Return To The Dark Days Of Football As Heysel 85 Will Receive Its UK Premiere At The 70th BFI London Film Festival
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Carl Roberts 
Receiving its UK premiere at the 70th BFI London Film Festival, the gripping political drama Heysel 85 returns us to the dark days of football with the trailer.
As a Liverpool Football Club fan since I was two, I’ve watched and celebrated the highs and bright days over the years. Additionally, I’ve also watched in horror as two of the darkest and saddest days in the club’s history unfolded. One is the tragic Hillsborough disaster. The second was the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985. To this day, it stands out as one of the most horrific and tragic events in footballing history. 39 Juventus fans lost their lives in the tragedy. This happened on what should have been a night of celebration and a demonstration of the class of the teams from England and Italy. Instead, it’s a dark cloud.
Icon Film Distribution is excited to announce that gripping political drama Heysel 85 will have its UK film premiere at the 70th BFI London Film Festival on 15th October. This event will take place ahead of its UK theatrical release on 20th November 2026.
Selected for the BFI London Film Festival’s Thrill strand, Heysel 85 is an intense and immersive reimagining of one of football’s darkest nights. Previously, the film screened as a Special Gala at the Berlin International Film Festival. There, its powerful blend of drama and documentary storytelling drew attention for its unflinching examination of the human and political forces surrounding the tragedy.
CRITICAL PRAISE
Described by Variety as “a tense political metaphor” and “an anxiety-inducing work of cinéma vérité”, they praised the film as “riveting at every turn” and a “stark reminder of the entwinement between soccer and corruption.” Meanwhile, Gazettely calls it “a harrowing, claustrophobic examination of institutional rot” and “a formidable cultural critique”.
THE PREMISE
Heysel 85 stars Violet Braeckman (War), named a 2026 European Film Promotion Shooting Star, as the daughter of the Mayor of Brussels. In addition, the cast includes Matteo Simoni (Callboys), who plays a journalist drawn into the heart of the unfolding tragedy.
The stage is set at Brussels’ Heysel Stadium for the 1985 European Cup Final between Liverpool and Juventus. As thousands of fans descend on the ground, old club rivalries fuel the heated atmosphere. The confrontation soon erupts into violence. With the death toll quickly rising, the mayor’s daughter and an Italian journalist are drawn into the heart of the catastrophe. They are caught between professional duty, family loyalty, and moral responsibility.
An unflinching look at a moment football might rather forget, the tragedy unfolds not merely as a historical reconstruction but as a lived, moment-by-moment experience at the heart of the disaster.
THOUGHTS
I watched the disaster and the game that followed. To me, the game should never have been played. There was death on the terraces, and neither team wanted to set foot on the pitch. The ninety minutes that followed were overshadowed on and off the pitch, as neither team could muster much enthusiasm. Even the result (Juventus won the game 1-0) paled in significance. When presented with the trophy, the Juventus players looked somber and grim, as if they would rather be anywhere else than in the stadium or on the pitch receiving winners’ medals.
However, I can see why they made the game go ahead, although I didn’t and still don’t agree with it. Their reasoning was that if it didn’t go ahead, then there was the potential for more rioting, mayhem, and death. We will never know whether they made the right choice. It hardly matters when 39 football supporters went to a UEFA Cup Final and never went home again.
I am attending the 70th BFI London Film Festival and will be watching the film. I will give my honest opinion and review of the film. However, I expect to shed more than a few tears during and after the film ends. This must never happen again. Not here in England, in European countries, or in any country. Football should unite us all—bringing laughter, singing, friendly banter, and shared experiences. Additionally, it shouldn’t be a risk to attend a match or worry about returning home safely.
Heysel 85 will have its UK premiere at the 70th BFI London Film Festival on 15 October, ahead of its UK theatrical release on 20 November 2026.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
