Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri to close London Film Festival

Three Billboards will fly high across the pond at the 2017 BFI London Film Festival.

The British Film Institute announced Tuesday the Martin McDonagh-directed dark comedy, fully titled Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, will close the annual festival’s upcoming 61st edition, with its U.K. premiere scheduled to round out the event on Oct. 15.

Frances McDormand stars in the picture as the mother of a murdered woman who erects three billboards with controversial messages for the town’s chief of police (Woody Harrelson).

“I’m excited to bring this film back to my home town for its UK premiere,” McDonagh said via statement. “I’m more than proud of it and if there are any fans of In Bruges still out there, I don’t think they’ll be disappointed.”

Three Billboards is the third feature directorial effort from McDonagh, who previously won an Oscar for his 2004 short film, Six Shooter, in addition to scoring an additional nod for writing the 2008 comedy In Bruges, starring Colin Farrell. It has also been announced to screen at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival later this year, with Fox Searchlight likely positioning the film as an Oscar contender.

Last year, Brie Larson’s shoot-em-up thriller Free Fire closed the London Film Festival, while Academy Award-nominated films Steve Jobs and Saving Mr. Banks capped the festival in 2015 and 2013, respectively.

The 2017 BFI London Film Festival runs Wednesday, Oct. 4 through Sunday, Oct. 15, with its full slate set to be unveiled on Aug. 31.

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