its 70th edition this October, and you don’t need a ticket budget to join in. LFF for Free brings more than 40 free events to BFI Southbank, from talks with big names to DJ nights and family craft sessions, all open to everyone and completely free.
Booking opens at 10am on Thursday 1 October. Here are five reasons to set a reminder.
1. Cate Blanchett presents the Displacement Film Fund
The headline free event sees Cate Blanchett present a collection of short films from the Displacement Film Fund, which she founded to support displaced filmmakers and those telling authentic stories of displacement. The five shorts come from internationally renowned directors including Mohammad Rasoulof and Shahrbanoo Sadat, with stories ranging from Ukraine and Afghanistan to Syria and Iran. It screens on Friday 9 October at 2.45pm in NFT1 (ages 15+).
2. Talks with Andrew Davies, Mark Cousins and Adam Pearson
Screenwriter Andrew Davies, the writer behind the much-loved Pride and Prejudice, House of Cards, Bleak House and Bridget Jones, talks about his memoir and career. Filmmaker Mark Cousins explores a century of documentary cinema on Saturday 10 October, and actor and disability advocate Adam Pearson shares his work for more inclusive and authentic storytelling. Film fans can also catch a live edition of the Girls on Film Podcast with LFF filmmakers including Carol Morley.
3. Free DJ nights at the BFI Bar
LFF for Free also heads to the dancefloor. NYC After Dark (Friday 9 October) brings the disco and new wave sounds of 1980s New York, and Ritmos de América Latina (Saturday 10 October) celebrates samba, cumbia, reggaetón and salsa. Later in the festival, a Haçienda-inspired night takes you back to late-80s Manchester, and Club Labor revisits the chart hits of 2016. DJ nights run from 9pm to 1am and are 18+.
4. Free family craft sessions
Bring the children for hands-on fun in the BFI Southbank foyer. On Saturday 10 October, Build A Bug (10.15am) lets young audiences create their own insect companions, and The Mermaid Parade (12.15pm) has them making colourful mermaid tails. On Sunday 11 October, there is a Wildwood mask-making session at 12.15pm.
5. Something for every kind of film lover
The rest of the programme covers everything from true crime, female vampires and horror to gaming, podcasting, manga and queer television, with TV critic Scott Bryan and manga expert Helen McCarthy among the speakers. Film in Print returns to the BFI Reuben Library for a weekend celebrating film magazines, zines and books, and there is a film locations quiz for anyone who fancies testing their knowledge.
Plan your visit
LFF for Free at the 70th BFI London Film Festival
BFI Southbank, London
9–18 October 2026
All events free, booking opens 10am on Thursday 1 October
Top tip: free tickets are over-allocated to allow for no-shows, and seating is first come, first served. Doors open 15 minutes before each event, so arrive early to make sure you get in.
You might also like: 5 Reasons to See Babystar, the Sharp German Satire on Influencer Families and 5 Things to Know About Rammstein – Live in Mexico City, in Cinemas on 4 November.