The BFI London Film Festival is thrilled to announce that it will be showcasing one of the most highly anticipated British films of the year as its 2023 curtain-raiser. Saltburn, the sophomore feature film directed by Emerald Fennell, who gained critical acclaim for her Oscar-winning debut film Promising Young Women, will have its international premiere on October 4 at London’s Royal Festival Hall.
Saltburn, starring Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, Alison Oliver, Archie Madekwe, and Carey Mulligan, has been compared to The Talented Mr. Ripley and is described by festival organizers as a “beautifully wicked tale of privilege and desire.” Set in the mid-2000s, the film follows Oliver (played by Keoghan), a struggling student at Oxford University, who becomes entangled in the world of Felix Catton (Elordi), a charming aristocrat. Oliver is invited to Saltburn, Felix’s eccentric family estate, for a summer that will change his life forever.
Kristy Matheson, the incoming London Film Festival director, expressed her excitement about choosing Saltburn as the opening night film. She said, “As soon as the credits rolled on Saltburn, it was clear we’d met our opening night film. Academy Award winner Emerald Fennell returns with an expertly crafted and exhilarating thrill ride of a film that showcases an enormous depth of U.K. talents in front of and behind the camera. With its exceptional performances, delicious plot twists, and a soundtrack of early 21st-century pop bangers, this hugely ambitious film immediately stole our hearts, and we can’t wait to share it with audiences in London and across the U.K. this October.”
Saltburn is set to be released in cinemas on November 24 by Amazon Studios and MGM. The film is produced by MRC and Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap Entertainment, with Robbie serving as a producer, just as she did on Promising Young Woman.
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Fennell, who won both the best original screenplay Oscar and BAFTA for Promising Young Woman, expressed her honor at having Saltburn open the BFI London Film Festival. She shared her personal connection to the festival, saying, “It is a festival that inspired me so much growing up, one that I followed excitedly from my bedroom on the other side of London. It feels extra-special that Saltburn, this very British tale of excess, is able to make its international debut at the wonderful BFI.”
The 67th edition of the BFI London Film Festival will take place from October 4 to 15. The full lineup of films will be unveiled on August 31, adding to the anticipation and excitement surrounding the festival.
Saltburn has already generated significant buzz and expectations due to Fennell’s success with Promising Young Woman and the talented cast involved. The film promises to be a gripping and thrilling exploration of privilege and desire, seducing audiences with its captivating performances and unexpected plot turns.
In addition to its focus on storytelling, Saltburn offers a nostalgia-inducing soundtrack featuring early 21st-century pop hits. This adds an extra layer of enjoyment for viewers, transporting them back to the mid-2000s and enhancing their immersion in the film’s world.
As the international premiere of Saltburn, the BFI London Film Festival will serve as a platform for the film to reach a wider audience and gain critical acclaim on a global scale. The festival has a rich history of showcasing groundbreaking and thought-provoking cinema, and Saltburn is poised to continue that legacy.
The announcement of Saltburn as the opening night film of the BFI London Film Festival has created a buzz of excitement and anticipation among film enthusiasts. With its talented cast, intriguing plot, and skilled direction by Emerald Fennell, Saltburn is expected to be a highlight of the festival and a must-see film of the year.
Audiences can expect to be enthralled by Saltburn’s exploration of privilege, desire, and the consequences of one fateful summer. Fennell’s storytelling prowess, combined with the outstanding performances of the cast, promises to deliver a cinematic experience that will linger in the minds of viewers long after the credits roll.
The BFI London Film Festival looks forward to sharing Saltburn with audiences in London and across the U.K., allowing them to immerse themselves in this unforgettable tale. As the festival’s opening night film, Saltburn sets the tone for the rest of the event, promising an exciting lineup of films that will captivate and inspire audiences.
The countdown to the BFI London Film Festival has begun, and film enthusiasts eagerly await the unveiling of the full lineup on August 31. With Saltburn as its opening night film, the festival sets a high standard for the exceptional cinema that is to come.
