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The ScreenUK Industry Podcast

ScreenUK Industry

Talks and topical discussions with filmmakers and key industry professionals — recorded at festivals around the world.

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#358
May 21 · 53 min
Film in Focus: I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning
From the director of The Arbor, The Selfish Giant, Dark River and Ali & Ava comes a new poignant work, a story of friendship and community, delving into the challenges of both leaving and remaining in the town where you grew up. Join us to discover the story and the creative process behind Clio Barnard’s I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning, with the director’s long-time producer Tracy O’Riordan, the writer of the acclaimed novel Keiran Goddard, and Olivier Award-winning actor Anthony Boyle (House of Guinness, Manhunt, Danny Boy). The film is supported by BBC FILM and the BFI. Speakers: ANTHONY BOYLE | Actor (Patrick) I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning KEIRAN GODDARD | Novelist I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning TRACEY O'RIORDAN | Producer I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning Moderator: WENDY MITCHELL | Journalist and Film Festival Programmer About the speakers: ANTHONY BOYLE Anthony is an Olivier Award-winning, Tony-nominated Northern Irish actor who trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. He first came to prominence in HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD, playing the role of Scorpius Malfoy in the West End and on Broadway. Anthony most recently wrapped on Steven Knight's HOUSE OF GUINNESS for Netflix. Prior to this he was seen starring in the Apple TV+ limited series MANHUNT, playing John Wilkes Booth opposite Tobias Menzies, as well as starring in MASTERS OF THE AIR for Apple TV+, alongside Callum Turner and Austin Butler. Other credits include HBO's limited series THE PLOT AGAINST AMERICA, the feature film TETRIS and DANNY BOY for BBC, for which he received rave reviews. Up next, Anthony is currently filming the leading role of Sam Bankman-Fried in the Netflix series THE ALTRUISTS, starring alongside Julia Garner. KEIRAN GODDARD Keiran Goddard is an internationally published novelist, poet and social theorist. His first collection was shortlisted for the William Blake prize and the Melita Hulme Prize, his debut novel HOURGLASS was listed for the Desmond Elliott prize and his second novel I SEE BUILDINGS FALL LIKE LIGHTNING was published to widespread acclaim and nominated for the Gordon Burn Prize. His third novel FILL THE WORLD will be published in late 2026. He also writes regularly as a critic for The Guardian and The Observer. TRACEY O'RIORDAN I SEE BUILDINGS FALL LIKE LIGHTNING is Tracy’s fifth film with Clio Barnard. Tracy was co-producer on Joshua Oppenheimer’s post-apocalyptic musical THE END (2023), starring Michael Shannon, Tilda Swinton and George MacKay. Prior to this she produced the TV series ALICE & JACK (2022), for Me+You Productions and Groundswell Films, written by Victor Levin, directed by Juho Kuosmanen and Hong Khaou, starring Andrea Riseborough and Domhnall Gleeson. Twice BAFTA-nominated ALI & AVA, stars Claire Rushbrook and Adeel Akhtar, and was released in March 2022. DREAM HORSE (2019) written by Neil McKay, directed by Euros Lyn, starring Owen Teale, Toni Collette and Damian Lewis, premiered at Sundance, and won two Welsh BAFTAs in 2022. MONSOON (2018), directed by Hong Khaou (LILTING), stars Henry Golding and Parker Sawyers. DARK RIVER (2017) was Tracy’s third film with Clio Barnard starring Ruth Wilson, Mark Stanley and Sean Bean. THE SELFISH GIANT (2012), selected for The Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes, was nominated for an Outstanding British Film BAFTA Award. The much lauded THE ARBOR (2010), her first project with Clio Barnard, won several international awards and was nominated for an Outstanding Debut BAFTA Award. WENDY MITCHELL Wendy Mitchell is a journalist, curator and moderator. She is a Contributing Editor at Screen International and hosts the weekly Screen Podcast. She also serves as the Nordic and UK delegate for the San Sebastian International Film Festival and curates their Creative Investors Conference, as well as consulting for Cannes Marche and Berlinale's European Film Market. Produced and hosted by Lawrence Francis / www.premiercomms.com
#357
May 21 · 1 hr 2 min
Cutting Through the Noise: Marketing and PR Strategies for Film
