SXSW London officially kicks off with the world premiere of SXSW London Virginia Woolf Night and Day.
At the windy Barbican Center in central London on Monday night, Tina Garaffy’s film crew braved the wind and gathered to celebrate their opening. Haley Bennett, Timothy Spall, Jack Whitehall, Misia Butler and Sally Phillips were in attendance, along with Graffy and screenwriter Justine Waddell, although stars Jennifer Saunders and Lily Allen did not appear on the pink carpet.
The film is an adaptation of Woolf’s novel of the same name, in which astronomer Katherine Hilbery (Bennett) attempts to free herself from the patriarchal constraints of the early 20th century.
“Virginia Woolf’s themes are timeless and so universal: the struggle to balance love and ambition, freedom with societal expectations, and how to live life — on your own terms,” Bennett said. Hollywood Reporter. Bennett, who has a daughter with director Joe Wright, added: “It’s so new and rare to have a heroine who doesn’t care at all about romance, and that was something I really aspired to. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I’m a working mother.”
“I’m juggling parenting and traveling the world and trying not to give up on my dreams because I have a child,” she added. “I want her to see me doing what I love and be inspired by that.”
Bennett admitted it was difficult to join a film featuring so many of Britain’s brightest talents, including Spall, Saunders, Allen and Whitehall. “That was really scary for me!” She said. “I’m an American, and this is a distinctly British story, a British author, a British screenwriter, an all-British cast, and not only that, but the cream of British comedians. I had stage fright.”
“But they were so generous and so warm, and it became a really fun experience. They’re so loose and free, and at the same time so prepared. I would love to make this film 100 times,” she added.
Whitehall said THR It was fun not to be the only comedian in the group. “I’d met Jennifer before, and she went to college with her daughter, actually, so I had a weird connection there, but I’d never had the opportunity to work with her before. And also, Sally— Pony slap It was one of my favorite shows when I was little, so I love when you’re in a room with people like that, [who you’ve] “They grow up watching and admiring it, and they get the chance to do scenes with them.”
Phillips is a star Bridget Jones Franchise, was thrilled to be the opening night film of SXSW London. “A lot of films never see the light of day. They can never be seen,” she said. THR. “They struggle, and then they end up on some broadcast that no one ever catches on. So, on a low budget, they did[[Virginia Woolf Night and Day]With not much money, searching for money and all the rest of it. [The fact] That the movie is out, that it’s good enough, that people want to see it, that it’s going to be in theaters, is great.
One of the first things you learned about Wolfe from this movie? “It was funny,” Phillips said. “This is a book she didn’t rate particularly well, and it’s the book where she develops her psychological style, but in the beginning, it starts out as a straight-up romance novel, and she plays around like that. It’s really funny. You wouldn’t believe it.”
Virginia Woolf Night and Day It’s not the only buzzy film arriving at SXSW London this week: Olivia Wilde’s film is also premiering Invitation Closing the strand is by Jane Schönbrunn Teen sex and death in Miasma camp. SXSW London 2026 takes place from June 1-6.
