Movies
Stars including Gillian Anderson, Joseph Fiennes and Anthony Minghella turned out for the launch of the 50th London Film Festival on Wednesday night.
The Times and British Film Institute-sponsored event kicked off with a screening of The Last King of Scotland in Leicester Square.
Its stars Anderson, Forest Whitaker and James McAvoy were centre stage on the evening but were flanked by a line-up including Fiennes, Minghella, Thandie Newton and culture secretary Tessa Jowell.
The film, directed by Kevin Macdonald, sees McAvoy's doctor character taken in by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin (Whitaker). "Filming in Uganda affected me personally and I'm going back in January to raise awareness for the work of the Red Cross," McAvoy said on the night. "It was different to any other experience in my life."
"I've never been to the festival before, so opening it is very special," he continued. "If they don't like it, I'll be looking for the back door."
The festival continues until November 2 when it will close with the gala showing of Babel, by director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett.
The Times and British Film Institute-sponsored event kicked off with a screening of The Last King of Scotland in Leicester Square.
Its stars Anderson, Forest Whitaker and James McAvoy were centre stage on the evening but were flanked by a line-up including Fiennes, Minghella, Thandie Newton and culture secretary Tessa Jowell.
The film, directed by Kevin Macdonald, sees McAvoy's doctor character taken in by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin (Whitaker). "Filming in Uganda affected me personally and I'm going back in January to raise awareness for the work of the Red Cross," McAvoy said on the night. "It was different to any other experience in my life."
"I've never been to the festival before, so opening it is very special," he continued. "If they don't like it, I'll be looking for the back door."
The festival continues until November 2 when it will close with the gala showing of Babel, by director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett.
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