In the competition for attention, films can struggle to stand out without a strong marketing, PR or social media campaign. Our international panel of speakers reveal the lessons learnt from years of work around festival campaigns, national releases, and global markets. From the role of influencers to social media platforms and press junkets, find out how to cut through the noise. Speakers: MATHIAS NOSCHIS | Head of Strategy Alphapanda JONATHAN RUTTER | Executive Director Premier PR KARINA GECHTMAN | International Marketing & Publicity Consultant Moderator: ANNA HIGGS | Managing Director Character 7 About the speakers: MATHIAS NOSCHIS Mathias Noschis is a film marketing strategist specialised in social media. He is the founder of Alphapanda, a film marketing agency with team members in Berlin, Warsaw and Milan. Alphapanda’s client list includes The Match Factory, Bankside Pictures, Warner Bros, the European Film Market and several independent producers, distributors and sales agents. Alphapanda’s recent projects include Yellow Letters (Berlinale ’26 Golden Bear), Father Mother Sister Brother (Venice ’25 Golden Lion), Smoke Sauna Sisterhood (Sundance ’23) and The Quiet Girl (Berlinale ’21). Mathias is also a speaker and tutor for organisations such as ACE Producers, EAVE and Locarno Industry Academy. JONATHAN RUTTER Jonathan Rutter is Executive Director at Premier, the UK’s leading entertainment publicity agency. He began his career as a film publicist in 1985 and between 1993 and 2006 ran the successful agency McDonald & Rutter with partner Charles McDonald. His work covers film productions, festivals, international campaigns and UK distribution, and he has handled films by most of the world’s leading film-makers including multiple titles with Robert Altman, David Lynch, Mike Leigh, Jane Campion, Pedro Almodóvar, Gus Van Sant, Todd Haynes, Anthony Minghella, Danny Boyle, Whit Stillman, the Coen Brothers, Wes Anderson and Yorgos Lanthimos. KARINA GECHTMAN Karina is an international film marketing and publicity consultant with over 20 years’ experience across production, sales and distribution for independent film and documentary. She partners with filmmakers to shape positioning and lead global marketing strategies from early development through production, festival launch, and worldwide release, working across both B2B and B2C campaigns. Previously VP of International Marketing and Publicity at Anton, she has also held senior roles at Altitude, Secret Cinema, Paramount Pictures, and Disney. Karina has collaborated with leading filmmakers including Asif Kapadia, Lynne Ramsay, David Mackenzie, Sarah Gavron, Clio Barnard and Kevin Macdonald. ANNA HIGGS Anna Higgs is Managing Director of production company Character 7, whose recent work includes heist Culprits and psychological thriller The Undoing. A second season of The Night Manager, in partnership with Ink Factory, premiered on BBC and Amazon in January 2026. A multi-award-winning producer, columnist and host, Higgs Executive Produced Channel 4 mini-series Beth, from writer-director Uzo Oleh, and is Producer on Hassan Akkad's debut feature film, following his successful short film Matar. Visionary work she has supported includes Sundance-winning Nick Cave film 20,000 Days on Earth, BAFTA-winning The End of the F*cking World and Oscar winner Lenny Abrahamson’s Frank. Production: Lawrence Francis / www.premiercomms.com
#354
May 20 · 59 min
Co-producing With the UK: Experiences and Best Practices
A panel of international producers, from The Netherlands, Greece, and Mexico, discuss their experience co-producing with the UK: models of business collaboration; distribution of roles and responsibilities between partners; creative challenges and opportunities; access to funds, and more. Their combined experience covers such titles as Triangle of Sadness; Swimming Home; Leonora in the Morning Light; How To Have Sex, and many more. Speakers: KONSTANTINOS KONTOVRAKIS | Producer Kinestet LEONTINE PETIT | Founder, CEO & Producer Lemming Film JULIO CHAVEZMONTES | Founder and CEO Piano Moderator: ROWAN WOODS | Curator and Senior Film & TV Executive About the speakers: KONSTANTINOS KONTOVRAKIS Konstantinos Kontovrakis has produced and coproduced more than 25 internationally acclaimed films, including Un Certan Regard winner How to Have Sex by Molly Manning Walker and Palme d’Or winner and Oscar nominated Triangle of Sadness by Ruben Östlund. Kontovrakis received the ‘European Co-production Award’ at the European Film Awards, in 2018. His latest film, the Greek debut The Last Call directed by Sherif Francis and produced by Tanweer Productions, is the highest grossing title in the Greek B.O, for ’26 and he is currently in post-production of Sara Driver’s long-awaited feature fiction An Odd Enchantment. LEONTINE PETIT Leontine Petit is founder, CEO and producer of Lemming Film. She holds an MA in Philosophy and is an alumnus of EAVE, ACE, and Inside Pictures. A passionate advocate for independent cinema, she serves as Deputy Chair of the European Film Academy board and is a member of 'The Creatives'. In 2016, she received the European Co-production Award – Prix Eurimages. From offices in Amsterdam and Ghent, she has co-produced 75 films and 24 drama series since 1995. Her award-winning work, produced across Europe, Asia, and South America, continues to connect with audiences worldwide. JULIO CHAVEZMONTES Julio Chavezmontes is a renowned Mexican producer and screenwriter, winner of the Special Jury Prize for Screenwriting at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival for Time Share. Since co-founding Piano in 2011, his productions have screened in major film festivals across the world including Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance