What to do this weekend, 17-18 October: the film festival's last days, new releases and free exhibitions

Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October are the final two days of the 70th BFI London Film Festival, they follow a strong week of cinema releases, and they come before the clocks go back. Here is what is open, what is showing and when — with dates and prices checked against the organisers' own pages.

What is the weather this weekend?

Saturday is dry and mostly sunny; Sunday is the wet one. The Met Office forecast for London gives Saturday 17 October a high of 14 °C and a low of 8 °C, with rain chances under 5% until late morning rising to a peak of about 40% around 4pm, and gusts near 27mph. Sunday 18 October has the same 14 °C high and 8 °C low, but rain is far more likely: 20–30% in the morning, 50–60% from early afternoon, peaking near 70% late at night, with gusts around 26mph.

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The practical advice: put the long walk, the park and anything outdoors on Saturday, ideally before lunch. Keep Sunday for a museum, the cinema or the theatre.

Why is this the last weekend of the London film festival?

The 70th BFI London Film Festival runs from 7 to 18 October, so Sunday is its closing day. This year's programme holds 251 features, shorts, series and immersive works from 88 countries. Simon Stone's Elsinore opened the festival; Jesse Eisenberg's The Debut closes it at the Closing Night Gala.

Screenings run at BFI Southbank, at the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall for the galas, across many Central London cinemas, at BFI IMAX, in the VR Lounge in the BFI Southbank Atrium and at St Martin-in-the-Fields for the LFF Expanded programme. It is not only a London event: a curated selection of features and a special Screen Talk also play at ten partner venues in cities across the UK's nations and regions.

Viewers aged 16 to 25 pay £6 a ticket, which requires a free "25 and Under" account on the BFI site.

What opened in cinemas this week?

Several major titles reached UK screens on Friday 16 October. According to the Film Distributors' Association schedule, they include Street Fighter (Paramount, certificate 12A), Whalefall (Walt Disney, 15) and Forgotten Island (Universal Pictures, PG). Families with young children have Arrietty (Anime Ltd, certificate U).

Two restorations landed the same day: The Others in a 25th anniversary 4K restoration (Park Circus, 12A) and a 4K restoration of Hammer's Dracula, released by Icon Film Distribution. Both are well timed for the run-up to Halloween.

If this weekend is already full, 23 October brings Clayface (Warner Bros.), Klara and the Sun (Sony Pictures), Ghosts: The Possession of Button House (Lionsgate UK, PG) and Scream in a 30th anniversary 4K restoration (Park Circus, 18).

Which exhibitions are free right now?

The British Museum has two free exhibitions open. Declaring independence: USA 250 has run since 30 June and closes on 29 November 2026; Multiplied wonders: Italian Renaissance woodcuts opened on 8 October and runs to 21 March 2027. The museum's ticketed shows are The Bayeux Tapestry, from 10 September 2026 to 11 July 2027, and Korea, from 1 October 2026 to 31 January 2027; book both ahead.

Tate Modern is showing Frida: The Making of an Icon (until 3 January 2027), Ana Mendieta (until 17 January 2027), Light and Magic: The Birth of Art Photography (until 21 February 2027) and Julio Le Parc: Light. Colour. Action. (until 3 May 2027), plus the free Gathering Ground (until 7 March 2027). Tate Britain has The 90s: Art and Fashion (until 14 February 2027) and the free Commission: Chris Ofili: Requiem.

What football is on this Saturday?

Saturday 17 October brings five Premier League fixtures: Everton v Chelsea at 12:30, Brentford v Liverpool, Fulham v Hull City and Manchester City v Ipswich Town at 15:00, and Newcastle United v Aston Villa at 17:30. In the Women's Super League, Arsenal host Birmingham City at 12:45.

The Championship card is busy: Middlesbrough v Cardiff City, Millwall v Lincoln City and Watford v Charlton Athletic kick off at 12:30, with eight more at 15:00, including Swansea City v West Ham United, Wrexham v Preston North End and Southampton v Bolton Wanderers. Most League One and League Two matches also start at 15:00.

What changes next weekend?

Overnight into Sunday 25 October the UK moves to winter time: at 2am BST the clocks go back an hour and it becomes 1am GMT. Evenings get dark earlier, and light ones are scarce until spring — one more reason to spend Saturday outside while the weather allows.