The 68th BFI London Film Festival to Open with Steve McQueen’s ‘Blitz’

Steve McQueen’s World War II drama “Blitz” is set to have its world premiere as the opening night gala of the 68th BFI London Film Festival (LFF). This Apple original film is directed, produced, and written by McQueen, who is a renowned Academy Award and BAFTA winner, making it his return to the festival.

“Blitz” tells the story of George, a nine-year-old boy in wartime London who is sent to the countryside for safety by his mother Rita, played by Saoirse Ronan. The film follows George’s journey back to London, and Rita’s quest to find her missing son. The cast includes notable actors like Harris Dickinson, Benjamin Clementine, Kathy Burke, Paul Weller, and Stephen Graham. Production of the film is done by McQueen’s Lammas Park, along with Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner of Working Title Films, and Arnon Milchan, Yariv Milchan, and Michael Schaefer for New Regency.

This premiere marks McQueen’s third time opening the LFF, with previous films “Widows” in 2018 and “Mangrove” in 2020. McQueen, a London-born director, received the BFI Fellowship at the 2016 festival. According to McQueen, “Blitz” is a movie that honors the spirit of Londoners during the blitz while exploring the true representation of people in London, with a core story of a working-class family trying to reunite during times of war.

LFF Director Kristy Matheson praised McQueen for infusing the film with nuance and depth at every turn, making the subject feel entirely new through the character’s development and the texture of the city portrayed on screen. The film also reunites McQueen with his team, including production designer Adam Stockhausen, costume designer Jacqueline Durran, and composer Hans Zimmer. “Blitz” is set to release in select cinemas on Nov. 1, followed by global streaming on Apple TV+ from Nov. 22.

The 68th BFI London Film Festival will take place from Oct. 9-20, with screenings at various venues across London like the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, BFI Southbank, and BFI IMAX. Partner cinemas across the U.K., including venues in Nottingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, Belfast, Sheffield, Newcastle, and Bristol, will also host screenings during the festival.