Florence Pugh Sparkles in a Lavender Corset Gown at the ‘In the Shadows’ Premiere and Makes Her Red Carpet Debut With Finn Cole

The BFI London Film Festival has always been a place where British talent steps into the spotlight. This year marks its 70th edition, running from October 7 to October 18 with 251 titles from 88 countries. The programme includes 33 world premieres, and 43% of its works were made by female filmmakers.

Among those world premieres is ‘In the Shadows’, a British boxing biopic directed by Anthony Wonke. The film is inspired by Ramla Ali, Britain’s first female Muslim boxing champion. Jasmine Jobson plays Ali, while Finn Cole plays her husband, Richard.

Florence Pugh attends the ‘IN THE SHADOWS’ premiere during the 70th BFI London Film Festival. https://t.co/nPsVhIx7TD

— Cinethology (@thecinethology) October 9, 2026

The film’s premiere at Vue West End on Friday, October 9 drew one of the evening’s biggest crowds, and it also gave fans a first. Florence Pugh arrived on the red carpet with Cole, marking the couple’s red carpet debut. Both are 30, and the appearance gave a rare public glimpse of a relationship they had kept relatively private.

Pugh isn’t in the film, so she was there as a supporter, and her look still drew most of the attention. She wore a lavender-and-silver corseted gown from Wiederhoeft’s Spring 2027 collection, styled by Rebecca Corbin-Murray. The pale, structured bodice had a sweetheart neckline and a bedazzled bust, with delicate halter straps, and it flowed into a shimmering metallic skirt.

oh florence pugh looks SO GOOD https://t.co/REiYBwEfhV

— Best of Florence Pugh (@bestofpugh) October 9, 2026

She kept her accessories minimal and let the dress take center stage. A silver statement necklace and matching earrings sparkled against the corset, and black nail polish added a modern edge. Her hair was swept up from her face with soft waves falling around her shoulders, set against the festival’s bright pink backdrop.

Cole kept things classic in a suit and tie. The couple’s coordinated polish suited the occasion, and their first red carpet together was a natural fit for a premiere celebrating his work.

Florence Pugh and Finn Cole at the ‘IN THE SHADOWS’ screening during the 70th BFI London Film Festival. 📷 https://t.co/q8tg8LsLjD

— Film Crave (@_filmcrave) October 9, 2026

Pugh first revealed she was dating someone in an interview with British Vogue in October 2024. Since then, she has spoken warmly about the relationship but has generally kept it out of the spotlight. The pair were spotted enjoying a day out in New York City just last week, and the London premiere marked their first official public appearance as a couple.

The appearance also gave the occasion a personal note. For Cole, it was a chance to celebrate a project built around a real-life athlete’s journey. For Pugh, it was an opportunity to show her support in a very public way.

Florence Pugh is serving looks at the screening of "In The Shadows" in London. 😍 📹: Getty https://t.co/4ynijdf9EM

— Page Six (@PageSix) October 10, 2026

Pugh also has a long history with the festival. Her film debut, ‘The Falling’, premiered at the BFI London Film Festival on October 11, 2014. That year, she was nominated for Best British Newcomer at the festival.

She went on to earn praise for the independent drama ‘Lady Macbeth’ and the miniseries ‘The Little Drummer Girl’. In 2019, she starred in three major films and gained international recognition. Returning to the festival as a guest more than a decade after her debut brings her career full circle.

‘In the Shadows’ follows the true story of Ali, who became Britain’s first female Muslim boxing champion. Jobson stars as Ali, and Cole plays her Muslim-convert husband. The world premiere was among the festival’s most notable films, which also include the opening-night film ‘Elsinore’ and the closing-night film ‘The Debut’.

For audiences, it is the kind of story that benefits from a festival launch. For the cast and their guests, the premiere offered a moment to celebrate before the wider release.

As the festival continues through October 18, plenty of other premieres are still to come. Pugh’s lavender-and-silver gown has already become one of its most talked-about looks, and fans are keen to see if the couple will make more public appearances together.

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