and Toronto, receiving over 100 awards and nominations. Notable works include Nuestra Tierra (2025), Triangle of Sadness (2022), Annette (2021), and Memoria (2021). Chavezmontes has been profiled by prestigious outlets such as Variety, Forbes, GQ, and in 2021, he was selected as one of the 50 Most Influential People in Mexico by Quien Magazine. ROWAN WOODS Rowan is a curator and senior film and TV executive with extensive experience across festival programming, development, commissioning, acquisitions and distribution. She has previously worked for BBC Film, BFI Distribution, Shudder, British Council, BFI London Film Festival. She currently works for Berlinale and Toronto International Film Festival and was most recently the Creative Director at the Edinburgh TV Festival. Produced by Lawrence Francis / www.premiercomms.com
#356
May 19 · 54 min
Film in Focus: The End of It
In a near-future world, death has become optional, but at age 250, Claire has decided it is time to die – a decision that brings about unexpected challenges. Featuring a stellar cast (Rebecca Hall, Gael García Bernal, Noomi Rapace), Maria Martínez Bayona’s first feature film brings together producers from the UK, Spain and Norway. Join us for a conversation with the film’s co-producers Emilie Jouffroy, Kamilla Kristiane Hodøl, and Dyveke Bjørkly Graver, to discover the world of The End of It. The film is supported by BBC Film and the UK Global Screen Fund. Speakers: DYVEKE BJØRKLY GRAVER | Producer/Partner Eye Eye Pictures KAMILLA KRISTIANE HODØL | Co-Managing Director Elation Pictures EMILIE JOUFFROY | Co-Managing Director Elation Pictures Moderator: DENITSA YORDANOVA | Director of UK Global Screen Fund and International Funds BFI About the speakers: DYVEKE BJØRKLY GRAVER Dyveke Bjørkly Graver graduated from BI Norwegian Business School, and Lillehammer University College. She started working as a producer in 2014, when she also participated in the Eave Producer's Workshop. In May 2017, she moved from Cinenord to Oslo Pictures where she also became managing director. As of 2018 she became a part of the ACE Network, and in 2019 she was the Norwegian Producer on the move. In 2022 she started Eye Eye Pictures, together with producing partner, Andrea Berentsen Ottmar. Some of her titles include THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD (2021) by Joachim Trier, which received 2 Oscar nominations and 2 BAFTA nominations, SICK OF MYSELF (2022) by Kristoffer Borgli which premiered in Un Certain Regard at Cannes, A PRAYER FOR THE DYING by Dara van Dusen which premiered at the Berlinale in 2026, with upcoming titles THE END OF IT by Maria Martinez Bayona in Cannes Premiere (as co-producer) and FJORD by Cristian Mungiu in Cannes Competition this year. KAMILLA KRISTIANE HODØL Hailing from Norway, Kamilla is a BAFTA-nominated producer and the co-founder of Elation Pictures, alongside partner Emilie Jouffroy. Named in Screen's Brit 50: Ones to Watch 2025, Elation launched Elation Pictures AS, a Norwegian subsidiary, to strengthen cross-border creative partnerships. The company focuses on ambitious, director-driven storytelling. Their slate includes THE END OF IT, starring Rebecca Hall, World Premiering in Official Selection at Cannes, and the upcoming FOXFINDER (dir. Aoife McArdle SEVERANCE). Past titles include THE DAMNED (2024) and TIDES (2017). Kamilla is an alumna of ACE, iFeatures, Nordic Genre Boost and Guiding Lights and a graduate of the NFTS. EMILIE JOUFFROY Emilie is a BAFTA-winning producer and co-founder of Elation Pictures alongside partner Kamilla Kristiane Hodøl. Named in Screen's Brit 50: Ones to Watch 2025, Elation launched Elation Pictures AS, a Norwegian subsidiary, to strengthen cross-border creative partnerships. The company focuses on ambitious, director-driven storytelling. Their slate includes THE END OF IT, starring Rebecca Hall, World Premiering in Official Selection at Cannes, and the upcoming FOXFINDER (dir. Aoife McArdle SEVERANCE). Past titles include THE DAMNED (2024) and TIDES (2017). A graduate of the NFTS, Emilie is also an alumna of EAVE Producer’s Workshop, Guiding Lights, and Nordic Genre Boost. DENITSA YORDANOVA Denitsa Yordanova is the Director of UK Global Screen Fund and International Funds at the British Film Institute (BFI), overseeing UK Global Screen Fund and BFI’s international funding activities, including support for delegations and UK presence at international events. The UK Global Screen Fund was launched in 2021 to support international development, co-production and distribution opportunities for the UK’s independent screen sector. Financed by UK government, the fund has recently been expanded to over £18m per year for 2026-29, up from £7m per year previously. To date, the UK Global Screen Fund has invested over £25m into UK screen sector companies and projects, including close to £11m on 68 co-productions collaborating with 35 territories. Co-productions such as GOOD BOY, ORPHAN, SAIPAN, THE END, BRING THEM DOWN, SEPTEMBER SAYS and BLUE ROAD - THE EDNA O'BRIEN STORY, have premiered at festivals such as Berlin, Telluride, Toronto, Sundance and Cannes. Produced by Lawrence Francis / www.premiercomms.com
