/ en-us Sat, 04 Apr 2026 00:41:53 +0100 Sat, 04 Apr 2026 00:41:53 +0100 /latest/whats-on-screen-and-filming-april-2025 Thu, 02 Apr 2026 10:39:00 +0100 Phil Jones /latest/whats-on-screen-and-filming-april-2025 Spring has sprung and we're back with our monthly rundown of what's filming in London, as well as everywhere you can find the capital on screen. /latest/film-london-connect-case-study-sofia-soto-and-felix-schmilinsky Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:15:00 +0100 Phil Jones /latest/film-london-connect-case-study-sofia-soto-and-felix-schmilinsky °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ has a long and successful track record when it comes to serving and sustaining the capitalā€™s screen industries. A huge part of this has been identifying and supporting new talent while elevating skills and increasing diversity. Via the BFI's Metro London Skills Cluster (MLSC) and our Equal Access Network weā€™ve served as a trusted partner for household-name studios, connecting incredible below-the-line talent to hundreds of jobs across the film, TV and games industries. This job brokerage role has been bolstered by developing industry-led training initiatives for in-demand skills, and helping hundreds of talented new entrants connect with industry movers and shakers at major networking events. Our mentoring scheme, °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ Connect, also serves as a key means of support. By matching new and emerging talent to best-in-the-biz mentors, we aim to help people develop their careers and build practical industry knowledge. Here we talk to cinematography mentee Sofia Soto and mentor Felix Schmilinsky about the experiences as part of °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ Connect. Mentee: Sofia Soto Sofia started her film career as an assistant editor and AC while was working for Raindance Film Festival and Raindance Film School, where she edited showreels, trailers and social media content. Currently a freelancer, she mainly works as in the camera department on short- and long-form and commercials, and recently started working as a spark trainee on short films, and has worked on dailies for a high-end TV series. Her go-to movies are Coraline, Back to the Future and La Haine. Mentor: Felix Schmilinsky Now a successful Director of Photography for narrative films, documentaries and commercials, Felix started his career in Munich as a production assistant during the final stages of post-production on a low-budget feature film. His next role was as a runner for a company making high-end commercials ā€“ a very different role, involving very different budgets! Today he spends his working life in constant bounce-back communication between directors, producers and his technical crew. His go-to movies are City of God and Heat. What drew you to a career in film and TV, and why cinematography in particular? Sofia: I have always been drawn to what goes on behind the scenes when making a film or a TV show. I find cinematography to be a beautiful medium for creativity and expression that allows for millions of possibilities when trying to convey feelings and emotions. It amazes me how powerful visual storytelling can be: through composition, lighting and camera movement, you get to convey the story while immersing the audience. I see the combination of camera and lighting as powerful tools I can use to capture impactful, meaningful imagery that I hope evokes something in the audience that stays with them long after watching. What do you love about cinematography? Sofia: I love its collaborative aspect and its dynamism. Every shoot is different, each bringing its own challenges and special moments, but also, there is usually not a day on set that feels repetitive, especially when youā€™re shooting in different locations. I also love that you are always working with new people from whom you can learn a lot, given everyoneā€™s different experiences and knowledge. Felix: I really enjoy getting to know new people on every job. Also, the places you get to work in can make it feel very special. The ever-changing challenges of each new project provide great variety. The work simply doesnā€™t become boring. What kind of challenges did you find when it came to breaking into the industry? Sofia: A challenge I faced was that, as some people have been working in the industry for longer, they already have a pool of people they can rely on and call when they need someone. At first, itā€™s all about proving yourself and proving to others that, although you might not have that much experience, you are reliable and able to do the job. Another challenge in this industry is that there is not a single path to reach the career path you want. Everyone has a different journey, and there are so many ways to go about it, which can seem overwhelming when you are just getting started. It can also be hard if you compare yourself to