BFI Southbank and BFI IMAX: December 2025 season highlights
James Cameron season
In December 2025, BFI Southbank and BFI IMAX present a rich cultural programme celebrating cinema and television, led by a season dedicated to visionary filmmaker James Cameron, supported by Rolex. The season launches on 1 December with The Worlds of James Cameron, a live event that explores his groundbreaking career, recurring themes and impact on Hollywood spectacle.
Across the month, audiences can revisit key titles including The Terminator (1984), Aliens (1986), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), True Lies (1994), Titanic (1997), Avatar (2009) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), alongside the new film Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025), which premieres at BFI IMAX on 19 December in an immersive large‑format presentation.
Too Much: Melodrama on Film
Running in parallel is the finale of Too Much: Melodrama on Film, a UK‑wide survey of melodrama that continues through UK cinemas and BFI venues. The season showcases titles that explore restraint, heightened emotion and social themes, with films such as Way Down East (1920), Imitation of Life (1934), The Seventh Veil (1945) and other classics from different eras and countries.
The strand culminates in a celebration of the 75th anniversary of Sunset Boulevard, honouring Billy Wilder’s dark Hollywood melodrama as a pinnacle of the form and a fitting capstone to the programme’s exploration of cinema’s “biggest emotions”.
Richard Burton: a season in tribute
The Richard Burton season, curated by the BFI National Archive, honours one of cinema’s most commanding and complex stars with a focused retrospective. Screenings include early work such as The Last Days of Dolwyn (1949), introduced in person by his daughter Kate Burton, offering a personal perspective on his beginnings.
Another highlight is The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (1965), introduced by his granddaughter Charlotte Frances Burton, underscoring Burton’s lasting impact across generations and revisiting his intense, BAFTA‑winning portrayal in the John le Carré adaptation.
Christmas programming and special guests
For the holiday season, the BFI offers a Christmas programme that mixes timeless favourites with cult titles and contemporary crowd‑pleasers. The line‑up includes It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), Meet Me in St Louis (1944) and The Apartment (1960), alongside anime favourites for family audiences and animation fans. A special seasonal treat is a screening of Gremlins (1984), introduced by Reece Shearsmith, highlighting the film’s blend of festive charm and dark comedy.
Throughout December, special guests enrich the programme: Will Arnett appears on 4 December, Brendan Fraser attends an event on 9 December, and director Joy Gharoro‑Akpojotor presents Dreamers on 5 December. Author Sir Christopher Frayling introduces Lust for Life (1956), and Mark Gatiss returns with a new Christmas ghost story, The Room in the Tower, on 14 December, continuing the BFI’s tradition of seasonal chills.
Additional strands and commitment to diversity
Additional events in December delve into queer culture within melodrama, examining how the genre has encoded LGBTQ+ stories and emotions over time. There are also documentary focuses on Lucile Hadžihalilović, celebrating her singular, atmospheric cinema, and selections from the vast documentary oeuvre of Frederick Wiseman, spotlighting his forensic portraits of institutions and communities.
Overall, the BFI underlines its commitment to a diverse programme that combines new releases, retrospectives and one‑off experiences, ensuring that December 2025 at BFI Southbank and BFI IMAX is filled with cinematic discovery, reflection and celebration for audiences of all tastes.
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