The countdown to the 38th Leeds International Film Festival (LIFF) officially begins on 14 September with the launch of a brand-new preview event, the LIFF First Look Day.
This special preview day offers Leeds audiences the chance to be among the first in the UK to watch some of the most highly anticipated films of the year. The day will feature four special preview screenings, each offering a glimpse into the diverse and compelling storytelling behind the LIFF 2024 programme.
Kicking off the day is Girls Will Be Girls, a poignant exploration of female sexuality and the journey from youth to adulthood. This critically acclaimed film, which won two prizes at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, takes an intimate look at a young girl's coming-of-age at a strict boarding school in the Himalayas. Lead actor Preeti Panigrahi will join us after the film for a Q&A. Following this, A Different Man brings a darkly comic twist to the concept of identity, featuring Sebastian Stan in a riveting performance as an aspiring actor who undergoes a radical medical procedure to change his appearance, only to confront unsettling truths about self-perception.
Our next film, The Substance, is a grotesque and thrilling body-horror film that channels David Cronenberg and Brian De Palma. The story follows Hollywood actress Elisabeth Sparkle, played by Demi Moore, whose desperate attempt to reclaim her youth leads her down a nightmarish new path. The day concludes with Oddity, a spine-tingling Irish horror film that blends psychological and supernatural terror. This atmospheric film follows the blind owner of a curio shop as she attempts uncover the dark truth behind her twin sister’s mysterious murder, seeking justice and revenge with the help of a strange wooden mannequin.
Each film will be introduced by the LIFF team, who will also share exciting news about what’s in store for the 2024 festival. LIFF 2024 will take place 1 - 17 November across various iconic venues in Leeds, including Everyman Leeds, Vue Leeds in the Light, Hyde Park Picture House, and Howard Assembly Room. The full festival program will be revealed in October, with tickets and passes going on sale at that time.
