In the first of our 2024 LFF double header on the main feed, Neil and Dario are joined by one of the two correspondents joining us for this year's coverage, Ben Goff. The focus of the episode are deep dives into key films for Neil, Dario and Ben from their early and pre-festival viewing, on the digital platform and at press and industry screenings on the ground in London, at BFI Southbank and Picturehouse Central. Each of the cinematologists take two films each to pore over, with Dario discussing Mati Diop's Dahomey and Athina Rachel Tsangari's Harvest, Ben delving into La Cocina directed by Alonso Ruizpalacios and India Donaldson's Good One. Finally, Neil goes long on Soundtrack to a Coup D'Êtat (dir. Johan Grimonprez) and short on Sofa So Good (dir. Thiele Brothers). Elsewhere there is discussion of approaches to festival viewing and a quick overview of Neil and Dario's response to Radu Jude's latest experimental pastiche/provocation/essay Eight Postcards from Utopia (co-dir. Christian Ferencz-Flatz), with some valuable insight from Dario's Romanian partner Bea.  The Cinematologists is providing consistent, detailed coverage of this year's LFF over on its Patreon. For more information and to support the show, please visit https://www.patreon.com/cinematologists. --- We are expanding our output so if you enjoy the show and find value in the work, any support you can give would be very much appreciated. You can become a member for the same price as a coffee a month. We also really appreciate any reviews you might write (please send us what you have written and we’ll mention it), and sharing on Social Media is the lifeblood of the podcast so please do that if you enjoy the show. --- Music Credits: ‘Theme from The Cinematologists’ Written and produced by Gwenno Saunders. Mixed by Rhys Edwards. Drums, bass & guitar by Rhys Edwards. All synths by Gwenno Saunders. Published by Downtown Music Publishing.