This year, Europe's largest public film event - The Times bfi London Film Festival - is 48 years old. The very best of new film from around the world will be showcased at this star-studded event, which runs from 20th October to 4th November. The festival is jam-packed with UK premieres and special screenings - from the Opening Night Gala with the UK premiere of Mike Leigh's new film 'Vera Drake', to the Closing Night Gala showing of David O Russell's 'I Heart Huckabees'.

The BFI has an avowed aim to broaden access to a diversity of film and moving image, an ambition they couldn't be more enthusiastic about supporting. Viewing across genres and forms, selecting fiction and non-fiction work (as well as an increasing amount that falls somewhere in between), their guiding principle is to include the most imaginative, original and relevant films we can. The sheer pleasure of programming the Festival, and hopefully of attending it too, is this diversity on which it thrives. So Luke, a 22 minute film by Bruce Conner reworking footage he shot 40 years ago on the set of Cool Hand Luke sits as comfortably in our selection as the epic The Door to the Sun; and we're as excited to present Pixar's ground breaking The Incredibles as we are to show Todd Solondz's remarkable Palindromes.

Orange, the UK’s most popular mobile phone service is once again supporting the festival and will be keeping Festival goers up to date with the latest Festival information via Orange World, the dedicated WAP portal on Orange handsets. The portal will carry exclusive news, reviews and the inside track on celebrities in attendance at the Festival, as well as the entire schedule of over 300 films.

Press and industry delegates will be able to sign up to text alerts, which will offer updates on programme changes and last minute ticket offerings. The press can sign up to the alerts by simply texting PRESS to 81800, whilst industry delegates need to text INDUSTRY to 81800.

Additionally, Orange customers will have access to synopsise on key films at the Festival such as the opening night film, Mike Leigh’s ‘Vera Drake’ and the closing nights gala film, David O’Russell’s ‘I Heart Huckabees’.

Orange has a strong heritage in film, which spans from the BAFTA Orange Film of The Year, through to Orange Wednesdays, the initiative that allows anyone to benefit from two for the price of one cinema tickets to see any firm, every Wednesday in cinemas across the UK. The partnership with The Times bfi 48th London Film Festival once again demonstrates Orange’s love of film and its commitment to the industry.

Enter Competition to win a pair of tickets to the closing gala

Source: Press Release