British Film Institute BFI

Many good events. Wish there would be more screenings.

Definitely see a film. Enjoy a drink at the restaurant before or after. There’s a good cinema-​focused bookstore too (remember them?).

There are so many wonderful events the BFI hosts, often with amazing guest speakers and screenings. Their Seasons are always insightful
And thought provoking and I make sure I attend a few events a year. Not to mention, as a film student, the library is a fantastic resource and great for just chilling. I love the shop too, because it’s always a good place to check out if you’re short on movie night ideas.

So I’ve actually been to this place a few times and this is what I’ll say about it… Not bad for passing time! They had plenty of British films available to watch, If you’re into black and white movies and random documentaries (free of charge). The black and white movies were hilarious and very entertaining! You get a maximum time of 2 hours but sadly the chairs aren’t comfy enough for one to see it through… Your back is ramrod straight the whole time and it can get either very stuffy or freezing cold! Not the most pleasurable way to enjoy ones afternoon! Defo No in between with these folks!
So you wonder why I’ve been a few times! There’s a library (film library) next door which I’ve used to do some work and it’s quiet so it’s a win /​lose situation lol. Overall alright but nothing to rave about.

Love this place. Premium moviegoing. Comfy seats, excellent bar and restaurant, quirky, non standard films. Seats are super comfortable and the screens are quite large.
Attended various movie events here, from different competition wins and loved it. Would definitely be willing to pay the regular price to attend, as I have been very impressed with the moviegoing experience.

Didn’t enjoy my experience here.
Snobby people, the arty farty type seemed more interested in critiquing a film as a art form than enjoying it as an experience.
Cinema room smelled a bit and seats were small with little leg room.

Seats for movies are priced differently depending whether you’re up front, center, or the side. I thought that was a bit strange.
Attendant said there were only certain seats available/​left, but upon walking into the theater, it was ¹⁄₃ full.

After we finally found the entrance, we then had to figure out where to go once we were inside (I think they were renovating). After crossing that hurdle, we watched Indiana Jones. The theater itself was excellent if pricey. But a fun experience none the less.

Some smart arse who writes for Vice said — It’s a Richard-​Curtis-​at-​Epcot idea of what London actually is, a gentrified, diluted, over-​planned idea of a city that, in reality, is defined most by its constant, seething flux. I see what he’s sayin… But…
Southbank — BFI Riverfront on any evening, is sweet to sit outside, under a heater lamp and sip a hot chocolate or a glass or wine.
I’ve just realised — you can BYOB and have any EVEN better time! There’s good energy i think because its surrounded by the book market and books are good and people who read are alright :) I love this place — its buzzin and there’s films and art and people. The bar is crap and the drinks over priced — but hey, you don’t need to even go inside if you grab some Leffe from Tesco and a pack of cards from your house.

A date night is not perfect without watching films in a big screen. You guys did a great job in assisting us. :) We enjoy the night overall.

Fabulous film. Decent (if slightly overposhed) food & drink. Nice places to sit. You can always pop in for a wee. And they bring film, from archives to new releases, from restorations to foreign classics. the BFI has it.
It’s one of London’s real treasures.

As a film lover, I’m always completely overwhelmed by the BFI listings.
.see.everything??? I’ve given up on that cause it’s impossible. But I rest assured that anytime I want to see a fantastic flick I can just pop to southbank and there’ll be something good on. Of course, there are a lot of BFI fans out there so it’s often a good idea to book in advance to make sure it’s not sold out.
We ate at the café/​restaurant by the entrance the other day and it was really good. As it was a snowy, cold day I opted for some comfort food in the form of the cheese burger and chips. Perfectly cooked and well-​flavourful. £12.50 is a bit much for a burger and chips but you can’t have everything. The pies are also great. In fact the whole menu was pretty tempting and the drinks selection was good too. Very friendly, attentive and down-​to-​earth staff as well.
I’ve just been to the NFT 1 so far and it’s a lovely lush cinema. No popcorn etc. for sale. Actually patrons are asked online not to eat in the cinema which may seem a little strict but actually not having someone behind you munching on cinema snacks with extra rustling and whatnot is really pleasant. Also — no trailers/​ads — what joy!
I’ve just been given membership for my birthday and as you can sense from this review am very excited to make this a regular spot in life in London!
c*

I really enjoyed seeing Alfred Hitchcock’s «Rear Window» a the BFI. The theatre is beautiful! Worth the price of the tickets.

