Heysel 85 will receive its UK premiere at the 70th BFI London Film Festival on October 15, 2026.
The political drama has been selected for the festival’s Thrill strand and will arrive in UK cinemas just over a month later, with Icon Film Distribution setting a nationwide theatrical release for November 20.
Directed by Teodora Ana Mihai, the 92-minute film dramatises the events surrounding the 1985 European Cup Final between Liverpool and Juventus at Brussels’ Heysel Stadium.
‘Heysel 85’ Joins The London Film Festival
Heysel 85 will have its UK premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on October 15 as part of the Thrill strand.
The film previously screened as a Special Gala at the Berlin International Film Festival, where its blend of drama and documentary-style filmmaking drew attention for its recreation of one of football’s darkest nights.
The London screening brings the film to UK audiences ahead of its wider theatrical release in November. Popped has already covered this year’s growing programme in our London Film Festival 2026 additional titles guide.
What Is ‘Heysel 85’ About?
The film is set around the 1985 European Cup Final between Liverpool and Juventus, with thousands of supporters arriving at Brussels’ Heysel Stadium for what should have been one of European football’s biggest nights.
As existing rivalries and serious failures surrounding the event contribute to an increasingly volatile atmosphere, violence breaks out and the situation rapidly becomes a disaster.
Rather than approaching the tragedy solely as a historical reconstruction, the film follows two people pulled into the unfolding crisis: the daughter of the Mayor of Brussels and an Italian journalist attempting to make sense of the events around them.
The story places professional duty, family loyalty and moral responsibility alongside the wider political and institutional failures surrounding the catastrophe.
Who Stars In ‘Heysel 85’?
Violet Braeckman leads the film as the daughter of the Mayor of Brussels. Braeckman was named one of European Film Promotion’s 2026 Shooting Stars.
Matteo Simoni stars opposite her as a journalist drawn into the centre of the disaster.
The ensemble also includes Josse De Pauw, Fabrizio Rongione, Paolo Calabresi, Bobby Schofield and Ben Segers.
When Is ‘Heysel 85’ Released In UK Cinemas?
Heysel 85 will be released in UK cinemas on November 20, 2026, following its October 15 London Film Festival premiere.
The film has a runtime of 92 minutes. Its UK age certificate has not yet been confirmed.
Tickets for the wider theatrical run are expected to become available closer to release, while London Film Festival ticketing is handled separately through the BFI.
For booking dates and prices for the festival itself, read Popped’s complete London Film Festival 2026 ticket guide.
Heysel 85 receives its UK premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on October 15 before opening in UK cinemas on November 20, 2026.
