The British Council concluded its year-long 25th anniversary celebration of its work in Ukraine with the launch of the flagship of its Arts programme — the New British Film Festival. 2017 year’s festival programme included Cannes award winners, contenders for top British prizes and festival circuit hits.
Opening festival is The Killing of a Sacred Deer by Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster, Dogtooth) and starring Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman. Another can’t-miss film was the Cannes award winner, You Were Never Really Here by Lynn Ramsay (We Need to Talk about Kevin). Ramsay wrote and directed the film, sharing the Cannes prize for Best Screenplay with Lanthimos. Lead actor Joaquin Phoenix took home the award for Best Actor.
Danny Boyle’s film treatment of the Irvine Walsh novel Trainspotting has gained international cult favourite status, and last year’s festival has screened its long-awaited sequel: T2: Trainspotting.
The Francis Lee directorial debut, God’s Own Country, ranks among the year’s top-prize-winners. The film tells the story of a struggling young farmer who hires a Romanian immigrant and ends up falling for him.
Hollywood actor Stanley Tucci directs The Final Portrait, the story of one of the 20th-century’s most revered artists — Alberto Giacometti. The film stars Oscar winner Geoffrey Rush and Armie Hammer.
Finally, for short story lovers, we presented our special project with the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, a collection of short films nominated for BAFTAs in 2017: BAFTA Shorts 2017.