debbie tucker green’s second feature, ear for eye, gets multiple platform launch at 65th BFI London Film Festival

The 65th BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express is delighted to announce a groundbreaking joint launch with the BBC for the much anticipated second feature from filmmaker and playwright debbie tucker green. Her latest film, ear for eye, will world premiere at the BFI Southbank on Saturday 16 October and exclusively the same evening on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.  The writer-director is expected to attend along with key cast members. 

tucker green has adapted her highly acclaimed 2018 Royal Court stage production for the screen, with backing from BBC Film, BBC Two and the BFI, awarding funds from the National Lottery. It’s the second feature film from the BAFTA and Olivier Award-winning writer and director.

From front rooms, kitchens and campuses to the streets, ear for eye follows Black families, friends, students and older generations navigating British and American society today. Visually inventive, ear for eye explores demonstrations vs direct action, violence vs non-violence, the personal vs structural and features an impressive soundtrack from artists including Run the Jewels, FKA twigs and Kano.

Produced by Fiona Lamptey, the ensemble cast includes a wealth of established and rising Black screen and stage stars, including Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel, No Time To Die), Tosin Cole (Doctor Who, The Souvenir), Carmen Munroe (Desmond’s), Danny Sapani (Harlots, MotherFatherSon), Nadine Marshall (Sitting In Limbo) and Arinzé Kene (I’m Your Woman). 

“ear for eye has been re-written for film bringing intimate portraits of characters to screen cinematically in a way that only film can,” says tucker green. “With original music composed by Luke Sutherland and tracks by Sons of Kemet, Run the Jewels, Little Simz, Kano and FKA twigs the film intertwines beats, dialogue, visuals and music shifting through time and place.”

“debbie’s first feature Second Coming screened in our First Feature Competition in 2014,” says Tricia Tuttle, BFI London Film Festival Director, “and it is such a privilege to have her back to world premiere ear for eye, and also to present the premiere in this way with the BBC. Audiences across the UK can see the film on BBC Two while we welcome debbie and cast to the BFI for the live festival screening that evening. debbie’s writing is so powerful – lyrical, complex, urgent – and this adaptation of her own work is a wonderful blend of theatre, performance and film, brought to life by a truly talented cast.” 

The BFI London Film Festival has previously announced that the opening night film will be the world premiere of Jeymes Samuel’s The Harder They Fall, starring Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, Delroy Lindo, LaKeith Stanfield, Danielle Deadwyler, Edi Gathegi, R.J. Cyler, Damon Wayans Jr and Deon Cole with Regina King and Idris Elba, and the American Express Headline Gala will be Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee.

Earlier this week, the festival announced its closing night film as the European premiere of Joel Coen’s The Tragedy of Macbeth, starring Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Bertie Carvel, Alex Hassell, Corey Hawkins, Harry Melling, Brendan Gleeson and Kathryn Hunter.

The 65th BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express takes place from Wednesday 6 October to Sunday 17 October, 2021. The LFF programme launch will take place on Tuesday 7 September 2021.