Netflix Western Announced as Opening Film for 2021 BFI London Film Festival

BY SCOTTIE KNOLLIN

Festival season is gearing up for a major facelift after last year’s mostly virtual outings. As all major festivals have announced plans to return in hybrid formats, many are beginning to also share their slates of films set to premiere ahead of the awards season. For BFI London Film Festival’s 2021 iteration, the fest has landed Netflix’s Western, “The Harder They Fall”, as its Opening Night Gala.

The film, directed by Jeymes Samuel, stars Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, Idris Elba, and Regina King.

As the opening night film, “The Harder They Fall” will celebrate its world premiere, with simultaneous in-theater screenings occurring across the U.K. The film is set to hit the streaming service on November 3.

The official synopsis:

When outlaw Nat Love (Majors) discovers that his enemy Rufus Buck (Elba) is being released from prison, he rounds up his gang to track Rufus down and seek revenge. Those riding with him in this assured, righteously new school Western includes his former love Stagecoach Mary, his right- and left-hand men — hot-tempered Bill Pickett and fast drawing Jim Beckwourth – and a surprising adversary-turned-ally. Rufus Buck has his own fearsome crew, including “Treacherous” Trudy Smith and Cherokee Bill, and they are not a group that knows how to lose.

The 65th BFI London Film Festival takes place October 6 to 17.