The 65th BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express has announced that this year’s Opening Night Gala will be Netflix’s upcoming western, THE HARDER THEY FALL, directed by Jeymes Samuel.
The film will receive its World Premiere on Wednesday 6 October 2021 at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, LFF’s newly announced gala venue.
The BFI London Film Festival has also announced that there will be simultaneous preview screenings of THE HARDER THEY FALL taking place at cinemas across the UK.
The film will debut on Netflix on 3 November 2021 following a theatrical release in UK cinemas.
THE HARDER THEY FALL features an all-star cast including Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, Delroy Lindo, LaKeith Stanfield, Danielle Deadwyler, Edi Gathegi, R.J. Cyler, Damon Wayans Jr. and Deon Cole, with Regina King and Idris Elba.
Written by Jeymes Samuel and Boaz Yakin, and produced by Shawn Carter, James Lassiter, Lawrence Bender and Jeymes Samuel, the film features an original soundtrack album produced by Samuel and executive produced by Carter.
When outlaw Nat Love (Majors) discovers that his enemy Rufus Buck (Elba) is being released from prison, he rounds up his gang to track Rufus down and seek revenge. Those riding with him in this assured, righteously new school Western includes his former love Stagecoach Mary, his right- and left-hand men — hot-tempered Bill Pickett and fast drawing Jim Beckwourth – and a surprising adversary-turned-ally. Rufus Buck has his own fearsome crew, including “Treacherous” Trudy Smith and Cherokee Bill, and they are not a group that knows how to lose.
The BFI London Film Festival has previously announced that, alongside flagship venue BFI Southbank, a new partnership with the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall will make London’s South Bank the heart of the film festival experience, with this iconic cultural neighbour hosting red carpet gala premieres. Audiences can book tickets from £10 (£5 for 25 & Under) for all LFF gala screenings at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall. Other London venue partners will return with the West End remaining a key hub for the Festival’s film programme.
This year’s LFF will bring back some of the most popular elements of 2020’s hugely successful hybrid edition that made it the most accessible Festival ever, with a selected programme available at UK-wide cinema partners and a broad range of films from the programme screening on BFI Player, alongside the in-cinema premieres.
The 65th BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express takes place from Wednesday 6 October to Sunday 17 October 2021.
The LFF Programme Launch will take place on Tuesday 7 September 2021.
