Review: London Film Festival 2022

London Film Festival returned with an absolute bang in 2022. Some films had me howling with laughter, some had me sobbing with friends and colleagues, and one had me seeking out the solace of a BFI Southbank toilet so I could have a cry in peace. Here are some of the main highlights…

Bones and All

If you’ve spent any time with me in the past two weeks, or have glanced at my tweets, you’ll have seen my glowing thoughts of this delightfully delectable film. Director Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name) pairs back up with Timothée Chalamet (Dune) for this love story, road movie mashup – interwoven with visceral cannibalism. Cannibalism is just the by-product of the story, however, as Bones And All is about so much more. It’s tender and elegant about our eternal desire to find an equal. The one to share all of our intimacy with. That companion soul to share every fibre of our being with, bones and all.

Women Talking

While Bones and All was perhaps my very personal highlight of LFF, Women Talking was the film of the festival. Raw, relevant and restrained, Sarah Polley’s return to the director’s chair is a welcome one. Set almost exclusively in a single barn, Women Talking tells the story of female emancipation, male violence and the enduring power of motherhood. Polley’s script is tight, without an inch of fat on it, while the incredible ensemble cast led by Claire Foy and Jessie Buckley deserves every accolade heading its way come award season.

Aftersun

The debut feature film by Charlotte Wells had an entire screening of hardened film journalists openly weeping in their seats. That might be all you need to know, but on the off chance you need a little more, here goes. Led by Paul Mescal (The Lost Daughter) and newcomer Frankie Corio, Aftersun is a beautiful film about the relationships we have with our loved ones, paired with the memories we share with them. It’s heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, and tenderly warm too. A special film from a burgeoning new talent in British cinema.

The Wonder

A quiet gem of the festival that found itself overshadowed by the more showy or shocking films, The Wonder marks the return of director Sebastián Lelio, alongside the always excellent Florence Pugh, as well as the outstanding Kíla Lord Cassidy. Telling the story of a young girl (Cassidy) in rural Ireland who seems to be sustained by her faith alone, an English nurse (Pugh) travels to witness the phenomena and document her findings. Tackling the battle of science and faith, while diving into family themes – The Wonder lives up to its name.

The Whale

Arguably the most anticipated film of the festival, not for the Darren Aronofsky of it all, but for the big screen return of Brendan Fraser. Destined to become one of the great Hollywood leading men, Fraser’s career didn’t follow its expected path for a number of reasons, all is well-documented. His return in The Whale is truly triumphant, a performance for the ages, tackled with a level of grace and dignity that Fraser has repeatedly demonstrated over recent years. Coupled with another stunning performance from Sadie Sink (Stranger Things), The Whale is a must-see movie when it releases for the public.

The Origin

Going into a film completely cold can be a pretty great experience, as I found with The Origin. I knew next to nothing about this prehistoric horror, and it pleasantly blew me away. A new language was created for the film, adding to that level of authenticity, while the film's lighting and sound design left me wide-eyed and gobsmacked. The Origin didn’t follow typical horror tropes, however, instead choosing to analyse cycles of very human violence and our desire to survive at whatever cost, as well as a patriarchal view of a woman’s worth, and how easily male figures underestimate this.

London Film festival took place from Wednesday 5 to Sunday 16 October

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