The BFI has announced what people can expect from its programme in February.
The programme for the BFI’s February programme line up has been announced, beginning with public events to mark filmmaker Christopher Nolan eceiving the BFI’s highest honour, the BFI Fellowship. The awarding of the BFI Fellowship will be followed on 15 February by an In Conversation event at BFI Southbank and a special introduction to TENET (2020) at BFI IMAX, where audiences will be able to hear first-hand from the director about his extraordinary career so far.
The line-up of seasons in February begins with MAGICAL REALISM: THE FILM FABLES OF THE TAVIANI BROTHERS, running from 1 February – 12 March and spotlighting the more than 60-year career of filmmaking siblings Paulo and Vittorio Taviani. Curated by Adrian Wootton, who will host a season introduction on 1 February, and presented in partnership with Cinecittà, the season’s centrepiece event will be Paulo Taviani in Conversation on 11 February, where Paulo will look back over his life and work alongside his late brother Vittorio, who died in 2018. From ultra contemporary satire and powerful allegorical period drama to haunting war stories and playful, wickedly humorous literary adaptations, the brothers’ work will be screened in four thematic sections and include films such as the Palme d’Or winning PADRE PADRONE (1977), the hugely entertaining KAOS (1984), evocative drama ELECTIVE AFFINITIES (1996) starring Isabelle Huppert, modern twist on Shakespeare CAESAR MUST DIE (2012) and more.
Meanwhile, the BFI Southbank will also host A LEAGUE OF HER OWN: THE CINEMA OF DOROTHY ARZNER,showcasing the work of Dorothy Arzner, who worked her way up the ranks of Hollywood to become the only woman directing within the studio system. Curated by Caroline Cassin the season will screen films such as WORKING GIRLS (1931), CHRISTOPHER STRONG (1933), CRAIG’S WIFE (1936), THE BRIDE WORE RED (1937) and DANCE, GIRL, DANCE (1940). Her legacy will be explored in a new documentary DOROTHY ARZNER: PIONEER, QUEER, FEMINIST (Clara Kuperberg, Julia Kuperberg, 2023), which will receive its UK Premiere as part of the season on 7 February.
The BFI will also be dedicating a season to John Barry, which will run from 1 February – 12 March. Curated by Bob Stanley from Saint Etienne, JOHN BARRY: SOUNDTRACKING BOND AND BEYOND will, for the most part, focus on the London years of Barry’s career – spy films, swinging comedies and social realism – that created the distinctive, darkly beautiful John Barry sound. Highlights include timeless movie classics such as GOLDFINGER (Guy Hamilton, 1964), YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (Lewis Gilbert, 1967), THE IPCRESS FILE (Sidney J Furie, 1965) and MIDNIGHT COWBOY (John Schlesinger, 1969) alongside lesser seen titles whose soundtracks Barry composed, including FOUR IN THE MORNING (Anthony Simmons, 1965), PETULIA (Richard Lester, 1968), BOOM! (Joseph Losey, 1968) and DEADFALL (Bryan Forbes, 1968).
Also taking place this month will be a special focus (16-17 February) on the work of the award-winning Canadian filmmakers Jennifer Baichwal and Nicholas de Pencier and photographer Edward Burtynsky, who have together made THE ANTHROPOCENE TRILOGY, a set of powerful films that call on us to recognise how we have transformed our world and the importance of developing more sustainable practices. Presented in cultural partnership with The High Commission of Canada in the UK and coinciding with BURTYNSKY: Extraction/Abstraction at Saatchi Gallery, this focus will screen each of the three films of THE ANTHROPOCENE TRILOGY – MANUFACTURED LANDSCAPES (2006), WATERMARK (2013) and ANTHROPOCENE: THE HUMAN EPOCH (2018) – and welcome the filmmakers for panel discussions, introductions and Q&As to talk about each one.
On 17 February there will be a preview of the winner of the Best Film award at the 67th BFI London Film Festival, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s EVIL DOES NOT EXIST, while on the 14 February will be a preview of Trần Anh Hùng’s THE TASTE OF THINGS (2023) the culinary romantic drama starring Juliette Binoche, which premiered at the 67th BFI London Film Festival.
For more information visit: https://www.bfi.org.uk/