Get the popcorn ready: three lucky Beat readers are about to score a night (or two) at the cinema.
The 2026 Russell Hobbs British Film Festival returns to Palace cinemas from 28 October, bringing 36 films to Melbourne and beyond, including five anniversary screenings of older titles.
The program opens with My Duchess, directed by Mike Newell, with Joan Collins as Wallis Simpson and Isabella Rossellini as her lawyer.
It closes with the Australian premiere of Simon Stone’s Elsinore, starring Andrew Scott. In between, expect Helen Mirren as Patricia Highsmith in A Talent for Murder, Cynthia Erivo in Prima Facie, Ian McKellen and Roger Allam in Frank and Percy, Andrew Garfield in The Uprising, and James McAvoy’s directorial debut, California Schemin’.
The 2026 Russell Hobbs British Film Festival
- Melbourne: 28 October to 29 November
- Venues: The Astor Theatre, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Penny Lane, The Kino, Pentridge Cinema, Palace Church St
- Opening night: My Duchess
- Closing night: Elsinore (Australian premiere)
- Also screening: Tender Loving Care, Queen at Sea, Ink, Wicker, Bad Apples, Parky, Flavia and more
- Tickets here
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
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To celebrate, three Beat readers will each win a double pass to the 2026 Russell Hobbs British Film Festival, valid for one session at a participating Melbourne venue.
Enter your details into the below field and subscribe to Beat’s newsletter to enter. You will receive regular newsletter updates from Beat and competition partners. The winners will be contacted directly via email. The competition closes October 27, 2026. For more info, check out our privacy policy.
