World Premiere of The Kitchen at the 2023 BFI London Film Festival

Kane Robinson and Jedaiah Bannerman in The Kitchen

Netflix

The Plot of The Kitchen

The 2023 BFI London Film Festival concluded with the world premiere of Netflix’s dystopian thriller, The Kitchen. Co-directed by Kibwe Taveras and Daniel Kaluuya in his feature directorial debut, the film takes place in a rundown housing project in a near-future London. It explores themes of gentrification and inequality through the story of Izi (Kane Robinson from Top Boy) as he tries to escape the estate but gets entangled with teenager Benji (newcomer Jedaiah Bannerman).

Diverse and Global Representation

Daniel Kaluuya emphasized that The Kitchen is an unapologetically British film with global appeal. He believes in telling specific stories that can resonate universally. The film aims to tap into universal themes, stories, and evolutions that people around the world can understand and connect with.

Crew Call for Change Demonstration

The world premiere was attended by a small group of U.K. crew members who organized a demonstration called “Crew Call for Change.” They expressed their support for resolving the actors strike but highlighted the impact on below-the-line workers who are suffering from a significant loss of income and uncertainty in the British film and TV industry heavily dependent on Hollywood.

Winners of the London Film Festival

Prior to The Kitchen’s premiere, the London Film Festival announced the winners of its various competitions. Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Venice-bowing film, Evil Does Not Exit, received the Best Film award in the official competition. Other winners included Mike Gustafson’s Paradise Is Burning for the Sutherland Award in the first feature competition, Bye Bye Tiberias by Lina Soualem for the Grierson Award in the documentary competition, and The Archive: Queer Nigerians by Simisolaoluwa Akande for the short film award.

Recognition and Gratitude from Ryusuke Hamaguchi

Ryusuke Hamaguchi expressed his delight and astonishment upon receiving the Best Film award. He thanked everyone involved, especially the cast and crew whose exceptional work has been a constant source of inspiration for him.