The 70th BFI London Film Festival has officially come to a close, and the awards ceremony was a total vibe. Sergei Loznitsa’s Imperium walked away with the Best Film award, and honestly, it’s giving main character energy. The film uses rare archival footage shot by Italian cameramen in the early 1970s to give us a look at the Soviet Union before it crumbled. The jury was absolutely obsessed, calling it "visually arresting" and emotionally heavy in the best way.
The standout winners
The festival highlighted some major talent across the board:
- The Sutherland Award (First Feature Competition): This went to Sompot Chidgasornpongse for 9 Temples to Heaven. It’s a Thai film that explores faith and the cycle of life and death, and the jury called it a super accomplished debut. Bertil Nilsson’s Masc also snagged a special mention for being a hilarious and fresh take on the struggle of drifting through life.
- The Grierson Award (Documentary): Asmahan Bkerat’s Concrete Land took the crown. It’s a deep dive into the lives of a family in Jordan fighting to hold onto their culture and land. It’s lowkey moving to see that kind of resilience on screen. Theo Rollason’s Queer Edward II got a shout-out for its creative use of archival footage to tell the story of artist-activist Derek Jarman.
- Best Short Film: Rahul Roye’s Aman absolutely ate with its story of a trans man navigating an unexpected pregnancy right before his gender-affirming surgery. If you want to see what the hype is about, you can actually stream it for free on BFI Player until October 25.
Why it matters
While the main jury awards are set, the audience is still having their say. If you're a film buff, you have until October 21 to vote for the best feature and best British discovery, so make sure your voice is heard before the portal closes. It’s always a W to see such a diverse range of stories getting the global recognition they deserve.
