Patricia Clarkson's 'Lilly' to Open London's Women and the World Film Festival

Rachel Feldman's "Lilly," starring Patricia Clarkson, will open the third edition of the Women and the World International Film Festival in London on Nov. 5. The festival runs through Nov. 12.

The program centers women's authorship. Its highlights include the world premiere of Sigrid Andrea P. Bernardo's "Laya," alongside premieres of Marina Kunarova's "The Nomad's Legacy" and Flaminia Graziadei's "A Year in London."

Festival director Ksenia Bugrimova set the tone for the edition in a statement. "The age of the 'good girl' is over," she said. "Cinema needs women who are complicated, instinctive, ambitious, vulnerable, fearless and free – women who do not ask permission to take up space."

Bugrimova framed the festival's mission as structural rather than celebratory. "We believe there should simply be more films by women in the world – and more opportunities for those films to reach audiences," she said. "Celebrating women is important, but celebration alone is not enough. We want to support them, advocate for them and connect their work directly with audiences and the international film industry."

Who sits on the jury?

The competition jury spans acting, production, publicity and sales:

• David Gyasi, British actor and producer
• Olwen Fouéré, Irish actor, writer and director
• MyAnna Buring, British-Swedish actor
• Elena Andreicheva, documentary filmmaker and producer
• Denise Parkinson, VP, sales and marketing global, Variety
• David Martinez, film publicity executive
• Rebecca del Tufo, co-founder and co-director, ScreenCraft Works
• Victoria Emslie, British actor and producer

What does the festival change for emerging filmmakers?

Beyond screenings, WWIFF said it is expanding its platform for emerging talent through collaborations with University College London, LAMDA, Film London and BFI Network. The partnerships connect new directors and creative talent to institutions with production and training capacity in the British capital.

The festival has momentum to build on. Its 2025 edition attracted 2,450 attendees and closed with the U.K. premiere of Scarlett Johansson's directorial debut, "Eleanor the Great."

What does this change for women in international cinema? Bugrimova's answer is direct: distribution and industry access, not applause. The third edition's premieres and institutional partnerships will test whether that ambition converts into wider release for the films on the London program.