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EnglishWhat Is BFI and What Can You Do on bfi.org.uk?
Updated
BFI (British Film Institute) is the UK's film organisation, and bfi.org.uk is its public-facing site built around the promise to "Discover the world of cinema." You can use it to read film journalism, find screenings and events at BFI Southbank and BFI IMAX, explore the BFI National Archive, and subscribe to the BFI's streaming service or Sight and Sound magazine. It suits anyone researching films, planning a cinema visit in London, or looking for curated viewing and reading — not a place to watch most content for free.
What the site offers
The homepage groups its content into a few clear areas:
| Area | What you'll find |
|---|---|
| Features and reviews | Reviews, interviews, news, and archival Sight and Sound pieces |
| Events | Talks and screenings, e.g. Mike Leigh discussing Bleak Moments at BFI Southbank |
| Watch archive collections | Material from the BFI National Archive |
| BFI Southbank | Four screens open seven days a week |
| BFI IMAX | Large-format screenings, e.g. IMAX 70mm showings of The Odyssey |
| Streaming | Hand-picked films from £6.99 per month, with a 14-day free trial |
| Sight and Sound | Magazine subscriptions, including the once-a-decade "Greatest Films of All Time" issue |
Reading film journalism
The Features and reviews section is the most immediately usable part of the site. It mixes current reviews (such as Whalefall, reviewed by Adam Nayman), interviews (Manuela Martelli on The Meltdown; Mahershala Ali on Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother), news from the archive, and recurring "Where to begin" guides — for example, "Where to begin with Billy Wilder." These guides are useful if you want a structured entry point into a director's filmography rather than a single review.
Planning a cinema visit
Two venues are covered directly on the homepage:
- BFI Southbank — four screens running seven days a week, described as offering "the widest choice of great films."
- BFI IMAX — promoted for IMAX 70mm screenings on what the site calls the UK's biggest screen.
If you're deciding whether to go, check the specific event page for the film, format, and date; the homepage only highlights selected programming.
Streaming and magazine subscriptions
The site links to a streaming service at £6.99 per month with a 14-day free trial, and to Sight and Sound subscriptions. Both are paid products reached through separate subscription pages — the homepage does not indicate that either is free beyond the stated trial.
Using the archive
The BFI National Archive is presented as a major collection, with "Watch archive collections" as a homepage entry point and news items such as Inside the Archive #77, covering preservation work (including Frankenstein) and a new study store. This section is best for research or curiosity about film history rather than casual viewing.
A practical starting point
If you're new to the site, pick your goal first: read a review or "Where to begin" guide, check BFI Southbank or IMAX listings for a visit, or follow the archive and subscription links if you want deeper access. You can also sign up for BFI news emails for UK-wide screening updates, which requires agreeing to the site's terms of use and privacy policy.