Chloé Zhao’s ‘Hamnet’ Triumphs with Audience Award at Record-Breaking London Film Fest Attendance
The BFI London Film Festival achieved a historic milestone, boasting its largest attendance to date. From October 8 to 19, a remarkable 235,853 attendees participated in screenings and events across London and the U.K.
Record Attendance in 2023
This year’s festival saw occupancy rates for both free and ticketed events rise to 94%, an increase from 92% in the previous year. Notably, 47% of the tickets were purchased by attendees visiting the festival for the first time.
Opening Night and Major Premieres
The 69th edition commenced with the European premiere of Rian Johnson’s highly-anticipated film, “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.” The festival featured an impressive lineup of 44 red carpet events showcasing top industry talent. Among the films premiered were:
- Jay Kelly
- After The Hunt
- Frankenstein
- Die My Love
- Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere
- Bugonia
- Sentimental Value
- 100 Nights of Hero
Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet Takes Audience Award
Chloé Zhao’s film “Hamnet” won the Audience Award for Best Feature Film at the festival. The film, which explores the grief experienced by William and Agnes Shakespeare, stars Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley. Mescal expressed his admiration for the source material, stating his desire to collaborate with Zhao on this adaptation.
Insights from Festival Officials
Justine Simons, the Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, praised the record numbers, highlighting that London remains a premier destination for cinema celebrations. She expressed pride in Zhao’s “Hamnet,” which was showcased at the Mayor’s Film Gala.
Award Winners and Highlights
Additional awards presented during the festival included:
- Best British Discovery: “Black Is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite Story,” directed by Yemi Bamiro.
- Best Film: “Landmarks” (Nuestra Tierra), directed by Lucrecia Martel.
- Grierson Award: “The Travelers” (Les Voyageurs) by David Bingong.
- Sutherland Award: “One Woman One Bra” by Vincho Nchogu.
- Short Film Award: “Coyotes” by Said Zagha.
Diverse Film Presentations
This year’s festival presented an impressive selection of 252 titles from 79 countries, with 41% originating from female and non-binary filmmakers. All featured works were screened in the U.K. for the first time, including 28 world premieres and 11 international premieres.
More than 1,000 filmmakers and artists attended in person, engaged in discussions at the industry forum, which attracted over 3,400 delegates. Additionally, over 860 media representatives were accredited to cover the event, attending press screenings for 160 films.
