Queer Edward ll: On the red carpet with the cast and creatives at London Film Festival 2026

Directed by Theo Rollason, Queer Edward ll is a unique documentary that explores the making of Edward ll by Derek Jarman. Using unearthed footage that was in archive for over 30 years and shot by the cinematographer Seamus McGarvey, Rollason pieces together the film, which features Tilda Swinton, Steven Waddington, Peter Tatchell and Sandy Powell in the cast and an ethereal vocal performance from Annie Lennox.

The project is set against 1990s Britain and delves into the political landscape from that era. Viewers will relive moments from the queer resistance by the Government, the radical movement by the activist group OutRage and the AIDS crisis, which heightened homophobia.

The documentary presents as a theatrical set underpinned by layers of comedy and sadly highlights the slow demise of Jarman who was managing his own diagnosis with HIV. With the film collaborators sharing this with a modern audience, The Upcoming had the pleasure of speaking to them on the red carpet at the London premiere.

The Upcoming heard from filmmaker Rollason, who spoke about why he felt it was a timely piece to introduce to audiences, how emotional he felt sifting through the material and the exciting delve into the creative process of filmmaking by Jarman.

We also spoke to Sandy Powell about looking back into the past and where society is now and how the costumes she designed hold up even today. She talked about how the present and past collide in this feature and how relevant the themes are in today’s political climate.

Music composer Simon Fisher Turner chatted to us about the soundscape for the film, the way in which he adapted it from the original score and the simplistic approach he used in this new delivery. He also spoke about the bizarre experience of watching himself back from over 30 years ago and how lovely it was watching some of the original footage.

Russell Tovey revealed his long-term admiration for Jarman, and how emotional he felt looking back at footage of a man he revered but never met. He also spoke about his joy at coming on board with the project as one of the executive producers and what he hopes modern audiences will take from watching this adaptation.

Finally, we chatted to Peter Tatchell about his part in the original OutRage group and how amazing Jarman was as a filmmaker and political activist. He also expressed the core themes of the archive material, how they fought against a homophobic era and government and how relevant it remains in today’s society.

Ezelle Alblas

Read more reviews from our London Film Festival 2026 coverage here.

For further information about the event, visit the London Film Festival website here.

Watch the trailer for Queer Edward ll here: