London’s Raindance Film Festival Unveils Lineup for Its Biggest Post-COVID Pandemic Edition

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As a passionate gamer, I’m super excited about the lineup for the 33rd edition of the Raindance Film Festival in London! This is their biggest post-COVID pandemic event yet and it promises to be an unforgettable cinematic journey. The festival kicks off on June 18 with the world premiere of Christopher M. Anthony’s boxing drama, “Heavyweight”, featuring Nicholas Pinnock, Jason Isaacs, and Jordon Bolger.

Other noteworthy films include Kenya’s Oscar submission, the child marriage drama “Nawi: Dear Future Me“, which was recently highlighted by THR as an “unsold gem” in Cannes. Other must-sees are Burham Qurbani’s crime thriller “No Beast. So Fierce.“, loosely based on William Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy of Richard the Third“, Elena Manrique’s black comedy “The Party’s Over“, and the closing night film, “The Academy“, directed by Camilla Guttner, about an art student who uncovers the intricacies of an art academy.

To top it all off, Raindance has partnered with Netflix to premiere the six documentary shorts of the third Netflix Documentary Talent Fund. Can’t wait to experience this amazing lineup!

Raindance is known for exceeding expectations, making it fitting that the 33rd festival kicks off with the world debut of a British first feature film about an unexpected boxer,” remarked Raindance founder Elliot Grove. “During this edition, Raindance remains dedicated to amplifying fresh perspectives and films flying under the radar, which are often disregarded by other festivals.

2021 Raindance Jury Composition: This year’s jury is made up of actress Antonia Campbell-Hughes (known for It Is In Us All), actress Ashley Walters (famous for Adolescence and Top Boy), Cristo Fernández, who plays “Dani Rojas” in Ted Lasso, actress Emily Beecham (recognized for Pursuit of Love and Cruella), actor Iain Glen (well-known for Game of Thrones and Resident Evil), actor Iwan Rheon (famed for Vicious and Game of Thrones), actor Jason Flemyng (renowned for Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), actress Jo Hartley (acclaimed for Swede Caroline), actress Natascha McElhone (known for Laurel Canyon and Carmen), director Ng Choon Ping (recognized for Femme and What It Feels Like for a Girl), actor Theo Barklem-Biggs (famous for Rogue Heroes and Cherry), actor Tosin Cole (known for Supacell), director Waad Al-Kateab (renowned for For Sama and We Dare To Dream), Fred Hogge, co-founder of BIFA, director Joshua Trigg (known for Satu – Year of the Rabbit), producer Kemal Akhtar, film critic Neil Norman, director Sam Crane (famous for Grand Theft Hamlet), production designer Sonja Klaus (renowned for Gladiator and American Gangster), and Vineeta Misra, head of the NFDC Film Bazaar India.

Explore the complete international competitive section for the Raindance festival, held from June 18th to 27th, along with organizers’ remarks, as detailed below.

1. DREAM! (Director: Paul Spurrier, Country: Thailand) – World Premiere. One of the largest independent films ever made in Thailand, this extravagant and cinematic Christmas-themed musical tells the story of a young girl who flees her mountain home, embarking on a magical journey across Thailand to find a new family.

2. Granny Must Die (Director: Yi Jung Chen, Country: Taiwan) – International Premiere. Debut feature film. This dark absurdist comedy follows three generations of a family living in a cramped Taipei apartment as love, duty, and madness spin delightfully out of control.

3. Love Song from Hiroshima (Director: Hideyuki Tokigawa, Country: Japan) – European Premiere. A call for peace and unity unfolds as a benevolent alien meanders around present-day Hiroshima.

4. NAWI: Dear Future Me (Directors: Vallentine Chelluget, Apuu Mourine, Kevin Schmutzler, Toby Schmutzler, Country: Kenya) – UK Premiere. Debut feature film. This moving tale highlights the struggle of child brides in Africa and was acclaimed at numerous film festivals and at the African Movie Academy Awards. It follows a 13-year-old girl whose father is selling her to an older man for a herd of goats, but she embarks on a journey to reclaim her dream of attending high school.

5. No Beast. So Fierce. (Director: Burhan Qurbani, Countries: Poland/France/Germany) – UK Premiere. Following its World Premiere at Berlin, this adaptation of Richard III by award-winning director Burhan Qurbani sees actress Kenda Hmeidan shine as the daughter of an Arab clan who, in the aftermath of a violent gang war, schemes to become the undisputed boss of the Berlin underworld.

6. Paternal Leave (Director: Alissa Jung, Countries: Germany/Italy) – UK Premiere. Debut feature film. This moving story follows a teenage girl’s journey to Italy’s northern coast as she searches for her unknown biological father.

7. Shakespeare’s The Tempest (Director: Garret Replogle, Country: USA) – European Premiere. Debut feature film. Star Trek meets Shakespeare in this tale of a spaceship captain marooned on a desert planet who orchestrates a series of events to confront the crew who betrayed him.

8. Srishti (Director: Paul Antar, Country: India) – World Premiere. Debut feature film. The story of a photographer haunted by childhood guilt who travels to remote Himalayan Sector K to investigate a mysterious phenomenon. This mystery/drama sheds light on the plight of children forced to work through massive garbage heaps in search of items that can be sold.

Experience the UK premiere of the film “TAPE,” directed by Bizhan Tong, a collaboration between the UK and Hong Kong. The story unfolds in contemporary Asia, where three old friends meet up again, but instead of reminiscing about their youth, they uncover a chilling truth from their shared past.

The film, titled “THE PARTY’S OVER” (directed by Elena Manrique, Spain/Belgium), makes its UK debut. This is the director’s first feature film. Beatriz Arjona won the “Best Lead Actress” Carmen Award for her portrayal of a wealthy divorcée living in southern Spain, whose tranquil life is turned upside down when an young Senegalese immigrant seeks refuge in her shed.

WET MONDAY” (Directed by Justyna Mytnik, Poland). UK Premiere. First full-length film. A deep-seated trauma from a sexual assault unexpectedly resurfaces within a young girl, causing her to develop an unusual fear of water. However, with the help of a fresh acquaintance, she faces this fear in an unconventional manner.

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2025-05-19 11:24