BFI London Film Festival has announced that writer-director Steve McQueen’s latest film Blitz starring Saoirse Ronan, will open the festival on 9th October ahead of its cinema release on 1st November.
Blitz follows a young boy called George (Elliott Heffernan) whose mother Rita, played by Ronan, sends him from WW2 London to live in safety in the English countryside.
However, George is determined to return to London and the film follows his attempt to get home. Along with Ronan, an IFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated actress, the film stars Harris Dickinson, Benjamin Clémentine, Kathy Burke, Stephen Graham, Hayley Squires, Erin Kellyman, and acclaimed singer Paul Weller.
Steve McQueen is the Oscar-winning filmmaker of 12 Years a Slave, Hunger, Shame, Widows, and the Small Axe BBC limited series. He recently premiered the documentary Occupied City, which documented the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam, and had a limited theatrical run earlier this year.
McQueen, who also wrote and produced Blitz, said: "Blitz is a movie about Londoners. It honours the spirit of what and how Londoners endured during the Blitz but also explores the true representation of people in London. While at its core is the story of a working-class family desperate to be reunited during times of war.
"I could not be more thrilled that the BFI London Film Festival have invited us to open this year's festival, and to celebrate the world premiere of Blitz in my hometown."
Kristy Matheson, BFI London Film Festival director, said: "Blitz is a film of incredible scale. Steve McQueen infuses the film with nuance at every turn; the depth of character and texture of the city are all peerless and make this subject feel completely new. It's an astounding production that will leave audiences in awe of the director, his cast, and creative collaborators."
Blitz will receive a theatrical release on 1st November, then be available to stream on Apple TV+ from 22nd November. Saoirse Ronan will also be seen this year in independent drama The Outrun, which will receive a cinema release on 27th September.
