Chloé Zhao’s deeply period drama Hamnet was chosen as the Audience Award for Best Feature Film at the 69th BFI London Film Festival which closed on Sunday with the UK Premiere of Julia Jackman’s 100 Nights of Hero.
Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, said, “This year’s recordbreaking BFI London Film Festival showed why it is one of the world’s best celebrations of cinema. I am delighted that Chloé Zhao’s adaptation of Hamnet, which was screened as the Mayor’s Gala, has won the Audience Award for Best Feature Film. The Mayor and I are proud to support our capital’s film industry – a global success story – as we build a better London for everyone.”
The Audience Award for Best British Discovery went to Yemi Bamiro’s documentary Black is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite Story, a tribute to the photographer, freedom fighter and activist, who helped popularize the transformative ‘Black is Beautiful’ movement. The film which world premiered at the festival sees family and friends honor his artistry, and features insights from Gabrielle Union, Alicia Keys and Jesse Williams.
The winners of this year’s Jury Awards were also announced at the festival’s close with Best Film Award in Official Competition going to Landmarks directed by Lucrecia Martel; One Woman One Bra directed by Vincho Nchogu won the Sutherland Award in the First Feature Competition, The Travelers directed by David Bingong won the the Grierson Award in the Documentary and the Short Film Award in the Short Film Competition went to Coyotes directed by Said Zagha.
BFI London Film Festival Director Kristy Matheson said: “Our biggest thanks go to the artists who generously shared their unique views of the world with us this year. Across screenings, talks, exhibitions, immersive experiences, it was a delight to see industry and audiences engage with each other and this programme – proving once again the joy and comfort we all find in screen culture.”
The festival kicked off with the International Premiere of Rian Johnson’s Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery attended by Daniel Craig, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Daryl McCormack, Andrew Scott, Kerry Washington and Cailee Spaeny
The Surprise Film was Daniel Roher’s Tuner, following a talented piano tuner whose meticulous skills for tuning pianos lead him to discover an unexpected aptitude for cracking safes, turning his life upside down.
The 70th BFI London Film Festival is scheduled to take place Wednesday 7 October – Sunday 18 October 2026.
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