Preparations underway for London Film Festival

Brad Pitt on location in Japan Credit: Charles Guerin/ABACA USA/Empics Entertainment

The final preparations are underway for this year's London Film Festival which is being organised by the British Film Institute. The festival will feature 248 films being screened at 17 venues over 12 days from Wednesday 8th October.

Gala screenings include a biopic of Alan Turing starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Brad Pitt's new film Fury, an action drama by David Ayer, telling the story of US soldiers driving their tank through occupied Europe during WWII.

Other Gala screenings include showings of Foxcatcher, starring Channing Tatum, which tells the story of two brothers who are Olympic wrestlers and their relationship with a wealthy American patron.

Whiplash stars J.K. Simmons as a music teacher intent on pushing a brilliant young percussionist to achieve greatness.

A list of the other gala screenings at this year's festival can be found below:

  • Men, Women & Children - directed by Jason Reitman

  • May Fair Hotel Gala - starring Reese Witherspoon

  • Testament of Youth - a wartime drama about the life of Vera Brittain

  • Mr. Turner - a biopic of the painter Turner, starring Timothy Spall

  • The Battles of Coronel and Falkland Islands - a reconstruction of two decisive battles from WW1, a highlight from the era of silent film

  • Rosewater - the story of a detained Iranian journalist directed by The Daily Show's Jon Stewart

  • Mommy - directed by Xavier Dolan

  • A Little Chaos - French period drama directed by Alan Rickman

  • Wild Tales - six short comic films

  • The Salvation - starring Mads Mikkelsen

  • The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom - a new version of Liang Yusheng’s novel ‘Baifa Monü Zhuan'

  • Winter Sleep - winner of the Palme d'Or

  • Björk: Biophilia Live - a record of Björk's Biophilia project which culminated in a show at Alexandra Palace

  • Song of the Sea - an animated film from Ireland

  • CITIZENFOUR - a documentary on whistleblowers, including an interview with Edward Snowden

For more information on the festival visit the British Film Institute website.