other people, but it is important to remember that everyone has a different journey. Felix: When I realised I wanted to work in film (I was about 17), I had never met anybody who was actually a filmmaker or connected to the industry. It felt very remote and unattainable, and I worried I might end up as a poor, starving artist. Breaking into the industry felt like a chicken-and-egg situation: I applied for office runner positions at production companies, but they all wanted candidates with previous experience ā€“ even though the job only paid minimum wage and there was no lower rung to start from. At the interview stage, I stood out because I was a bit of a computer geek: I had taught myself Photoshop editing software and knew how to fix stuff. In the end, though, the real reason I got my first job was more unexpected: the boss had been an old-school breakdancer and loved that I DJā€™d hip-hop and funk music on vinyl. How did you find out about the °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ mentorship programme, and why did you decide to get involved? Felix: A friend had taken part in the programme prior to me and put me forward as a suitable mentor. I leapt at the opportunity because I want to share my knowledge and I see it as an enriching experience, having to reflect on my own career choices before potentially giving a young person ill advice. How would you sum up the mentor-mentee experience to someone who is considering it? What can they expect, and what do you have to put into it yourself to get the most out of it? Felix: The mentorship starts with a simple video call in which you can get to know your mentee. I went into it with a mindset of wanting to be open and of service to someone coming in with a lot of questions. As we talked, I began discovering more topics I felt I had to share my experience about. Making first steps in a freelance working world can be a minefield and I wish I would have had some guidance myself at the start of it all. Sofia: It is a great experience that requires communication and commitment from both mentor and mentee. You arrange meetings with your mentor, usually one per month, to discuss one of your goals, topics, or any concerns you have about your career, experiences, or projects you are currently working on. For me, working in cinematography, I would have feedback meetings with my mentor where I would show him any pre-production work I had done, if I had any projects I was going to shoot, but we would also talk about what it is like working as a freelancer, or any cinematography topics I wanted to explore. You can expect a lot of support and insights into your career and department, meeting new people and making new connections your mentor has access to and (I think the most important thing for me), building a beautiful connection and friendship with your mentor. To make the most of it, you need to be proactive with how you use your mentorā€™s feedback, advice, and tips. You will learn the most by applying these to your work, to any challenges you face, and to how you approach the industry. Which have been the most important lessons youā€™ve learned as a mentee? How have you put them into action? Sofia: One of the most important lessons I have learned as a mentee is becoming more confident in communicating my ideas and thoughts while working on a project. I learn to trust my creativity and my intuition, and to stand up for myself and my crew whenever things are not fair. Creatively, I learnt how important it is to remain open to new ideas and experimentation when working on a set. Through this mentorship, I became aware that you cannot control and plan for everything, but the best ideas may come from being innovative with what you encounter. What was it liking working together on set as part of the mentorship scheme? Sofia: It was really inspiring and motivating as Felix is someone I look up to. Seeing how he thrives on set, working alongside the camera and lighting crew was insightful and taught me a lot. It was great to see his visuals come alive and how he applies many of the concepts we discussed throughout the mentorship. Felix: It was great to see Sofia working so well within the camera department and with the wider production crew. Success in the film industry is so reliant on building and maintaining relationships, and I believe Sofia has a great path ahead. Have you learned anything by becoming a mentor? Felix: The main takeaway from mentoring Sofia was that I was reminded again of the fact that things take time, and persistence is key ā€“ especially in a period of a descending economy, there might not be as many opportunities. The stage Sofia is in can be very exciting because there is lots to learn but also quite disconcerting when there is a lack of financial stability. Those who donā€™t lose sight of their goal and build a safety net around them can push through the hard times. Where do you hope