Kate Winslet starrer Ammonite to close 64th BFI London Film Festival

The period movie is directed by Francis Lee.

The organizers tweeted: "Closing Film of #LFF 2020 announced! Ammonite, directed by Francis Lee and starring Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan, will close this year's Festival at BFI Southbank and in cinemas across the UK on 17 October https://bit.ly/2FP0F5V."

In a statement, BFI said: "The film will receive its UK premiere on Saturday 17 October and will be available to UK audiences at cinemas across UK, who will also enjoy a virtual introduction from Lee and key cast."

“I’m thrilled Ammonite has been chosen to close the BFI London Film Festival,” director Francis Lee told BFI website. ”In these incredibly difficult times, it’s wonderful to see this film about intimacy, love and hope getting its UK premiere at LFF.”

The film is co-financed by the BFI (awarding National Lottery funding) and BBC Films. See-Saw Films developed the film with the BFI and BBC Films.

The BFI’s relationship with Lee goes back to 2015 with his hugely successful debut, God’s Own Country, which received development and production funding.

The film is produced by Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly.

“We were huge admirers of Francis Lee’s debut,” says Tricia Tuttle, BFI London Film Festival Director, ”and it’s a pleasure to have him close the 2020 BFI London Film Festival with his sublime second feature. Francis has the ability to place love stories of breathtaking intimacy within a rich socio-political context, always with a delicate touch, and here offers reflections on class difference and the erasure of women from scientific history.

“In Saoirse Ronan and Kate Winslet, Ammonite features two enthralling and gifted leads; Kate in particular, who appears in almost every scene, gives a fearless and complex performance as the brilliant, proud Mary Anning”.

Ammonite was written and directed by Francis Lee and produced by Iain Canning, Emilie Sherman and Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly with Executive Producers Simon Gillis, Mary Burke, Rose Garnett and Zygi Kamasa.

It will be released in UK cinemas in 2021.

The 64th BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express takes place from Wednesday 7 October to Sunday 18 October 2020. The full Festival programme will be announced at an online launch on Tuesday 8 September 2020 and all tickets will be bookable from Monday 21 September 2020.