The British film industry produced over five hundred feature films in 2012. This article fully lists all non-pornographic films, including short films, that had a release date in that year and which were at least partly made by the United Kingdom. It does not include films first released in previous years that had release dates in 2012. Also included is an overview of the major events in British film, including film festivals and awards ceremonies, as well as lists of those films that have been particularly well received, both critically and financially. The year was particularly notable for a number of British co-produced films from countries with less established film industries, such as Captive (with the Philippines), Mekong Hotel (with Thailand), Comrade Kim Goes Flying (with North Korea) and The Patience Stone (with Afghanistan).
Major releases
January – March
Opening Title Cast and Crew Details Genre(s)J A N U A R Y 13Contraband Director: Baltasar Kormákur Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Kate Beckinsale, Ben Foster, Giovanni Ribisi Universal Pictures Based on Reykjavík-Rotterdam by Arnaldur Indriðason and Óskar Jónasson Action Crime Thriller 19Searching for Sugar Man Director: Malik Bendjelloul Cast: Sixto Rodriguez Studio Canal Based on the life of Sixto Rodriguez Documentary Musical 22My Brother the Devil Director: Sally El Hosaini Cast: James Floyd, Fady Elsayed, Saïd Taghmaoui Drama 23Grabbers Director: Jon Wright Cast: Richard Coyle, Ruth Bradley, Russell Tovey Sony Pictures, Element Pictures Comedy Science fiction HorrorThe Imposter Director: Bart Layton Picturehouse Entertainment Based on the life of Frédéric Bourdin Documentary Historical 24Shadow Dancer Director: James Marsh Cast: Clive Owen, Andrea Riseborough, Gillian Anderson Paramount Pictures Based on Shadow Dancer by Tom Bradby Drama 27Mercenaries Director: Paris Leonti Cast: Billy Zane, Robert Fucilla, Rob James-Collier Kaleidoscope Action Adventure War 31When the Lights Went Out Director: Pat Holden Cast: Kate Ashfield, Tasha Connor, Steven Waddington, Craig Parkinson, Martin Compston Revolver Entertainment HorrorF E B R U A R Y 3Best Laid Plans Director: David Blair Cast: Stephen Graham, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Maxine Peake, Emma Stansfield, David O'Hara, Ryan Barr, Stuart Wolfenden, Sarah Parks, Peter Wight, Lee Ingleby Moli Up North Productions Limited Based on Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck DramaBig Miracle Director: Ken Kwapis Cast: Drew Barrymore, John Krasinski, Kristen Bell, Dermot Mulroney, Tim Blake Nelson, Vinessa Shaw, Ted Danson Universal Pictures Based on Freeing the Whales by Tom Rose Drama FamilyThe Woman in Black Director: James Watkins Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciarán Hinds, Janet McTeer Momentum Pictures Based on The Woman in Black by Susan Hill Horror 11The Vow Director: Michael Sucsy Cast: Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum Screen Gems Romance Drama 12Captive Director: Brillante Mendoza Cast: Isabelle Huppert Star Cinema, Équation Distribution Based on the Dos Palmas kidnappings DramaComes a Bright Day Director: Simon Aboud Cast: Craig Roberts, Imogen Poots, Timothy Spall, Kevin McKidd IpsoFacto Films, Matador Pictures, Cinema Six, Regent Capitol, Smudge Films RomanceI, Anna Director: Barnaby Southcombe Cast: Charlotte Rampling, Gabriel Byrne Artificial Eye Based on I, Anna by Elsa Lewin ThrillerMarley Director: Kevin Macdonald Cast: Bob Marley Magnolia Pictures Based on the life of Bob Marley Documentary Biography 17Bel Ami Directors: Declan Donnellan, Nick Ormerod Cast: Robert Pattinson, Uma Thurman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Christina Ricci, Colm Meaney, Anthony Higgins Optimum Releasing Based on Bel Ami by Guy de Maupassant DramaThe Happy Lands Directors: Peter Cox, Robert Rae Cast: Kevin Clarke, Joki Wallace, Aaron Jones Historical 27I Am Nasrine Director: Tina Gharavi Cast: Micsha Sadeghi, Shiraz Haq, Christian Coulson Independent DramaM A R C H 9Cleanskin Director: Hadi Hajaig Cast: Sean Bean, Abhin Galeya, Charlotte Rampling, James Fox, Tuppence Middleton Warner Bros., Entertainment One ThrillerEveryday Director: Michael Winterbottom Cast: John Simm, Shirley Henderson Channel 4 DramaHard Boiled Sweets Director: David LG Hughes Cast: Adrian Bower, Philip Barantini, Elizabeth Berrington Crime DramaPayback Season Director: Danny Donnelly Cast: Adam Deacon, Nichola Burley, David Ajala, Leo Gregory, Anna Popplewell, Geoff Hurst Revolver Entertainment DramaTrishna Director: Michael Winterbottom Cast: Freida Pinto, Riz Ahmed Artificial Eye Based on Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy Drama 11Sinister Director: Scott Derrickson Cast: Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, Fred Thompson, James Ransone, Clare Foley, Michael Hall, D'Addario Momentum Pictures Horror 12Booked Out Director: Bryan O'Neil Cast: Mirren Burke, Rollo Weeks, Sylvia Syms, Claire Garvey Comedy Drama 28The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! Director: Peter Lord Cast: Hugh Grant, Salma Hayek, David Tennant, Ben Whitehead Columbia Pictures Based on The Pirates! in an Adventure with Scientists by Gideon Defoe Comedy Adventure Crime 29Good Vibrations Directors: Lisa Barros D'Sa, Glenn Leyburn Cast: Richard Dormer, Jodie Whittaker, Michael Colgan, Adrian Dunbar, Liam Cunningham, Dylan Moran, Karl Johnson The Works Drama 30StreetDance 2 Directors: Max Giwa, Dania Pasquini Cast: Sofia Boutella, Falk Hentschel, Flawless, George Sampson Vertigo Films Sequel to StreetDance 3D (2010) Dance Drama
April – June