your career takes you? Sofia: I hope my career leads me to become a renowned cinematographer and camera operator, working on diverse projects that allow me to create impactful and inspiring visuals and stories. I also aspire to positively impact the industry, becoming recognised for my dedication, memorable visuals and creativity while paving the way for young female filmmakers. /latest/animation-scheme-for-global-majority-artists-opens-for-applications Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:27:00 +0100 Phil Jones /latest/animation-scheme-for-global-majority-artists-opens-for-applications Applications are now open for the fifth edition of FLAMIN Animations, an exciting commissioning programme for Global Majority* artists living in the UK. Geared towards early-career artists, the scheme will see successful applicants receiving Ā£3,500 in funding to create a three-minute animation. The selected artists will also benefit from one-to-one mentorship and a series of animation masterclasses, supported by award-winning animation studio Blinkink. The deadline for applications is 5pm on Monday 25th May 2026. Previous FLAMIN Animations have screened at film festivals around the world, including the Annecy International Animation Festival, Ottawa International Animation Festival, DOK Leipzig, Edinburgh International Film Festival, Fest Anča, Animator Poznan and the London International Animation Festival. The programme has also served as an important career stepping stone, with previous FLAMIN animators now working across a range of UK animation studios. While the latest round of FLAMIN Animations gears up, alumni from other FLAMIN schemes will soon be showcasing their work at the London Games Festival, as part of the perennially popular eventā€™s New Game Plus strand. Ama Dogbe, Calum Bowden, David Blandy and Clifford Sage are among the artists whose experimental, visually-arresting works encourage players to explore striking new worlds that have been thoughtfully crafted outside the realm of mainstream game design. New Game Plus runs from 16-17 April at Exhibition White City ā€“ find out more here. Adrian Wootton OBE, Chief Executive of °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ, said: ā€œEvery year, FLAMIN Animations snapshots some of the UKā€™s most exciting emerging artists working with creative approaches to animation. Whether addressing issues that are local, global or deeply personal, the stories they tell are always entirely captivating. ā€œThe scheme also highlights the reach and power of artist filmmaking. Between them, FLAMIN Animations alumni have gone on to work for animation studios and have their work exhibited internationally. This diverse range of achievements neatly demonstrates how such work can serve to inspire, challenge and provoke debate whether we enjoy it in our living rooms or a major gallery space.ā€ FLAMIN Animations is run in partnership with Blinkink and supported by Arts Council England. The programme comes as part of °µĶų³Ō¹Ļā€™s ongoing commitment to respond to the underrepresentation of Global Majority artists within the art, film, and animation industries. Click here for more information and to apply. /latest/upstream-goes-live Wed, 25 Mar 2026 14:43:00 +0000 Phil Jones /latest/upstream-goes-live Looking for the next Baby Reindeer? Chicken Shop Date? Or have you got the makings of the next Clair Obscur? If so, read on! Upstream is our unique showcase of adaptable and early stage projects across Film, TV, Animation and Games, curated by °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ and identified as ripe for adaptation. What makes it unique? Weā€™ve done the scouring and scouting for you, bringing you only the freshest and most exciting IP that weā€™ve come across. And this week, weā€™ve just gone live with a whole new offerā€¦UPSTREAM LIVE What is Upstream again?Available on Substack, Upstream is a year-round online platform for early-stage IP. It was also an annual in-person showcase for Film, TV and Games producers, commissioners and development executives. But change is afoot. After several years as a standalone event, this October, Upstream is merging into °µĶų³Ō¹Ļā€™s flagship producer-focused event, the Production Finance Market (PFM), sharing networking, lunch and a drinks reception with the producers and financiers attending PFM. And while the basic Upstream Substack subscription is free, it doesnā€™t give you anything like the depth, flavour, excitement or, crucially, in-person opportunities like Upstream@PFM that you get from the paid-for subscription ā€¦ The good news is that weā€™ve decided to up our game and offer a whole new tier of subscription - Upstream Live. For a bargain Ā£200 a year, Upstream Live subscribers get access to: the Upstream@PFM event,the freshest new IP each monthfull project information and contact details. youā€™ll also get invited to other Upstream events we run during the year. For more details and to sign up, visit https://filmlondon.substack.com/subscribe Londonā€™s leading companies have attended Upstream, including Lionsgate, Bankside, All3media, Red Bull, Anonymous Content, Channel 4, West End Films, Red Arrow, Endor Productions, Britbox, Home Team, Nexus Studios, Neon Films, Green Door Productions and Mubi. Hereā€™s what our attending buyers said last year: ā€œThe day was brilliant and a great format. The calibre of projects was strong, varied and could totally see a path or audience for all of them. Lots of interesting food for thought.