#355
May 18 · 58 min
Adaptations. Artistic Choices and Distribution Strategies in Cross-Media Stories
Stories increasingly travel across media: from book to screen, game to television, theatre to cinema. In some cases, stories are born in one medium and adapted into another; in others, worlds are created with a transmedia approach from the get-go. This episode will explore different models of collaboration, both from a business and a creative perspective, and address the promotional and distribution strategies of cross-media stories. Speakers: JOHN GIWA-AMU | Founder & Producer Good Gate Media CHELSEA MORGAN HOFFMANN | Producer Element Pictures CARTHEW NEAL | Producer Piki Films Moderator: NADIA M. OLIVA | Film & Culture Programmer About the speakers: JOHN GIWA-AMU John Giwa-Amu is Founder & Producer of the award-winning Cardiff-based film, HETV & gaming studio Good Gate Media. His films have won awards at BAFTA Cymru, BIFA, Berlin, Toronto, Tribeca & Sundance. GGM projects include The Man in My Basement with Disney, which premiered at TIFF, & held the number one streaming spot on Hulu; BAFTA-nominated H is for Hawk with Plan B and Lionsgate released at Telluride; and Lady a BFI/Film4-backed thriller feature which premiered at Sundance winning the Special Jury Award for Acting Ensemble. GGM is currently in development with major studio partners on multiple projects across film, television and games. CHELSEA MORGAN HOFFMANN Chelsea Morgan Hoffmann is a producer at Element Pictures where she has an extensive slate across both Film and TV. Recent projects include THE LISTENERS, a four-part series for the BBC, adapted by the author, Jordan Tannahill and directed by Janicza Bravo, starring Rebecca Hall, and SEPTEMBER SAYS, the feature debut of director Ariane Labed, based on the Daisy Johnson novel SISTERS which premiered in Un Certain Regard in Cannes 2024. Upcoming productions include the feature THE LOST CHILDREN OF TUAM, directed by Frank Berry, written by Rebecca Lenkiwicz, and starring Monica Dolan, and THE RACHEL INCIDENT with PageBoy and Universal Picture Group for Channel4, based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Caroline O'Donoghue. CARTHEW NEAL Carthew Neal is an Academy nominated producer, who formed Piki Films with Taika Waititi, & also produces through Fumes. Carthew produced Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit & Hunt For the Wilderpeople, Jackie Van Beek & Madeleine Sami’s The Breaker Upperers. He is executive producer on Rachel House’s The Mountain, Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu’s We Were Dangerous, Damon Fepulea’i’s Red, White & Brass, Tanu Gago’s Picking Crew, & Curtis Vowell's Baby Done. He also produced David Farrier’s Tickled, & TV series Dark Tourist, Jessica Hansell’s Aroha Bridge, Sami’s Super City, Thomas Sainsbury’s Small Town Scandal, Angella Dravid’s Age/Sex /Location, & conceived & produced Wa$ted. NADIA M. OLIVA Nadia Maria Oliva is a film + series programmer, writer and interviewer with a passion for amplifying bold voices in international cinema and lessening barriers to access in the industry. Nadia leads curation for the UK + Ireland at MUBI, having previously developed public-, industry- and talent-facing programming at the Tate, Netflix, BAFTA, the BFI and Film London. Prior to her decade-long run in London, Nadia’s film journey began in her hometown of Toronto, Canada where she spent many years on the year-round programming team at the Toronto International Film Festival. Produced by Lawrence Francis / www.premiercomms.com
#353
May 16 · 59 min
First Features: Launching New Talent, Finding New Voices
Working with new filmmaking talent is both an exciting adventure and a challenge. What kind of financing and production considerations do film funds need to make? How do distributors and sales agents position first films in the market? And how do festivals spotlight a debut, when hardly anyone knows the name of the director? Join us for a captivating conversation around launching new film talent in the international market. Speakers: MIA BAYS | Director BFI National Lottery Filmmaking Fund MALAIKA BOVA | First Feature Competition Curator Talinn Black Nights VIRGINIE DEVESA | Co-ceo, Sales & Acquisitions Alpha Violet Moderator: CARMEN THOMPSON | Film Programmer and Head of Distribution & Special Projects We Are Parable About the speakers: MIA BAYS Mia Bays is an Oscar-winning, BAFTA nominated film producer, executive producer, strategist and equality agitator with 35 years’ experience across the independent film sector on over 450 feature films. She produced Martin McDonagh’s Oscar-winning Six Shooter and earned two BAFTA nominations including Best Debut for Scott Walker: 30 Century Man, executive produced by David Bowie. Since October 2021, she has led the BFI National Lottery Filmmaking Fund, the UK’s largest public film fund. She launched a new £54m strategy in 2023 covering development and production across shorts, features, documentary and immersive work. Recent releases and prizes have been for Harry Lighton’s