Movies

9 best British films of 2023 making us proud, from blockbuster hits to festival-season darlings

Homegrown talent has never been better.

22 May 2023

Best British Films 2023 From Blockbuster Hits To FestivalSeason Darlings

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.

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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.

Signature Entertainment
Kindling
Director: Connor O'Hara
Cast: Conrad Khan, Mia McKenna-Bruce, George Somner, Wilson Mbomio, Rory J. Saper, Ocean Navarro, Tara Fitzgerald
What's it about: Based on director Connor O'Hara's own experience of losing a friend young, Kindling is a poignant, heartwarming and tear-jerking story about a group of men who journey back to their small hometown to celebrate life, love and friendship with their terminal cancer-stricken friend during his final summer. The cast, writers and direction blend seamlessly in putting the rarely-seen, sensitive and vulnerable bond between male friendship under the microscope, especially in the face of immeasurable pain and the process of grief, both present and impending. A must-watch.
Out now.
Disney
Empire of Light
Director: Sam Mendes
Cast: Olivia Colman, Michael Ward
What's it about: Empire of Light is a compelling drama from Oscar-winning drama Sam Mendes about the power of human connection. Set in 1980s coastal England, Hilary works at a local seaside cinema as a duty manager when she forges a romance with the young new employee Stephen. However, her spiralling mental-health issues threaten to drive a wedge between them, while the turbulence of the times also tests their new romance. Stunning performances by both Olivia and Michael.
Out now.
CHRIS HARRIS/NETFLIX
The Strays
Director: Nathaniel Martello-White
Cast: Ashley Madekwe, Bukky Bakray, Jorden Myrie, Samuel Small, Maria Almeida, Justin Salinger
What's it about: This Netflix horror truly left us with our jaws dropped (that ending!). The Strays follows the journey of a light-skinned Black woman who sees her life of suburban privilege quickly crumble and put in danger when two strangers show up in her idyllic town to demand answers, prompting her to reflect on her dark past.
Out now.
Spirit Entertainment
Blue Jean
Director: Georgia Oakley
Cast: Rosy McEwen, Kerrie Hayes, Lucy Halliday
What's it about: Blue Jean, which sees a closeted teaches in the late eighties pushed to the brink when a new student threatens to expose her sexuality, won excellent reviews following its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival last year, before being released in British cinemas this year. As Georgia Oakley's directorial debut, the flick was nominated for the BAFTA Film Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer and also won four British Independent Film Awards.
Out now.

Rye Lane
Director: Raine Allen-Miller
Cast: David Jonsson, Vivian Oparah
What's it about: Received critical acclaim followings its big premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, Rye Lane focuses on two strangers reeling from bad break-ups who have a chance encounter and end up connecting and forming a deep bond over one particularly eventful day in South London. The movie is particularly impressive given that it is Raine Allen-Miller's feature directorial debut, so we cannot wait to watch her upcoming work.
Out now.
Polite Society
Director: Nida Manzoor
Cast: Priya Kansara, Ritu Arya
What's it about: Bend It Like Beckham, eat your heart out. This South Asian British film brings all the giggles as a fiercely independent, young martial arts wannabe is convinced she must save her older sister from a doomed and wicked arranged marriage. Along with her pals, she pulls off one of the most elaborate wedding heists of all time for the sake of sisterhood and family. This movie, which premiered to gushing reviews at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, is a perfect watch if you want to switch off with a glass of wine and your bestie by your side.
Out now.
Bank of Dave
Director: Chris Foggin
Cast: Joel Fry, Phoebe Dynevor, Rory Kinnear, Hugh Bonneville, Paul Kaye, Jo Hartley, Cathy Tyson
What's it about: Based on the real-life experiences of Dave Fishwick, Netflix's Bank of Dave follows the journey of a working-class man and self-made millionaire from Burnley who faces difficulty setting up a community bank to help his small town's local businesses thrive. In order to make an impact, he battles London's most prominent financial institutions and competes for the first banking license in a hundred years. This a heartwarming and inspiring watch if you need that extra motivation.
Out now.
Oppenheimer
Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh
What's it about: Based on the life of theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer whose contributions as the director of the Los Alamos Laboratory during the Manhattan Project in World War II led to the creation of the atomic bomb.
Release date: 21 July

Stefano Mazzola
A Haunting In Venice
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Jude Hill, Ali Khan, Emma Laird, Kelly Reilly, Riccardo Scamarcio, Michelle Yeoh
What's it about: This upcoming supernatural film centres on now-retired Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot who is forced to investigate a murder while reluctantly attending a Halloween seance at a haunted palazzo in Venice, Italy. Watch this in preparation for Halloween!
Where to watch: 15 September in Cinemas.