Sometimes the most exciting film announcements come with a dash of family drama, and the British Film Festival 2025 delivers exactly that.
The festival has revealed its first highlights, with Daniel Day-Lewis making his highly anticipated screen return in Anemone, a father-son collaboration that marks his first film appearance since 2017.
The Russell Hobbs British Film Festival presented by Palace runs from 5 November to 7 December across nine Australian cities, bringing British cinema’s finest to Palace Cinemas, Palace Nova and Luna Palace Cinemas.
British Film Festival 2025
- 5 November to 7 December – Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Perth, Adelaide, Ballarat, Byron Bay, Ballina
- Centrepiece: Anemone starring Daniel Day-Lewis
- Also featuring: The Dead of Winter with Emma Thompson, Moss & Freud with Ellie Bamber, John Cleese Packs It In, The North
- Full programme and tickets available mid-October
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
Anemone serves as the festival’s centrepiece premiere, featuring Day-Lewis alongside Sean Bean and Samantha Morton in a script co-written by Daniel and his son Ronan, who also makes his directorial debut with the project.
The explosive drama explores complex ties between brothers, fathers and sons, with Day-Lewis portraying a former British soldier living in remote woods who must confront his past. The film represents a significant moment for both Day-Lewis men, combining the veteran actor’s return with his son’s emergence as a filmmaker.
Additional highlights include Emma Thompson in icy suspense thriller The Dead of Winter, where she plays a woman who interrupts a kidnapping while travelling alone through snowbound Minnesota. The biopic Moss & Freud stars Ellie Bamber as supermodel Kate Moss and Derek Jacobi as artist Lucian Freud, exploring their relationship during Moss’s pregnancy in 2002.
Comedy legend John Cleese features in documentary John Cleese Packs It In, following the 85-year-old performer on what might be his final European tour across five countries and 23 shows. Meanwhile, scenic drama The North follows two friends on a 600-kilometre journey through the Scottish Highlands.
For more information, head here.
