Unmissable highlights from the upcoming East End Film Festival include its opening, closing and centrepiece galas, for its biggest, glitziest screenings.

Championing the most exciting, distinctive new films from first and second time directors, East End Film Festival has become a stand-out time of the year for London’s cultural calendar, with these galas offering the perfect opportunity to celebrate the vibrant talent and diversity prospering in the industry.

For 2016, East End Film Festival have chosen Alleycats as their opening gala film, showing at Genesis cinema on Thursday 23rd June.

London-based filmmaker Ian Bonhôte makes a rip-roaring debut feature with a thriller that romps through the streets of London from the seat of a bicycle. When bike courier Chris witnesses what looks like a murder, his first instinct is to cut and run. But when his curiosity draws him back in, he’s soon embroiled in a world of corruption, political power, and illegal bike racing. His sister Danni has to take on the role of the hero, and go up against the entire establishment. Featuring a fantastic turn by John Hannah (Four Weddings & A Funeral, Sliding Doors, The Mummy) as a shady MP, Alleycats a riotously entertaining, tense gauntlet ride through the streets of London (and East London), featuring a flock of rising British talent, all of them on wheels. The screening will include a Q&A plus after party to celebrate the launch of the festival.

Then on Wednesday 29th June, South African production Shepherds and Butchers gets its London premiere at Hackney Picturehouse, followed by a Q&A.

When a traumatised death row guard is arrested for a violent murder, no one in 1987 South Africa will take his case. That is until maverick lawyer John Weber (Steve Coogan) steps forward, in doing so challenging the very system that allows prisoners to be executed for their crimes, and directly leading to a change to the law in the dying days of Apartheid. Featuring phenomenal turns from Coogan and Andrea Riseborough, Oliver Schmitz’s film is inspired by true events, which questions how a society can ever expect people to act as both shepherds and butchers, and for there not to be awful consequences, while also pointing to a better, more hopeful future.

Finally, the festival closes with Gary Numan: Android in La La Land, on Sunday 3rd July at Genesis, also with a Q&A and after party following the screening.

Steve Read and Rob Alexander’s British production tells the story of a man who has gone from global fame to the brink and back again. Android In La La Land follows the artist behind bonafide smash hits Cars and Are ‘Friends’ Electric? as he returns to the world stage, and moves to California.

An electronic music pioneer famous for his standoffish demeanour, sharp threads and eyeliner, Numan’s journey into the musical wilderness, long undiagnosed Asperger’s, marriage to his biggest fan, and triumphant return is the stuff great movies are made of. A human story with killer songs, Android in La La Land is a film for would-be Numanoids everywhere.