50 Years of Tommy: anniversary screening & talk with Adrian Wootton OBE, CEO of Film London, set to THE WHO’s unforgettable music. (Talk in English)

We are especially delighted to welcome Adrian Wootton (OBE), CEO of Film London and the British Film Commission – one of the most respected figures in world cinema. Beyond his expertise, he brings stories that open a captivating window behind the dream factories and into the no less glittering world beyond the big screen. At the BFFF, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the legendary music film Tommy – set to the unforgettable music of THE WHO. We will screen the film, with Adrian Wootton as its charismatic narrator.

Tommy (1975), directed by Ken Russell, is a visionary rock opera based on THE WHO’s iconic concept album. The story of the “deaf, dumb and blind” boy unfolds in vivid images, explosive music and with a spectacular cast, including: Roger Daltrey, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Keith Moon, Jack Nicholson, Pete Townshend and Tina Turner. The film remains a milestone of the rock musical and a defining cult phenomenon of the 1970s.

Adrian Wootton OBE is Chief Executive of Film London and the British Film Commission. He advises the BFI London Film Festival, the Venice Film Festival and the Mediterrane Film Festival, is Founding Director of the Shots in the Dark Festival in Nottingham, and curates the annual Cinema Made in Italy programme in London as well as the BFI’s 2024 Taviani Brothers retrospective.

A recognised authority on Hollywood, crime and mystery, and Italian cinema, he publishes, lectures, broadcasts and curates film programmes internationally. In 2012, he oversaw the film and television strand of the global Dickens celebrations, co-curating a retrospective that toured worldwide. He also co-wrote and co-produced the BBC Arena documentaries Dickens on Film (2012) and Shakespeare on Screen (2016). He holds three honorary doctorates and was awarded an OBE in 2017 for Services to Film.

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