VOD News | On 15, Feb 2025

BBC Film and the BFI are teaming up for a new season of breakthrough films on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.

The season kicked off last night with the TV premiere of Georgia Oakley’s Blue Jean, a 1980s-set story of queer love, care and survival in the North East against the ominous backdrop of Section 28.

Now, every Friday night for six weeks, a film will have its British TV premiere on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. The aim is to celebrate filmmakers offering fresh perspectives on life in the UK and Ireland and BBC 6Music film critic Rhianna Dhillon will introduce each film ahead of its screening on BBC Two.

Eva Yates, Director of BBC Film said: “The British Film Premiere season is once again spotlighting exciting filmmakers and films from the UK and beyond. It’s a brilliant opportunity for our BBC audiences to enjoy many great stories, perspectives and performers they may not yet have discovered, but will be seeing much more of in the future.”

Ben Luxford, Director of UK Audiences at the BFI, said: “We’re really pleased to be partnering again with our friends at the BBC to bring this exciting season of original films to UK audiences. This is a varied and broad selection that celebrates the very best of new filmmaking talent, and we hope they’re embraced fully as they air on BBC Two and on iPlayer in the year to come”

The six films in the British Film Premiere season were all supported by BBC Film and a number were also supported by the BFI as a financer, awarding National Lottery funding, and/or a Distributor theatrically releasing films in the UK.

As part of the season, a number of short films will be made available for the first time on BBC iPlayer, including A Very Short Film About Longing by Eimear McBride, Bumped by Mahaneela, Honesty by Roxy Rezvany, My Eyes Are Up Here by Nathan Morris, Moon Under Water by Grandmas, Muna by Warda Mohamed, Original Skin by Mdhamiri a Nkemi, Pray by Caleb Azumah Nelson and Such A Lovely Day by Simon Woods.

BBC Two will also repeat some BBC Film and BFI-supported British feature films on Sundays throughout the season, including Surge by Aneil Karia, Idris Elba’s directorial debut, Yardie, Fyzal Boulifa’s Lynn + Lucy, Aleem Khan’s After Love and Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun.

Here’s full season line-up:

Blue Jean – 14th February

Written and directed by Georgia Oakley

Jean, a PE teacher is forced to live a double life. When a new student arrives and threatens to expose her, Jean is pushed to extreme lengths to keep her job and her integrity. Starring Rosy McEwen, Kerrie Hayes, Lucy Halliday, Lydia Page, Stacy Abalogun, Izzy Neish. Blue Jean won the People’s Choice award at the Venice Film Festival, was nominated for a BAFTA and won four awards at the British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) including debut screenwriter for Georgia Oakley and Lead Performance for Rosy McEwen.

God’s Creatures – 21st February

Story by Shane Crowley and Fodhla Cronin-O’Reilly, screenplay by Shane Crowley, directed by Anna Rose Holmer and Saela Davis

In a windswept fishing village, a mother is torn between protecting her beloved son and her own sense of right and wrong. A lie she tells for him rips apart their family and close-knit community in this tense, sweepingly emotional epic. Starring Emily Watson, Paul Mescal and Aisling Franciosi, God’s Creatures premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes Film Festival. it was nominated for five BIFAs including Emily Watson for lead performance; Paul Mescal and Aisling Franciosi for supporting performance and Shane Crowley for debut screenwriter.

Pretty Red Dress – 28th February

Written and directed by Dionne Edwards

Travis has just been released from prison and it quickly becomes apparent that everything has changed while he’s been gone. While girlfriend Candice is on the up and auditioning to star in a musical, teenage daughter Kenisha is struggling in school and her relationship with her mum is tense. When Travis buys Candice her dream dress for an audition, rather than smoothing over the family’s problems, it ends up creating even more… As secrets and desires left unsaid threaten to spill out, Travis is forced to re-examine who he is and how he wants to be perceived in the world.

Featuring a breakout performance from Natey Jones alongside newcomer Temilola Olatunbosun, and chart-topping singer and West End actor Alexandra Burke in her first film role, Pretty Red Dress was nominated for two BIFAs including Supporting Performance for Alexandra Burke and Breakthrough Producer for Georgia Goggin.

Aisha – 7th March

Written and directed by Frank Berry

Aisha charts the experiences of a young Nigerian woman as she seeks international protection in Ireland. Caught in limbo for years in Ireland’s immigration system, Aisha Osagie (Letitia Wright) develops a friendship with former prisoner Conor Healy (Josh O’Connor) who she meets at one of the accommodation centres. Aisha and Conor’s growing friendship soon looks to be short lived as Aisha’s future in Ireland comes under threat. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and also screened at the BFI London Film Festival.

Medusa Deluxe – 14th March

Written and directed by Thomas Hardiman

The air is thick with hairspray, wicked gossip, and even murder in Thomas Hardiman’s audacious and extravagant one-shot whodunnit, uniquely set amid a hairdressing contest. Starring Clare Perkins, Anita-Joy Uwajeh, Kae Alexander, Harriet Webb, Darrell D’Silva, Luke Pasqualino and Heider Ali, Medusa Deluxe premiered at the Locarno Film Festival. Medusa Deluxe won one BIFA award and was nominated for two more, including Best Debut for Thomas Hardiman.

Sweet Sue – 21st March

Written and directed by Leo Leigh

Sue (O’Neil) is now back on the dating scene. She meets a mysterious biker called Ron (Pitts) at her brother’s funeral and sparks fly. But when Ron introduces her to his social-media focused son Anthony (Trevaldwyn), Sue finds herself in an increasingly surreal battle of wills with this ambitious teenager who, despite showing no signs of talent, is convinced that his dance troupe ‘Electric Destiny’ is tipped for stardom.

Starring Maggie O’Neill, Tony Pitts and Harry Trevaldwyn, Sweet Sue originally premiered at the Munich Film Festival.

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