Now in its fourth year, exclusively at Luna Palace Cinemas, the BBC First British Film Festival is thrilled to announce highlights from the 2016 program. With a spread of international award-winners, crowd favourites, and Australian premieres, this year’s films feature a star-studded line up of cinematic delights that dive directly into British culture, humour, and traditions, signalling this year’s festival as the biggest one yet. The festival will open with the Australian premiere of Amma Asante’s period drama A United Kingdom, which comes straight from its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and opening the 60th BFI London Film Festival. Starring David Oyelowo (Selma) and Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) A United KingdoM is based on the book Colour Bar by Susan Williams, based on the true story of young Prince Seretse Khama of Botswana (Oyelowo), who caused an international scandal when he married a white Englishwoman (Pike) in 1948. The festival will close with A Monster Calls, based on the acclaimed book by Patrick Ness and starring Britain’s Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything), newcomer Lewis MacDougall, and Liam Neeson (Schindler’s List) as the voice of the monster. This is a visually spectacular film about a young boy who delves into a world of fantasy, imagination and monsters to deal with the reality of his mother’s terminal illness.