Andrea Arnold’s latest film premiered in Cannes and stars probably the most impressive British actor of current times – Barry Keoghan.

Bailey (Nykiya Adams) lives with her brother Hunter (Jason Buda) and her father Bug (Keoghan), who raises them alone in a squat in northern Kent. Bug doesn't have much time to devote to them, so Bailey looks for attention and adventure elsewhere, including with a mysterious man named Bird (a riveting Franz Rogowski). Keoghan is superbly attuned to Arnold’s naturalistic style, and in turn, Arnold brings out the best of his softness and charisma. Arnold’s filmmaking is typically robust, buoyed by another great soundtrack of course, and she leaves us with the sentiment that the kids, regardless of life’s trivial circumstances, are going to be all right.

UK 2024 Andrea Arnold 119m

Steve McQueen’s new film follows the story of a group of Londoners during the bombings of the British capital in World War II.

Nine-year-old George (Elliott Heffernan) is evacuated to the countryside by his mother, Rita (Saoirse Ronan), to escape the bombings. Defiant and determined to return to his family, George embarks on a journey back home as Rita searches for him. His adventures see him leap from a moving train before finding charity and bigotry, air-raid wardens and criminals (the always wonderful Kathy Burke and Stephen Graham). McQueen does a great job of showing an overview of the Blitz through a series of often powerful and moving moments, somehow making the subject matter feel monumental, even though we have seen documented, honoured and reinterpreted on screen many times before.

UK 2024 Steve McQueen 120m

L'amour Ouf

Set in the 1980s in northern France, actor turned director Gilles Lellouche charts an improbable relationship between Jackie (Adèle Exarchopoulos) from an upper-middleclass family and Clotaire (François Civil) from a modest background.

They grow up in the same town and attend the same high school. Whilst she is dedicated to her studies, he plays truant and becomes involved in a gang. Their paths cross later in life in adulthood and they fall madly in love. Lellouche (who previously came to the French Film Festival with ‘Sink or Swim’), returns with an emotional rollercoaster spanning over 15 years in the lives of star-crossed lovers, leaving us questioning the nature of love or an amour fou. ‘Lellouche’s stages action sequences and tender scenes of young love with finesse and ingenuity’ – IndieWire. (Subtitles)

France/Belgium 2024 Gilles Lellouche 116m

Spot the film-making talents of tomorrow in this selection of garlanded francophone shorts, curated by Martine Pierquin. Full film details are online.

How Do I Know? / Comment Savoir …? - Best short film Cabourg Film Festival 2024. France 18m

Danavan - Apprehension about the arrival of the new next-door neighbour in Quebec. Canada 12m

Montsouris Park / Montsouris - Winner, Leitz Cine Discovery Prize, Cannes Film Festival 2024. France 14m

Sira / Langue Maternelle - Best Film in French, Dakar Court, Senegal 2023. France 24m

Pumpkin / Pupuce - Brussels Short Film Festival –Prix de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles 2024. Belgium 19m

Summer 96 / Été 96 - Animation - Winner of César for Best Animated Short Film, 2024. France 12m

Caregiver / Auxiliaire - A caregiver must break the news of his departure. France 24m

Various 123m

From legendary director Ridley Scott, ‘Gladiator II’ continues the epic saga of power, intrigue and vengeance set in Ancient Rome. Be prepared for the biggest spectacle of the season.

Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal from ‘All of us Strangers’) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honour to return the glory of Rome to its people. The amazing cast includes Denzel Washington as Macrinus, Connie Nielsen as Lucilla, Pedro Pascal as Marcus Acacius plus Derek Jacobi, Matt Lucas and Tim McInnerny.

USA 2024 Ridley Scott 147m

Chiara Mastroianni transforms herself into her father Marcello in this self-reflexive confection from Christophe Honoré.

During a summer that sees her reality fall into disarray, Chiara decides to live as her father. She dresses like him. She speaks like him. She breathes like him. Chiara’s impersonation is so convincing that people around her begin to believe. They call her “Marcello”. For Mastroianni, it’s not just one of her best roles yet, but a way to connect with the father she lost while making sense of her own life. Honoré’s is a comedy as gently silly as it is sincerely sweet. With a delightful cast playing versions of themselves, this film is a funny look at acting, performance, and familial legacy. Cast also includes Catherine Deneuve, Benjamin Biolay, Melvil Poupaud, Nicole Garcia, Fabrice Luchini, Stefania Sandrelli and Hugh Skinner. (Subtitles)

France 2024 Christophe Honoré 120m