ā€ā€œUpstream showcased an amazing, diverse range of projects and creatives. Some were projects I'd love to work on, all were projects I'd like to see.ā€"A great event that brings together the work of talented creative people with a breadth of possible opportunities for their creations.""Very well organised. Great mix of people and very enjoyable.""Excellent selection of interesting IP as ever, in the context of a very well-organised and user-friendly event. I look forward to the next one!""Another great day with exciting IP showcased. Thank you °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ for curating such a brilliant catalogue of talent." For more details and to sign up, check out https://filmlondon.substack.com/subscribe /latest/tnb-xpo-26-postponed-new-april-dates-announced Wed, 25 Mar 2026 14:07:00 +0000 Phil Jones /latest/tnb-xpo-26-postponed-new-april-dates-announced Last week, our friends over at The New Black Film Collective (TNBFC) were forced to make the difficult decision to postpone this yearā€™s TNB XPO due to Tube strikes threatened at the time. Hot Off The Press! The TNBFC team have just announced new dates - 17 ā€“ 19 April - to run a slimmed down format of the XPO. We at °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ continue to partner with, support and promote TNBā€™s work to champion black representation and excellence, encouraging increased diversity within the Screen Industries both here and internationally. /latest/custodians-of-the-archives-shaping-our-future-histories Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:50:00 +0000 Phil Jones /latest/custodians-of-the-archives-shaping-our-future-histories On Sunday 8 March, London's Screen Archives and The New Black Film Collective's 'Undocumented' concluded their second year of activity with an event curated by the Ambassadors who over the course of 9 months explored the practice of persevering, cataloguing and digitising Black home movies. The day titled 'Custodians of the Archives: Shaping Our Future Histories' took place at BLOC, Mile End and focused on exploring archive as an active practise in forming our identities, it also featured the premiere of ā€˜Custodiansā€™ by Monalisa Chukwuma which responded to the learnings and reflections of Undocumented. /latest/film-hub-london-funding-renewed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:47:00 +0000 Phil Jones /latest/film-hub-london-funding-renewed We are delighted to announce that Film Hub London has been chosen as one of the strategic partners renewed to manage BFI FAN activity in the nations and English regions. Led by °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ, Film Hub London is a collaborative network of film exhibitors in the capital that share a common goal: to ensure cinema is accessible to as many people across the city as possible. Membership of the Hub is free and open to all exhibitors in the capital ā€“ big and small. The BFI have announced the first details of the Ā£33.5m pledged to Audiences over the next three years in the BFI National Lottery Funding Plan 2026-2029, representing a 20% increase from 2023-2026, to support the UK exhibition and distribution sectors. Ā£10.8m is awarded to the BFI Film Audience Network (FAN) enabling 10 UK-wide strategic partners to deliver audience facing work, and Ā£3m for the Open Cinemas fund which powers ESCAPES and has successfully attracted new audiences to independent cinemas across the UK through free regular screenings. Recent FAN Film Exhibition Fund projects supported by Film Hub London include: Rio Cinemaā€™s Films for WorkersLexi Cinemaā€™s Brazilian Summer NightsFringe! Queer Film and Arts FestUkrainian Film Festival 2025London International Animation FestivalArmenian Film Festival LondonCabinet of Living Cinemaā€™s Enchanted Cinema Small World CinemaRainbow International Film FestivalPictureEast Film Festival as part of Spotlight Film Hub London has also delivered Exhibitors Breakfasts at the at the Garden Cinema and the Chiswick Cinema Click here to read more about BFI FAN funding. /latest/whats-filming-and-on-screen-in-london-march-2026 Tue, 03 Mar 2026 16:18:00 +0000 Phil Jones /latest/whats-filming-and-on-screen-in-london-march-2026 A new month means one thing: we're back with our regular list of everything that's filming in the capital this month. An