BFI London Film Festival
The London Film Festival ( in the long form also: The Times bfi London Film Festival) is an international film festival in London. It is the biggest film festival in the UK.
It was founded in 1956 by a group of film critics, including the journalist Dilys Powell of the weekly newspaper The Sunday Times. Today, it is organized by the British Film Institute ( BFI ). Since 1966, the respective owner of The Sunday Times is also the owner of the newspaper The Times, which is the main sponsor and one of the namesake of the festival.
The Festival program are primarily films that were not previously seen in the UK in the cinema. Traditionally, especially films of twelve film festivals such as Cannes or Venice will be added.
The colorful The Times BFI London Film Festival has several venues in and around the city center of London. Among cinemas in Leicester Square, considered the heart of London's cinematography, as well as the BFI Southbank are as the birthplace of film festivals.
The London Film Festival is accredited as a festival without international competition at the international film producers association FIAPF. Therefore, the film awards of the festival will be awarded only in special categories. The main prize of the London Film Festival is the Sutherland Trophy, which goes each to the first feature film of a director. The Sutherland Trophy is awarded since 1958 by the British Film Institute, but only since 1997 as part of the London Film Festival. Additional awards of the festival include the The Times BFI London Film Festival Grierson Award for best documentary feature-length films and a FIPRESCI Prize at the International Film Critics Association Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique.