The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping
(TBC)
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will revisit the world of Panem twenty-four years before the events of The Hunger Games, starting on the morning of the reaping of the Fiftieth Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.
Wicker
(R16)
On the outskirts of a village by the sea, lives a Fisherwoman; smelly, single and perpetually ridiculed. One day, fed up with her stuffy, small-minded neighbors, she commissions herself a husband to be made from wicker. In an otherwise conservative town, this unconventional romance sparks outrage, jealousy and chaos.
Wild Horse Nine
(R13)
Shortly before the 1973 Chilean coup, CIA agents Chris (John Malkovich) and Lee (Sam Rockwell) are dispatched from Santiago to Easter Island by their bureau chief, MJ (Steve Buscemi). Amongst the Island's iconic statues, and as the longtime partners wrestle with their dark pasts and present conspiracies, Chris's newfound bond with a pair of rebellious students (Mariana di Girolamo and Ailín Salas) threatens to send everyone's trip to this remote paradise sideways.
Godzilla: Minus Zero
(M)
GODZILLA MINUS ZERO picks up in 1949, two years after the tumultuous events of Godzilla Minus One, and continues the story of the Shikishima family.
You Can See Everything
(M)
Thirty-four days before she's sent to prison, notorious Silicon Valley founder Elizabeth Holmes invites a skeptical film crew to document her every move. What begins as an intimate portrait of an enigmatic felon becomes a mind-bending three-year journey into the abyss. From boundary-pushing directors Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim comes You Can See Everything.
Primetime
(R16)
Inspired by true events in 2006, To Catch a Predator host Chris Hansen (Robert Pattinson) sets out to make television history. When a high stakes operation goes fatally wrong, his veneered dream of fame curdles into a nightmare of performative justice in this candy-colored thriller from Lance Oppenheim.
BIFF26: Ink
(R13)
The latest film from British cinema royalty Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire), Ink charts the rise of Rupert Murdoch's notorious newspaper The Sun, and the creation of the UK's tabloid culture. Guy Pearce (The Brutalist) stars as Murdoch, alongside Jack O'Connell (Sinners) as newspaper editor Larry Lamb, newly assigned to oversee the fledgling daily paper. Tasked with attracting new readers in the competitive British media market, Lamb devises a new tactic - throw anything onto the page that will turn heads, no matter the veracity. The Sun sees a massive spike in readership, and this new broad scope allows Jules Davies (Claire Foy) to break through the male-dominated hierarchy. But as the paper circulation grows, so too does the number of its critics. Already generating awards season buzz, the fast-paced and gripping Ink features riveting performances from its star cast, in a thrilling exploration of this controversial newsroom legacy.
BIFF26: Parky
(E)
Sir Michael Parkinson, often affectionately known as "Parky", was one of the most ubiquitous figures on UK Television. This riveting new documentary examines the career and milestones of the man known as "the great British talkshow host." How did a miner's son from working-class Yorkshire, who rose to become television's greatest interviewer and a knighted Sir, never truly believe in himself? As told in his own words, and from those closest to him - his wife, Lady Mary, and sons Mike, Andrew and Nick - Parky is a revelatory portrait of an icon. From his childhood in the South Yorkshire village of Cudworth, and his successful stint in uniform with the National service, to his journalism career and eventual television stardom, this tell-all uncovers the brilliant and complicated man. Over 20 years, Parkinson hosted more than 2,000 guests on his eponymous show, from Hollywood actors to sports stars, comedians, and intellectual figures. Parky features quintessential clips with some of these legendary guests, including Dame Julie Andrews, Sir Billy Connolly, Dame Judi Dench, Sir Paul McCartney, and many more. An enthralling combination of intimate insights from his family, as well as classic clips from his beloved show, Parky is essential viewing.
