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| Brie Larson as Justine in Free Fire, which will close the 2016 London Film Festival Photo: Courtesy of London Film Festival/Studiocanal |
Ben Wheatley's Free Fire has been announced as the closing night gala at this year's London Film Festival. The film will receive its European premiere on Sunday, October 16 at the Odeon Leicester Square, attended by cast and filmmakers.
The Seventies-set action thriller takes place in Massachusetts. Justine (Brie Larson) has brokered a meeting in a deserted warehouse between two Irishmen (Cillian Murphy, Michael Smiley) and a gang led by Vernon (Sharlto Copley) and Ord (Armie Hammer) who are selling them a stash of guns. But when shots are fired in the handover, it sparks a game of survival ensues.
Wheatley said: “I'm very proud to be showing Free Fire at the BFI London Film Festival. To be the closing film is a great honour. LFF has been fantastic in supporting the films I've made (me and an army of 100s) and I can't wait to show Free Fire to the festival audience.”
It is is Wheatley’s third film to be presented at the festival, following High-Rise and Sightseers.
Festival director Clare Stewart said: “Ben Wheatley’s ascent as one of the UK’s most dazzling cinematic talents continues with this ballsy actioner. Dripping with blood, sweat and irony, Free Fire’s bravura filmmaking pays knowing tribute to the films of Sam Peckinpah and features a terrific cast who clearly relish bringing Wheatley and co-writer Amy Jump’s vivid characters to the screen."
Studiocanal will release the film across the UK and Ireland in 2017. The film will be released by Alchemy in the US. London Film Festival runs from October 5 to 16 and the full programme will be announced on September 1.
