British films have always had a special place in our hearts. Homegrown talent makes us impossibly proud, and with it already being a massive year for us Brits, with the King’s Coronation and hosting Eurovision, we also want to shine a spotlight on the filmmakers, actors and films that are making our movie industry a hit across the globe and wowing at high-profile film festivals with their latest offerings.
From emerging directors and starry-eyed starlets to Oscar-winning filmmakers and bonafide A-listers, 2023 has already given us some incredible British films, with some more on the way. I mean, first of all, it’s time to champion the future of British cinema with the likes of Connor O’Hara, who has given us the tragically stunning film Kindling, about one young terminally ill man’s final summer with his friends or Georgia Oakley’s Blue Jean, which is about the struggles of a closeted teacher when her identity is threatened to be exposed. The diversity in British cinema is also one to be praised, with Nida Manzoor’s hilarious butt-kicking comedy Polite Society while two young Black Londoners explore their connection in the brilliant Rye Lane.
Then there are the heavy hitters such as Oscar winner Sam Mendes who kicked off the year with the Olivia Colman-starring Empire of Light. But let’s not forget that the year is far from over, and we have a whole host of British films to look forward to, such as Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
So, without further ado, here’s our list of the nine best British films of 2023 so far and those to look forward to.