The 70th edition of the BFI London Film Festival has concluded its competitive lineup, awarding its top honor to Sergei Loznitsa’s documentary project “Imperium.” The festival unveiled its jury prize recipients on Sunday, celebrating a wide range of international storytelling across narrative, documentary, and short formats as the annual London gathering drew to a close.
Loznitsa’s winning feature examines life across the Soviet Union during the early 1970s, constructing its narrative entirely through rediscovered material recorded by Italian cinematographers. The competition jury praised the historical work for its aesthetic depth and evocative lens, describing it as an emotionally engaging and visually arresting look at daily reality prior to the dissolution of the Soviet state.
70th BFI London Film Festival Jury Award Winners
| Award | Winning Title | Director | Jury Chair |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Film | Imperium | Sergei Loznitsa | Sam Pollard |
| Sutherland Award (First Feature) | 9 Temples to Heaven | Sompot Chidgasornpongse | Amir El-Masry |
| Grierson Award (Documentary) | Concrete Land | Asmahan Bkerat | Sandhya Suri |
| Short Film Award | Aman | Rahul Roye | Helen Simmons |
Main Competition Recognition and Jury Verdict
The festival's primary competition panel was led by filmmaker Sam Pollard, known for directing non-fiction titles such as “MLK/FBI” and “Citizen Ashe.” Pollard was accompanied on the jury by Argentine director Mariano Llinás, whose credits include “Life of Jorge Luis Borges,” and DDA chief strategy officer Julie La Bassiere.
Together, the jurors singled out “Imperium” for its immersive approach to archival cinema. Rather than relying on traditional retrospective narration, the film leans into historical visual documents to offer fresh context on everyday Soviet existence during a pivotal decade.
First Features and Documentary Honors
In the festival's first feature competition, Sompot Chidgasornpongse secured the Sutherland Award for “9 Temples to Heaven,” which also serves as Thailand’s official submission for the Academy Awards. Marking Chidgasornpongse's debut in narrative fiction, the film explores themes surrounding personal faith, family connections, and mortality.
The Sutherland jury was chaired by actor Amir El-Masry, joined by “Moonglow” producer Alemberg Ang and international film strategist Rosa Bosch. The panel commended Chidgasornpongse for demonstrating an accomplished directorial voice within Southeast Asian cinema. In the same category, British director Bertil Nilsson earned a special mention for “Masc,” an identity-focused debut following a wandering protagonist named Robin.
The Grierson Award for documentary filmmaking went to director Asmahan Bkerat for “Concrete Land.” Marking Bkerat’s feature debut, the non-fiction piece documents the struggles of a multi-generational, mixed-race family confronting hostility and land displacement in Jordan. Documentary jury head Sandhya Suri, alongside programmer Kate Fitzpatrick and producer Andee Ryder, highlighted the film's intimate depiction of dignity under pressure. A documentary special mention was presented to Theo Rollason’s archive-based “Queer Edward II,” which revisits filmmaker Derek Jarman’s activism and production history.
Short Film Winner and Audience Vote Timeline
The festival’s Short Film Award was bestowed upon Rahul Roye’s “Aman.” The drama focuses on a trans man navigating the complex reality of discovering an unexpected pregnancy just ahead of scheduled gender-affirming surgery.
Presided over by writer and producer Helen Simmons, the shorts jury—which included comedian Leo Reich and script editor Jack Casey—highlighted the short’s visual artistry and measured storytelling. The film is currently made available for public streaming without charge via the BFI Player platform through October 25. Elizabeth Hobbs also collected a special mention in the category for the distinct visual craft of “Daughters of the Late Colonel.”
While the official jury selections have concluded, festival organizers will close audience balloting for the best feature film and best British discovery honors on October 21, with final public-choice winners scheduled for announcement in the days following.
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Source: Variety
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