The British Film Institute (BFI) has revealed the full programme for the second edition of its Film on Film Festival, running 12–15 June 2025 at BFI Southbank and BFI IMAX. A celebration of celluloid in all its forms, the festival opens with a rare public screening of Star Wars (1977) in its original, unaltered theatrical version—projected from an IB Technicolor print preserved by the BFI. Closing the weekend is a special 35mm screening of the original Twin Peaks pilot, accompanied by an in-person appearance from star Kyle MacLachlan, marking 35 years since the series first aired in the US.
With nearly all modern cinema presented digitally, this unique festival focuses solely on analogue film. Every title is shown from a physical print, embracing the tangible artistry, fragility, and history of the medium. This year's edition draws deeply from the BFI National Archive, which celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2025, and presents a diverse mix of fiction features, documentaries, artist films, cult favourites, and lost gems—projected in formats ranging from 8mm to 70mm and even the rare 28mm gauge.
Among the headline screenings is a pristine dye transfer Technicolor British release print of Star Wars—an evocative return to the experience of 1977 cinema-goers. For the closing night, David Lynch’s pilot for Twin Peaks will screen from the very same print used for the UK’s first broadcast in 1990, followed by an audience Q&A with Kyle MacLachlan.
Other highlights include two films from Stanley Kubrick’s own personal collection: his first short Day of the Fight (1951) and noir thriller The Killing (1956), introduced by Jan Harlan, Kubrick’s long-time collaborator and brother-in-law. The festival also brings back its highly praised nitrate strand, featuring five rare nitrate prints, including Buñuel and Dalí’s Un Chien Andalou (1929)—the oldest nitrate print ever projected in the UK.
Modern classics unavailable on streaming or home video will also feature, including I Shot Andy Warhol (1996), Prince’s Under the Cherry Moon (1986), and Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s A Moment of Innocence (1996), with the director introducing the film in person. The screening is part of a wider celebration of the Makhmalbaf family’s archive, recently donated to the BFI.
The festival will premiere five new 35mm prints commissioned by the BFI, including Local Hero (1983), Strongroom (1962), Journey to Italy (1954), and I Walked With a Zombie (1943), reflecting the BFI’s continued commitment to keeping film projection alive. These premieres are supported by the National Lottery and philanthropic backers through the Keep Film on Film campaign.
70mm lovers can look forward to original release prints of Amadeus (1984) and Empire of the Sun (1987), while Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) will be shown on 15-perf/70mm IMAX—Britain’s largest screen—using a photochemical print created under Christopher Nolan’s supervision.
The documentary and artist film selection spans decades and styles. A tribute to the Grierson sisters, Ruby and Marion, features newly created 35mm prints of their pioneering non-fiction films. Experimental shorts on Super 8 and 16mm include Wendy Smith’s There’s Only One United (1974), and work by the American Newsreel Collective and Handsworth-based filmmaker Yugesh Walia.
Festivalgoers can also take part in a rich programme of events. Hands-on workshops will invite audiences to interact directly with film material, while pop-up projection installations offer a behind-the-scenes look at analogue cinema technology. Talks include a panel on Star Wars and its influence on the film industry, an exploration of forgotten 28mm formats, and a celebration of the BFI National Archive at 90.
The festival will showcase 38 feature films, 36 shorts, and one television programme, projected from 77 individual prints: 52 on 35mm (including five nitrate), three on 70mm, two on 8mm, and the remainder on 16mm—amounting to over 380,000 feet of film.
Notable tributes in this year’s festival include screenings of The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg (1927) with Carl Davis’s orchestral score, Hud (1963) starring Paul Newman, and Don’t Look Back (1967), D.A. Pennebaker’s seminal Bob Dylan documentary. Rare titles such as Last Summer (1969), Little Ida (1981), Night Watch (1973), and WR: Mysteries of the Organism (1971) round out a programme rich with rediscoveries.
Family-friendly screenings include An American Tail (1986) and a medley of 16mm children’s favourites like Henry’s Cat and Powers of Ten, paired with a kids’ workshop. Young filmmakers aged 16–18 can sign up for a hands-on filmmaking challenge in partnership with Straight 8, going from idea to finished short on 8mm film—all in one weekend.
James Bell, Senior Curator of Fiction at the BFI and Programme Director of the festival, said:
"This festival shines a light on the BFI’s unparalleled archive and the incredible work of our curators, projectionists, and conservationists. Each print is a physical artefact with its own history—flaws and all—and allows us to experience film as it was originally meant to be seen. We’re proud to give these prints another moment on the big screen, and we’re thrilled to share them with audiences."
The 2025 BFI Film on Film Festival is made possible by the BFI Patrons Consortium, BFI America, and charitable donations from the Adam S. Rubinson Charitable Fund, The Charles Skey Charitable Trust, The Polonsky Foundation, and The Thompson Family Charitable Trust.