BIFF26: Prima Facie
(R16)
Oscar-nominee Cynthia Erivo (Wicked) stars in this adaptation of Suzie Miller's smash-hit play, a piercing legal drama that exposes the perils of a system that forces victims to prove their assault. Erivo plays Tessa, a no-nonsense, accomplished lawyer from a working-class background. A powerful presence in the courtroom, Tessa skillfully dismantles opposing arguments, finds weaknesses, and holds her opponents to the letter of the law. She believes the legal system is at its best when all parties receive the best representation possible. Tessa's life is turned upside down when she becomes the victim of sexual assault by a colleague, exposing her directly to how harsh and misogynistic the law can be to traumatised women seeking justice. Erivo delivers a performance both heartbreaking and inspiring, supported by a terrific supporting cast including Daniel Ings (The Gentlemen), Simon Russel Beale (The Choral), and Elizabeth Dulau (Andor). Prima Facie has wowed audiences at its very recent Toronto International Film Festival debut, with Oscar buzz swirling for Cynthia Erivo's complex performance. Hard-hitting and intelligent, Prima Facie is must-watch viewing at this year's Festival.
BIFF26: A Talent For Murder
(M)
British national treasure Helen Mirren plays The Talented Mr. Ripley author Patricia Highsmith in this deeply intriguing thriller. A Talent for Murder takes place in 1995, with Highsmith now in her seventies - and in poor health. Retired to her secluded house in the Swiss Alps, the author keeps to her study, immersed in her books, accompanied by her cats, and surrounded by a collection of antique weapons. Highsmith's solitude is interrupted by the arrival of Edward Ridgeway (recent Tony-winner Alden Ehrenreich), a mysterious messenger from a New York publisher, sent to persuade the author to write one final instalment of the Ripley anthology. Aggravated by the unexpected visit from this youthful, overly eager envoy, Patricia declines the offer. That is, unless Ridgeway can help her in conjuring up the perfect murder story. Mirren embodies the wickedly manipulative author with gusto, while Ehrenreich imbues Ridgeway with enough guile to keep us guessing at his motives. From director Anton Corbijn (Control), A Talent for Murder is replete with brilliant twists, biting dialogue, and delicious entanglements. Direct from its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, don't miss this highly anticipated thriller!
BIFF26: 500 Miles
(M)
The always-brilliant Bill Nighy stars in 500 Miles, a life-affirming celebration of the human spirit that follows a broken family who are forced to come together when their two young boys run away from home. After hearing their parents fight, Finn (Roman Griffin Davis, Jojo Rabbit) and Charlie (Dexter Sol Ansell, breakout star of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms) sneak out of their house in Doncaster. So unfolds an epic road trip from Yorkshire, over land and sea, to the wild West Coast of Ireland. Their destination? The small seaside town of Dingle, County Kerry, where they will reunite with their beloved Grandfather, John (Nighy). It's a long, treacherous journey - 500 miles where a lot could go wrong... And while Dingle holds happy memories for the boys, Grandpa John has remained estranged from Finn and Charlie's parents after fateful events the previous summer. With knockout performances from all involved, 500 Miles will make you laugh, cry, and hug the people you love.
BIFF26: Bad Apples
(R13)
Oscar-nominee Saoirse Ronan delivers one of her most daring and memorable roles in the satirical thriller Bad Apples, a bold and timely film that challenges how deeply we hold our core beliefs. Ronan plays Maria, a primary school teacher whose classroom is thrown into chaos by Danny, an exceptionally disruptive and foul-mouthed student. Maria reaches her breaking point after Danny has a violent run-in with another student, and taking a drastic course of action, traps him in her home. In Danny's absence, the classroom begins to thrive; the children flourish academically, and both parents and school staff celebrate the incredible turnaround. But with everyone else convinced the school's biggest problem has finally been solved, Maria now finds herself trapped in an increasingly preposterous moral dilemma. Swedish-born director Jonatan Etzler injects scathing Scandi humour into this daring psychological comedy, which is sure to become one of the year's most talked-about films.