LFS is recognised as a World-Leading Specialist Provider by the Office for Students[2] and in recent years it has been named one of the top international film schools by Variety[3] and The Hollywood Reporter.

The origin of the LFS was a short film training course taught by Gilmore Roberts at the Heatherley School of Fine Art in Chelsea.

After struggling to find suitable premises, the first filmmaking course finally started in April 1957, based in a rather modest locale above a grocer's shop in Electric Avenue, Brixton.

Under the leadership of a new principal, Robert Dunbar, the course was expanded to 33 weeks and later two years, forming the basic structure for a curriculum that is still largely in place today.

In 1969 it changed name to London Film School, to avoid being regarded as an institution that only offered narrow technical training.

Notable alumni from the 1960s include directors such as Mike Leigh, Michael Mann, Don Boyd, and Les Blair, cinematographers such as Tak Fujimoto and Roger Pratt, as well as producers like Iain Smith.

Manny Wynn was appointed principal of the re-established LIFS until his sudden death six months later, when he was succeeded by John Fletcher.

Ten years later, in 1996, the 40th anniversary of the school was celebrated with events and screening of graduates’ work in London, Los Angeles and Mexico City.

The main London Film School building in Shelton Street was previously a brewery and a banana warehouse.

London Film School is planning to relocate to new facilities nearby in Covent Garden over the course of the 2023/24 academic year.

Over the two-year course, all students are provided with a full education in all the craft areas of filmmaking: directing, producing, editing, cinematography, sound, production design, and writing.

The one-year MA Screenwriting programme is centred on the development of a full-length feature script, with individual monitoring and guidance from industry mentors.

The MA International Film Business programme, run in conjunction with the University of Exeter, prepares students for careers in programming, exhibition and distribution.

Over the one-year course, students participate in modules in international finance, world cinema and a trip to the Berlin Film Festival.