multi-BAFTA-nominated Pillion (over £1million at the UK box office following its Cannes Film Festival premiere and prize) and a BAFTA for Best Debut for My Father’s Shadow. MALAIKA BOVA Malaika Bova is a curator dedicated to championing emerging filmmakers. Currently the First Feature Competition Curator at Tallinn Black Nights and a programmer for Docs Barcelona, she specializes in elevating debut talent. As Artistic Director of Raindance, Malaika reshaped the festival into a dedicated platform for first-time directors; at Tallinn, she leverages a larger, more structured environment to provide these voices with the infrastructure to launch their careers. Her professional path also includes producing “From Venice to London” with La Biennale di Venezia, curating the Italian Doc Season at Bertha DocHouse, and producing the Austrian Film Festival in London. VIRGINIE DEVESA Virginie Devesa studied for two years in the United States at University of Washington and earned a master’s degree in corporate communications from University of Lyon III. After working as a sales manager, she founded Alpha Violet in 2012 together with Keiko Funato. The company focuses on bold, audacious films, particularly those directed by women, and its catalogue includes over 80 award-winning international features and documentaries. CARMEN THOMPSON Carmen Thompson is a film programmer, distributor and cultural producer based in Scotland. She works freelance and consultants across programming, audiences, festivals, training and development, funding and distribution, both in the UK and internationally, with a particular focus on cinema from the African continent and the diaspora.Carmen currently works as Head Distribution & Special Projects for multi-award winning film exhibition & distribution company We Are Parable where she leads on nationwide and international projects, including the releases of Banel & Adama (Ramata-Toulaye Sy, 2023) and Dreamers (Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor, 2025) in the UK and Ireland, is an International Features Programmer for Hot Docs Festival and is one third of the newly-formed Jali Collective in Scotland. A 2024 Screen International Future Leader, Carmen is deputy chair of the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) and is a BAFTA and European Film Academy voter. Produced by Lawrence Francis / www.premiercomms.com
#352
May 16 · 1 hr 2 min
The Theatrical Window: Tools and Strategies for Audience Development
From technology-led tools enhancing accessibility to data-driven strategies to increase attendance: join us to discover how exhibitors, distributors and entrepreneurs are exploring new ways to engage audiences and increase cinema attendance. Speakers: MADDY PROBST | Head of Film Watershed SENEIT DEBESE | Founder and Managing Director Greta & Starks Apps GmbH THIERRY DELPIT | Co-founder and President Cinesociety Moderator: VICKI BROWN | Senior Executive, Sales and Distribution BFI About the speakers: MADDY PROBST Maddy Probst is a producer of film events, talent and people with extensive experience of advocating for the cinema sector regionally, nationally and internationally. As Head of Film at Watershed, she manages the cinema team, leads on major programmes such as Cinema Rediscovered Festival; and oversees Film Hub South West which supports regional exhibitors as part of the UK wide BFI FAN and filmmaking talent through BFI NETWORK. She has been actively involved in Europa Cinemas for over a decade leading on various audience development labs, as Vice President (2014 - 2020) and continues to be involved as a board member. SENEIT DEBESE After studying business administration and working for 15 years as a film distributor, she decided to use her passion and expertise to promote accessibility in cinemas for 1.6 billion people worldwide with sensory impairments, older people and non-native speakers. She launched the GRETA app in 2014, achieving an outstanding impact. Greta technology is now available in 18 countries, including Brazil, India and France. Her company has won several awards, including the Creative Tech Award and the Deep Tech Award. As a speaker, coach and trainer, her key areas of focus are inner strength, ownership and the power to shape one’s own destiny. THIERRY DELPIT Thierry is a digital engineer and entrepreneur who has been a key figure in cinema technology since 2002. As the co-founder of CNfilms, he led the development of CINEGO DISTRI and CINEGO STOCK—industry-standard tools for film distribution and release management used daily by nearly all French distributors. In 2019, he founded Cinesociety to tackle the industry’s new frontier: specialized digital marketing solutions tailored specifically for the cinema world. VICKI BROWN Vicki Brown is the Senior Sales & Distribution Executive at the BFI. She leads on the International and UK sales and distribution strategy of all the BFI Filmmaking Fund’s funded feature films, working closely with the key stakeholders. Recent titles include Pillion, Kneecap, Sister Midnight and Bird. Prior to joining the BFI, Vicki held positions at Together Films, Altitude Film Sales and Focus Features International. Produced by Lawrence Francis / www.premiercomms.com