Totally enjoyed my visit to BFI! I’m sure I’ll find myself there time and time again.
Went in today for the first time to catch part of the Hitchcock love bonzanza they’re throwing. My flick was in NFT 1 and it’s a gorgeous room! Red velvety-​ness everywhere. So clean and comfortable, plenty of leg room, and because no food is served in the BFI, I felt totally comfortable placing my bag underneath my seat.
The shop seems quite nice, but I was surprised by the total lack of blu rays. Still seems quite stuck in DVD land, but this may have to do with the older, classic films available for purchase not being released on blu ray at this point.
Hope to come back to catch more Hitchcock or as a prime place for indie film!

Managed to catch a film during the London Film Festival here. Great venue that includes several bars (a really cool looking one at the back) and restaurant, film buff book shop and cinemas, of course, including an IMAX.
I like the feel of the whole place. The cinema itself was very comfortable. Bonus was the Director coming on stage to talk about his film afterwards. The book shop is an excellent place to find vintage British films and documentary DVDs and specialist film books. I should come here much more often!

I’ve only been living here 6 months. But I already find myself a regular at the BFI.
I go there for a number of reasons, its one of the nicest spots on the South Bank to stop for drink. There’s front facing bar that looks out onto the river, great for catching the rays. And there’s the ‘secret’ (and by secret I mean, in the back, that everyone knows about) bar that is much more aesthetically pleasing. Its harder to get a table in the back.
BUT it is also a cinema! I KNOW, right, plenty on from newbies to classics. Last week I stopped in for a comedy night with Adam Buxton. Great laughs were had all around.
I suppose what I’m saying, is the atmosphere is really fanastic here and it never disappoints me as a lovely hang-​out in the early evening into the night.
I WILL say though, don’t order the share platter of food from the bar, its a rip off. Price vs amount of food. They hide the lack of food in too much packaging. A «pint» of sausage rolls: Tossing sausage rolls into a glass is fun and all, but I just want to eat the food at the end of the day, and more would fit onto a plate than IN a glass on a plate.
Don’t be discouraged though, just don’t get that.

This place is one of my favorite places to go to on a Friday night to either catch a film or grab a drink in the bar.
When hosting film festivals such as LLGFF this place becomes alive and awash with many an interesting face.

Have you been there? If not, GO GO GO. It’s one of those places that looks like it might be a super-​expensive tourist hot-​spot from the outside. In truth, it’s really chill on the inside, full of people just come in off the bank looking for a place to sit and read, watch an interesting (free) movie from the archive, or take part in whatever intriguing events they have going on. Granted — many of the buildings on Southbank are great for settling down on a sofa without the worry of being bothered by people.
I’m a little biased, having been involved in film festivals at the BFI, but it really is a terrific place. The cafes are expensive, but bring your own provisions and your set for a lovely afternoon of films, and you might just land there on a day that some group has taken over the BFI for a brilliantly put-​together film festival (the BFI is great about letting groups take over the place for the weekend in the name of film).
Make sure to pick up programmes so you don’t miss the amazing things taking place — summer is the best time for idling on the Southbank!

The BFI is a great place to see a film. First, be prepared to NOT have popcorn. This may seem a small price to pay but it’s worth it when you get to sit in clean, comfortable seats that don’t have the residue of years of stale popcorn. And it’s also great not having to sit next to arthritis ridden people struggling as the grapple with their big bag of popcorn. And by the time you’re ten minutes into a classic Charlie Chaplin film or an eye opening Middle Eastern Independent film, you’re quiet happy without the luxuries most cinemas usually provide.
The BFI pride themselves on quality. The prints are pristine, the sound is always perfect — and the clientele, I guess because of the programming choices and pricing tend to be more well-​behaved and interested in what’s happening on screen than when you go to your local out of town multiplex.
The bar is great before a film — a good place to grab a bite, or a beer. And if it’s not too frozen you can always sit outside, it has a great atmosphere.

The British Film Institute (BFI), formerly known as the National Film Theatre, is one of the country’s finest institutions. It looks after cherished movies and television programmes, shows movies, publishes books and puts on festivals.
The BFI London Film Festival is Europe’s largest public film event and runs for two weeks every year.
There is a brilliant café and restaurant, a fantastic shop, selling all kinds of obscure movie DVDs and the cinema itself, which is, needless to say, one of the best in the country. Membership gets you in cheaper.

Das offizielle Kino des British Film Institues zeigt gute Filme zu vernuenftigen Preisen. Das Programm setzt sich aus mehreren parallel laufenden Seasons zusammen, die das Werk eines Schauspielers, Regisseurs, etc umfassen.
Von der Strasse aus ist der Eingang fast unmoeglich zu finden, aber wenn man an der Themse entlangwanders, ist das beliebte Café unter der Bruecke kaum zu uebersehen.