Bill Nighy's Netflix drama 'Joy' confirmed for world premiere in October at BFI London Film Festival 2024

The full official programme for the 68th BFI London Film Festival will be released next Wednesday, and the announcements about what cinemagoers can expect from the latest edition of the LFF are coming thick and fast. We have already learned that Steve McQueen's Saris Ronan will be joining the World War II drama flash and Morgan Neville's brick-based Pharrell Williams biopic piece by piece will crown this year's festival, and just last week Elton John doc Never too late was announced as an American Express gala selection. And now the BFI has confirmed that the Netflix-bound drama Joythe film debut of Bill Nighy, Thomasin McKenzie and James Norton directed by Sex education The film, premiered by Ben Taylor, is set to have its world premiere at the festival's Cunard Gala.

Written by prolific author Jack Thorne (His dark materials, Wonder), Joy (not to be confused with David O. Russell's biopic of the same name about a mop maker) tells the true story behind the birth of the world's first “test tube baby,” Louise Joy Brown, in 1978. Here's the official description from the BFI: “Told from the perspective of Jean Purdy (McKenzie), a young nurse and embryologist who teams up with scientist Robert Edwards (Norton) and surgeon Patrick Steptoe (Nighy) to solve the mystery of infertility through the groundbreaking in vitro fertilization (IVF) process. The beautifully crafted historical drama celebrates the power of perseverance and the wonders of science as it follows this unconventional trio of visionaries who overcame enormous adversity and opposition to achieve their dream, enabling millions of people to dream with them.”

“I am truly honored that my debut film, Joywill have its world premiere at this year's BFI London Film Festival,” Taylor said in a statement accompanying the gala announcement. “This is a much too little-known story of British scientific achievement and it feels perfect to celebrate these three unconventional pioneers – and their world-changing innovation of IVF – here at home. Joy is a very personal story for me, as I'm sure it will be for many of our viewers. But personal aside, I hope this film will resonate even more today, when infertility and choice are so much in the spotlight.”

With Taylor, Nighy, McKenzie and Norton all confirmed to attend the Cunard Gala screening at the Southbank Centre Royal Festival Hall, Tuesday 15 October is a date that any discerning cinephile should make a note of. And fear not if you can't make it to the Big Smoke, because while it may take a little longer to arrive, Taylor's film will be in select cinemas on 15 November, before Netflix Joy the world (literally) on November 22nd. Yeah, baby!