The BFI London Film Festival opened its 2026 edition with a somber yet electrifying tribute to a bygone era of theatre and tragedy. On October 7, the festival screened Elsinore a three-hour drama directed by Simon Stone that transports audiences to late-1980s London, when the AIDS epidemic was beginning to ravage the city’s gay community. The film spotlights a real-life figure—actor Ian Charleson celebrated for his Oscar-winning role in Chariots of Fire—as he prepares for the title role in Shakespeare’s Hamlet at the National Theatre while confronting a terminal diagnosis.
Andrew Scott embodies a fading hero
Irish-born star Andrew Scott assumes the mantle of Charleson, delivering a performance that critics quickly labeled “incredibly moving.” On the red carpet, Scott explained why stories of queer tragedy remain vital, noting that the film confronts a painful chapter of LGBTQIA+ history that still resonates. “(It’s) a story that I think needs to be told about art and about this extraordinary man who was so courageous and talented and who was taken from us too quickly,” he said, echoing the sentiment expressed by director Stone during the press briefing.
Within the narrative, Charleson confides to the production’s director—portrayed by Johnny Flynn as Richard Eyre—that he has only months left to live. Yet, despite the looming shadow of mortality, he perseveres, completing a staggering 24 three-hour performances of Hamlet before succumbing to the disease seven weeks later in 1990 at the age of 40. The film’s recreation of this marathon run on stage is designed to capture the raw intensity of an artist who chose to give his final months to the craft.
Supporting cast and thematic layers
Joining Scott, Olivia Colman portrays pioneering physician Margaret Johnson a doctor who fought stigma and advanced early HIV treatment when many patients were ostracised. Billie Piper appears as casting director Patsy Pollock while Juliet Stevenson plays actress Sylvia Syms, who performed as Gertrude in the on-stage production of Hamlet. Their intertwined stories underscore a broader tableau of an artistic community battling a health crisis while striving to maintain cultural vitality.
Simon Stone, known for directing The Dig and The Woman in Cabin 10 described the set as a place where “crew members had to stifle sobs and tears” multiple times during filming. He added that working with Scott and Colman felt “like all my Christmases have come at once,” emphasizing how the cast’s dedication elevated the material.
Festival context and other highlights
The 2026 edition of the London Film Festival will showcase 251 films from 88 countries through October 18, positioning Elsinore among a diverse slate that includes Luca Guadagnino’s biographical dark comedy Artificial—starring Andrew Garfield as Sam Altman of OpenAI—and the Norwegian-Romanian romance Fjord. The festival’s programme aims to unearth “tumults of the era … cinematic thrills, moral conundrums and a recurring exploration of care and community,” a mission that aligns with the historical weight of Elsinore.
Following its festival debut, Elsinore is set for a UK theatrical release on January 29. Early buzz suggests the film could become an awards contender, with industry observers already speculating about a possible Oscar nomination for Scott’s portrayal of Charleson.