#351
May 16 · 1 hr 2 min
Meet the UK Commissioners
BBC Film and Film4, the feature film divisions of the UK public-service broadcasters, have a unique role within the UK film industry. Their films have premiered in prestige festivals and have been rewarded both at home and internationally. Don't miss this conversation about artistic choices, new talent, and changing audiences. Speakers: EVA YATES | Director BBC Film FARHANA BHULA | Director of Film4 Film4 Moderator: WENDY MITCHELL | Journalist and Film Festival Programmer About the speakers: EVA YATES Eva Yates is Director of BBC Film, the filmmaking arm of the BBC. Since taking up the Directorship in 2022 (having previously served for five years as Commissioning Executive), she has commissioned/executive produced over 70 feature films which between them have received 155 BIFA nominations (leading to 31 wins), 29 BAFTA nominations (leading to 3 wins) and 13 Oscar nominations (leading to 1 win). Having grown up in Scotland and graduated from Glasgow University and Falmouth College of Art, Eva started her career at BBC Scotland, moving onto production and development roles at UK Film Council and Revolution Films. FARHANA BHULA Farhana Bhula is Director of Film4, a role she assumed in September 2025 after serving as Head of Creative. Since joining Film4 in January 2022, she has overseen a diverse slate of acclaimed features including How To Have Sex, All of Us Strangers, Rose of Nevada, and H is for Hawk. She also launched Future Takes in partnership with the BFI to support emerging talent. Previously, she was a Senior Development and Production Executive at the BFI, and held roles at Wildgaze Films and Endor Productions, establishing herself as a leading voice in British film. WENDY MITCHELL Wendy Mitchell is a journalist, curator and moderator. She is a Contributing Editor at Screen International and hosts the weekly Screen Podcast. She also serves as the Nordic and UK delegate for the San Sebastian International Film Festival and curates their Creative Investors Conference, as well as consulting for Cannes Marche and Berlinale's European Film Market. Produced by Lawrence Francis / www.premiercomms.com
#350
May 16 · 58 min
Immersive in Focus
Join us in this episode to celebrate the three UK immersive works in competition at Cannes with a conversation with their creative teams. Expect a fascinating discussion about art and technology, AI and storytelling, and creating bridges between different media. With Eloise Singer, director and producer of The Pirate Queen: No Safe Waters; Yamil Rodriguez and Ivan Alejandro Diaz Cardenas, respectively director and agentic director of Gawd v. The People; Leigh Tanner Head of Global Partnerships at VIVE Arts and Pierre-Alain Giraud, director of Playing with Fire. Speakers: YAMIL RODRIGUEZ | Director GAWD v. The People (Nilor Studio) IVAN ALEJANDRO DIAZ CARDENAS | Agentic Director GAWD v. The People (Nilor Studio) ELOISE SINGER | Producer and Director The Pirate Queen: No Safe Waters (Singer Studios) PIERRE-ALAIN GIRAUD | Director Playing with Fire (VIVE Arts) LEIGH TANNER | Head of Global Partnerships VIVE Arts Playing with Fire (VIVE Arts) Moderator: LIZ ROSENTHAL | Curator, Executive Producer, CEO & Founder Power to the Pixel and Venice Immersive About the speakers: YAMIL RODRIGUEZ Yamil Rodriguez is a Puerto Rican American multidisciplinary artist who uses storytelling and AI-driven tools to bring people closer through shared, participatory experiences. Working across immersive cinema, performance, and installation, his practice explores memory, identity, and collective connection. He most recently co-directed tAxI and is currently developing GAWD v. The People. IVAN ALEJANDRO DIAZ CARDENAS Ivan Alejandro Diaz Cardenas works at nilor studio creating immersive experiences. Trained in Experience Design, they began as a fine line tattoo artist and tour guide, learning how attention, emotion, and memory move. After studying Creative Computing at UAL in London, they shifted into AI coding and software engineering to build interactive worlds you can step into. ELOISE SINGER Eloise Singer is an Emmy-nominated, multi-award-winning producer, writer and director, and founder of Singer Studios. Her work spans film, television, podcasts and immersive media, creating bold cinematic worlds from overlooked and untold stories. She is the creator of The Pirate Queen, an award-winning franchise expanding across immersive media, publishing and screen. Her projects include The Pirate Queen (2024), starring Lucy Liu, and Mrs Benz (2025), starring Daisy Ridley. Her latest work, The Pirate Queen: No Safe Waters, premieres at Cannes in 2026. She has also executive produced Rare Beasts, directed by Billie Piper, and The Last Rifleman, starring Pierce Brosnan. PIERRE-ALAIN GIRAUD Pierre-Alain Giraud, French director and producer, co-founder of Novaya, known for his immersive experiences. He won the 2024 Best Immersive Work Award at the Cannes Film Festival Immersive Competition for Colored, co-directed with Stéphane Foenkinos. Giraud