This year’s BFI London Film Festival is going from the Blitz to the, well, bricks.
Having already announced that Steve McQueen’s WWII drama “Blitz” will open the 68th edition of the festival, it’s now been revealed that “Piece by Piece,” Pharrell Williams‘ animated Lego biopic, will close the event.
Directed by Oscar-winning documentarian Morgan Neville (“20 Feet From Stardom”), the film —getting its U.K. debut in London after world premiering at Toronto Film Festival —explores the life and work of Williams, who decided that his story should be told via Lego (apparently as a metaphor for the creative way in which he sees the world). Alongside Williams, the Focus Features film stars Jay-Z, Missy Elliot, Gwen Stefani, Busta Rhymes and Snoop Dogg, all rendered in Lego, and chronicles Williams’ life from humble beginnings in Virginia Beach to his early career as a producer in the Neptunes and performer in N.E.R.D. to becoming one of the most prolific and successful artists working today.
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Williams and Neville are confirmed to attend the gala screening in London.
“TheBFILondon Film Festival has been supportive of my career for a long time, with my first time screening there being over 20 years ago,” Neville said in a statement. “Bringing ‘Piece by Piece’ to the LFF means the world to me, and getting to be the closing night gala is the cherry on top of thishuge honor. I’m thrilled to celebrate this film with the London audience.”
Added London Film Festival director Kristy Matheson:“’Piece by Piece’ is a film of enormous joy and invention. In telling the story of Pharrell Williams, entirely in Lego, acclaimed documentarian Morgan Neville brings a sense of wonder to this story that matches the creativity and verve of his subject. This is a must for fans and will charm the uninitiated alike, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome ‘Piece by Piece’ to close this year’s BFI London Film Festival.”
“Blitz” will open the BFI London Film Festival on Oct. 9, while “Piece by Piece” will close proceedings on Oct. 20.
