Inviting the international press to a special preview screening and delectable lunch at the chic The Hospital Club in Covent Garden, the British Film Institute (BFI), the sponsoring organization of the BFI London Film Festival, wanted to emphasize that they provide outstanding film programs throughout the entire year. The BFI has the goal of educating and entertaining the British public by providing a voice for cultural film, from both its homes shores and overseas, via festivals, program series and publications. This film immersion is not only reserved for the BFI Southbank, the movie mecca that contains three year-round theaters, a research library and on-going conferences and events. The reach is nationwide, via the BFI Distribution arm and the BFI DVD label. Despite recent announcements of budget cuts, the BFI remains resolute in its mission to provide on-going access to both contemporary and classic cinema.

“The BFI is engaging more people than ever on so many different platforms”, BFI Director Amanda Nevill announced before a 20 minute preview reel showing highlights of upcoming programs. “Looking forward, we will nurture an environment that enables our industry to take creative risks, be adventurous and allow new voices to be heard so that the widest possible range of film is available for the public.” In the next few weeks, the BFI will be presenting a diverse group of film series, including a survey of fashion in silent film, the diverse career of American director Frank Capra, a tribute to British post-war documentaries and a survey of the works by American avant-garde visual artist Yvonne Rainer.

In 2011, the BFI is mounting its most complete tribute to Russian Cinema, including surveys of the groundbreaking cinema of the 1920s and 1930s, the science fiction genre in Russian film, and a tribute to contemporary Russian director Alexander Sokurov. The hommages with surveys of the career highlights of such cinema icons as Howard Hawks, Francois Truffaut, Nicolas Roeg, Bernardo Bertolucci and Audrey Hepburn. A special program in April 2011 will offer the filmed adaptations of the celebrated British dramatist Terrence Rattigan.

 The British Film Institute is a revered institution that continues to pursue its mission of preserving the great treasures of the past, while giving vital exposure to the voices of the present. It is an enviable British treasure. For more information, visit: www.bfi.org.uk  Sandy Mandelberger, Festival Circuit Editor