has collaborated with artists like Björk and Sigur Rós, and his work spans theatre and film. His projects have been featured at Sundance, Tribeca and BFI London. LEIGH TANNER Leigh Tanner is Head of Global Partnerships at VIVE Arts, a global arts initiative that supports artists and cultural institutions’ experimentation with new technologies. She previously served as the Deputy Director of Yuz Foundation, Shanghai as well as in the Research and Exhibitions Departments of the Shanghai Project, an interdisciplinary ideas platform launched at the Shanghai Himalayas Museum. She also founded Museum 2050, a platform and annual symposium for exploring the future of museums through the lens of China. LIZ ROSENTHAL At the Venice Biennale’s Venice International Film Festival, Liz was instrumental in launching Venice Immersive in 2017- the first and only official competition in an A-list festival for immersive arts. Under her curatorship, Venice Immersive has grown into the world’s most significant annual exhibition of immersive arts and media. Through her company, Power to the Pixel, Liz created the first ever international programmes dedicated to developing, financing and showcasing interactive and then immersive storytelling. Her acclaimed programme The Pixel Lab supported the development of over one hundred projects, while the Cross-Media Forum, run in partnership with the BFI London Film Festival for nine years, pioneered the first international financing market for interactive and immersive projects. Produced by Lawrence Francis / www.premiercomms.com
#349
May 13 · 1 min
Cannes Film Festival 2026 - Series Trailer
Welcome to the ScreenUK Industry podcast, coming to you from the ScreenUK Pavilion at the heart of the Cannes Film Festival 2026. To see details of all of the episodes coming up in this series visit https://www.screenuk.org/industry/festivals-and-events/cannes-2026/ where you can also find out more about everything ScreenUK is doing at Cannes and beyond. Follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/screen-uk-industry Podcast produced and hosted by Lawrence Francis www.linkedin.com/in/l-francis
#348
May 20, 2025 · 57 min
Talent Talk: Pillion
Join us for a discussion with British writer-director Harry Lighton, who made his feature directorial debut with PILLION (Un Certain Regard) at Cannes 2025. Speakers: HARRY LIGHTON | Writer-director PILLION LEE GROOMBRIDGE | Producer PILLION GARETH SCALES | Editor PILLION NICK MORRIS | Director of Photography PILLION Moderator: WENDY MITCHELL | Journalist and film festival consultant Podcast presented and produced for ScreenUK by Lawrence Francis, Premier PR www.premiercomms.com
#347
May 20, 2025 · 1 hr
Talent Talk: Immersive Stories. TRAILBLAZER and tAxI.
Meet the talent behind two enthralling immersive stories selected at Cannes Immersive. Created by Singer Studios, Trailblazer is a VR experience starring Daisy Ridley (Star Wars) in the role of pioneer Bertha Benz, who embarked on the world’s first road trip at the end of the 19th Century. Produced by Nilor Studio, tAxI is a multi-sensory installation in which the passengers of a taxi find themselves in conversation with a charismatic AI. Speakers: ELOISE SINGER | Director, Co-writer and Executive Producer TRAILBLAZER | Singer Studios LESLEY PATERSON | Executive Producer TRAILBLAZER | BraveArt Entertainment ORIANA NEIDECKER | Producer tAxI STEPHEN HENDERSON | Director tAxI | Nilor Studio Moderator: SILVIA ANGRISANI | Industry Programmes Manager BFI Podcast hosted and produced by Lawrence Francis
#346
May 20, 2025 · 1 hr
The Charm of Genre: How Genre Films Travel Across the Borders
‘Genre’ has always been a safe bet with audiences, but today more than ever, genre films are crossing over into mainstream audiences. While the market is still looking for the next rom-com hit, crime and thriller keep on benefiting from a large audience and body horror is enjoying an unexpected wave of popularity. Producers and sales agents share their insights on the appeal of genre in the international markets. Speakers: TODD BROWN | Head of International Acquisitions XYZ MARIA EKERHOVD | Producer Mer Film KATARZYNA SINIARSKA | Head of Sales New Europe Film Sales OLIVER KASSMAN | Producer Escape Plan Productions Moderator: VICKI BROWN | Snr Executive, Sales & Distribution BFI
#345
May 19, 2025 · 1 hr 2 min
International Co-Production: Case Studies
This episode goes behind the scenes of two international coproductions: Bring Them Down (UK/Belgium/Ireland) by writer and director Chris Andrews, and Lomu (UK-New Zealand), a feature documentary currently in production, directed by Gavin Fitzgerald and Vea Mafile’o. An international panel of producers will discuss the creative and financial challenges met by the partners, from the complexities of national and international financing to the division of responsibilities between co-producers, and the challenges of cross-cultural collaborations. Speakers: JULIANNE FORDE | Producer BRING THEM DOWN | Tailored Films (Ireland) IVANA MACKINNON | Producer BRING THEM DOWN | Wild Swim Films (UK) RUTH TREACY | Producer BRING THEM DOWN | Tailored Films (Ireland) VICTORIA BARRELL | Producer LOMU | Sylver Entertainment EMMA SLADE | Producer LOMU | Tahi Productions
