In a huge get for the BFI London Film Festival, a festival that doesn’t land gigantic premieres that often, the 65th BFI London Film Festival has announced this year’s Opening Night Gala will be Netflix’s “The Harder They Fall” directed by Londoner Jeymes Samuel. The film has a massive cast that includes Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, Regina King and Idris Elba. The film will receive its World Premiere on Wednesday 6 October at LFF gala venue the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, The BFI London Film Festival is also pleased to announce that there will be simultaneous preview screenings of “The Harder They Fall” taking place at cinemas across the U.K. The film will debut on Netflix on November 3, following a theatrical release in U.K. cinemas.
That’s a lot of news for “The Harder They Fall,” and again, a huge get for BFI London. Written by Jeymes Samuel and Boaz Yakin produced by Shawn Carter, James Lassiter, Lawrence Bender and Samuel, the film features an original soundtrack album produced by Samuel and executive produced by Carter, and a stunning all-star cast, including Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, Delroy Lindo, LaKeith Stanfield, Danielle Deadwyler, Edi Gathegi, R.J. Cyler, Damon Wayans Jr. and Deon Cole with Regina King and Idris Elba.
Here’s the official synopsis:
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When outlaw Nat Love (Majors) discovers that his enemy Rufus Buck (Elba) is being released from prison, he rounds up his gang to track Rufus down and seek revenge. Those riding with him in this assured, righteously new school Western include his former love Stagecoach Mary, his right- and left-hand men — hot-tempered Bill Pickett and fast drawing Jim Beckwourth – and a surprising surprise adversary-turned-ally. Rufus Buck has his own fearsome crew, including “Treacherous” Trudy Smith and Cherokee Bill, and they are not a group that knows how to lose.
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“It’s a great honor that THE HARDER THEY FALL will have its World Premiere opening the 65th BFI London Film Festival,” Writer, director and producer of “The Harder They Fall,” Jeymes Samuel, said. “Growing up in the U.K., the Festival has always been the highlight of my year, and I couldn’t have imagined anything better than to have my debut film included in this year’s line-up.”
“Jeymes Samuel has come out with both guns blazing with his lightning-paced, witty and phenomenally entertaining new western, THE HARDER THE FALL,” Tricia Tuttle, BFI London Film Festival Director, said. “This is brutal and funny genre filmmaking, sometimes making you chuckle and gasp in the same breath, while each of its megastars absolutely burns up the screen, working to a cleverly written script from Samuel and Boaz Yakin that reveals the tenderness even in the darkest villainous heart. It’s rare for a debut filmmaker to pull off something this ambitious and accomplished in their first feature, and Samuel knowingly tips his hat to cinematic forbearers but also delivers a film that is inventive and uniquely his own. It’s a total joy for us to open the Festival with the work of a filmmaker from London, and we’re so grateful to Jeymes, the producers and Netflix for trusting us with their World Premiere. We can’t wait to share THE HARDER THEY FALL.”
“The Harder They Fall” opens November 3 on Netflix, but watch for its BFI premiere a month earlier on October 6. The 65th BFI London Film Festival takes place from Wednesday 6 October – Sunday 17 October 2021. Watch the teaser trailer below.