Catch Daniel Day-Lewis, Yorgos Lanthimos and Richard Linklater in conversation at London's BFI Film Festival

The 69th BFI London Film Festival is rolling out the red carpet for an absolutely stellar lineup of Screen Talks. From Oscar winners to indie darlings, this year’s festival is kicking off on the 8th of October with Rian Johnson’s Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, and promises to be a veritable feast for the cinematic soul.

Prepare yourselves for a rare public appearance from the legendary Daniel Day-Lewis, the only human to ever snag three Best Actor Oscars. Imagine the man himself, chatting about his era-defining roles in There Will Be Blood, Lincoln, and Phantom Thread. And as a bonus, he’s even got a new film, Anemone, which also happens to be his son Ronan’s directorial debut.

ANEMONE Trailer (2025) Daniel Day-Lewis, Sean Bean - YouTube

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Richard Linklater, the master behind everything from Dazed and Confused to the beloved Before trilogy, is set to discuss his sprawling filmography. We’re eager to hear about his journey from experimental works to comedies like School of Rock. And with his latest, Nouvelle Vague, hot off Cannes, there’s no doubt he’ll have plenty of fascinating anecdotes.

Greek genius Yorgos Lanthimos, fresh off his Venice premiere Bugonia, will also be gracing the stage. Known for his wonderfully quirky and distinctive films like The Lobster and Poor Things, we can’t wait to hear what insights he’ll share.

BUGONIA - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters October 24 - YouTube

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Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao, who brought us the poignant Nomadland, is also on the bill. Her unique blend of documentary and narrative filmmaking always makes for an inspiring conversation. Plus, she’s premiering Hamnet with Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley at TIFF, so she’ll surely have some exciting behind-the-scenes stories.

Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, whose work has bravely critiqued society, will be there to discuss his influential films, including The White Balloon and No Bears. Plus, the incredibly talented Lynne Ramsay, director of We Need to Talk About Kevin and You Were Never Really Here, will be sharing her cinematic wisdom. And for all you MCU fans, Tessa Thompson will be talking about her diverse career, from The Creed films to Passing and more.

The BFI London Film Festival runs from October 8-19, and with a lineup this dazzling, it’s going to be an unforgettable cinematic celebration.

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