#344
May 19, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
The Rise of Indigenous Language
In recent years, indigenous and minority language films have gained visibility with audiences. A growing movement within Celtic cinema has seen films such as The Quiet Girl and Kneecap conquer critics and audiences alike. Bespoke funding schemes are supporting film production in indigenous languages in several countries, such as the UK, Canada or Australia. Producers, distributors and sales agents will discuss the ways in which underrepresented voices are supported in their journey across national borders. Hannah Thomas Head of Drama Severn Screen Emanuele Galloni Head of Content My Culture Patrick O'Neill Founder and Managing Director Wildcard Mitchell Stanley Producer No Coincidence Media Moderator: Carmen Thompson Film programmer and distributor Host and Producer: Lawrence Francis, www.linkedin.com/in/l-francis
#343
May 19, 2025 · 56 min
AI: Routes to a desirable future
An international panel of researchers and practitioners will discuss the road that the industry is travelling in working with artificial intelligence and its impact on the near future. The conversation will address best practices in screenwriting, filmmaking, VFX and music composition. David Defendi Founder of Genario and screenwriter Genario Katharina Gellein Viken filmmaker and showrunner Metrotone Media Graham Jack Chief Technology Officer beloFX Rachel Lyske CEO of Generative Daaci Moderator: Rishi Coupland Director of Research and Industry Innovation BFI
#342
May 19, 2025 · 1 hr 3 min
Talent Talk: My Father's Shadow
Writer-director Akinola Davies’ first feature film, My Father’s Shadow (‘Un Certain Regard’), brings us on a journey through the city of Lagos, Nigeria, seen from the perspective of two young brothers. The director, whose short film Lizard was the winner of Sundance Short Film Grand Jury Prize, will be in conversation with co-writer Wale Davies, UK producer Rachel Dargavel, Nigerian co-producer Funmbi Ogunbanwo and BBC FILM Director Eva Yates. The film is supported by BBC FILM and the BFI. Speakers: AKINOLA DAVIES JNR | Writer-director MY FATHER'S SHADOW WALE AKINOLA DAVIES JNR | Writer MY FATHER'S SHADOW RACHEL DARGAVEL | Producer Element Films/Crybaby Films | MY FATHER'S SHADOW FUNMBI OGUNBANWO | Producer Fatherland Productions | MY FATHER'S SHADOW EVA YATES | Director BBC Film Moderator: AMA AMPADU | Senior Production and Development Executive BFI
#341
May 19, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
Creativity and Disability: When Challenges Spark Innovation
Working with disabled filmmakers, actors and crew often challenges the habits of the industry whilst at the same time providing a springboard for creativity and innovation. Our panel of writers, filmmakers and access coordinators will share their experiences on and off film sets. Panellists Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini Writer and filmmaker Abbie Hills Access Coordinator and Talent Agent Mari Sanders Writer-director Moderator: Anna Higgs Managing Director Character 7 Find our more by visiting www.screenuk.org/industry Host and Producer: Lawrence Francis, PREMIER www.linkedin.com/in/l-francis
#340
May 19, 2025 · 1 hr
Meet the UK Festivals
UK film festival directors share their views on cinema, creativity and the international circulation of independent films. Join the directors from BFI London Film Festival, Edinburgh International Film Festival, Glasgow Film Festival and Leeds International Film Festival for an insightful conversation around films, talent and audiences. Panelists Chris Fell Director Leeds International Film Festival Allison Gardner CEO, Glasgow Film Director, Glasgow Film Festival Kristy Matheson Director BFI Festivals Paul Ridd CEO & Festival Director Edinburgh International Film Festival Moderator: Zac Ntim International Film Reporter Deadline For more information visit www.screenuk.org/industry Host and Producer: Lawrence Francis, MD, PREMIER www.linkedin.com/in/l-francis
#339
May 16, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
The Art of Being a Minority Co-Producer
Join us for a discussion about international co-productions and boosting a project’s potential in a competitive international market. Film fund executives from Germany, Canada, the Netherlands and the UK guide us through different support schemes and look at coproductions from the point of view of the minority party. Is there an art of being a minority coproducer? Guests: Julie Blondin National Director, Business affairs & Co-productions Telefilm Canada Dany Delvoie Project Manager International Netherlands Film Fund Birthe Klinge CEO Advisor and Funding Executive for International Co-Productions German Federal Filmboard (FFA) Denitsa Yordanova Head of UK Global Screen Fund and International Funds BFI Moderator: Bertrand Moullier Film and TV Industry Consultant Narval Media Host and Producer: Lawrence Francis, MD, PREMIER www.linkedin.com/in/l-francis

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