updated version of the classic 80s action flick Highlander is making its way to London for further filming, after wrapping up on location in Scotland. After learning that he is immortal, Russell Nash finds himself in a battle to the death against an army of warriors, fighting for an ability known as ā€˜The Prizeā€™. The film will star Henry Cavill, Marisa Abela and Karen Gillan, alongside eremy Irons, Dave Bautista and Russell Crowe. Everybody wants to F*ck Me, a new Taron Egerton-starring comedy thriller, based around the modern dating world, recently finished filming in London. /resource/trinity-house Fri, 27 Feb 2026 19:32:00 +0000 Fernanda Franco /resource/trinity-house Trinity House is a Georgian gem on Tower Hill, offering versatile filming opportunities both inside and out. Overlooking Trinity Square Gardens, the building exudes the elegance of a prestigious private residence or club, with limited parking directly outside. Home to the General Lighthouse Authority, Trinity House is steeped in maritime history, with treasures such as the brass bell of the Royal Yacht Britannia. Its striking south-facing entrance, framed by historic naval cannons and distinctive iron railings, is well-suited for both television and film productions. Over the years, it has appeared in iconic television series like The Professionals, MasterChef: The Professionals, and The Crown (Series 5), as well as in major feature films including Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Johnny English Reborn, Skyfall, and The Invisible Woman. The location has even hosted productions with a lighter, playful touch, such as Muppets Most Wanted and Man vs Baby, making it a versatile and visually striking setting for both drama and entertainment. Inside, soaring ceilings, abundant natural light, and spacious rooms provide striking settings for a variety of shoots. Highlights include the grand entrance hall with ship models, a twin-curved staircase flanked by marble statues, the Court Room with a single-loom carpet bearing the Corporation of Trinity House arms, life-size paintings, a working fireplace, maritime-themed trompe lā€™oeil ceilings, and three tall sash windows with Tower of London views. The intimate Luncheon Room, the elegant oval Library with chandeliers, historic stained-glass panels, and a minstrelā€™s gallery, as well as the Reading and Pepys Rooms, offer flexible filming options. Additional facilities include a manned reception, extensive kitchen, private cloakroom, lift access, and WCs on both floors. Trinity House is available exclusively for hire, ensuring the entire building is reserved for your production, even if only a smaller room is needed. Watch a short video of the house: TH events short For further information, visit Trinity House website. Follow Trinity House on Instagram and LinkedIn: @trinityhouseevents /latest/film-london-hosts-second-annual-skills-summit Wed, 25 Feb 2026 14:22:00 +0000 Alex Deller /latest/film-london-hosts-second-annual-skills-summit °µĶų³Ō¹Ļā€™s second annual Skills Summit took place today (Thursday 26 February), bringing together over a hundred high-level representatives from film, television, games and academia to discuss skills, training and how the futureproofing of the industry's workforce. Experts in their respective fields, attendees from organisations like Disney, Netflix, Banijay, The London Film Academy, ITV, Goldsmiths, Sony Pictures and Apple TV+ met with the aim of recognising and sharing innovative practise allowing the cityā€™s workforce to thrive and the UK to retain its reputation as a centre for creative, technical and storytelling excellence.Forming part of °µĶų³Ō¹Ļā€™s work as lead organisation for the BFIā€™s Metro London Skills Cluster (MLSC), supported by the National Lottery, the event focused on the burning questions facing employers and employees alike in the current environment, addressing key challenges facing the screen industries. The event also provided an opportunity to highlight key MLSC successes over the past 12 months, including: Providing training and skills support to over 1,300 peoplePlacing almost 150 people into below-the-line roles across the screen industries, from crafts-based roles to essential back office positionsConnecting over 200 early-career workers with industry mentorsBrokering 2,700+ days of employment via °µĶų³Ō¹Ļā€™s Equal Access Network platform, StrideExpanding a database of 3,000 ready-to-work screen industry professionals.Inviting 500+ Equal Access Network members to key industry networking events in 2025 A ā€˜fireside chatā€™ format between Sara Putt, BAFTA Chair and Founder/ MD of Sara Putt Associates and Adrian Wootton OBE, Chief Executive of °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ and the British Film Commission, opened the event, centring on the need for adaptability in times of change.Elsewhere, panels included heads of production, line producers, hair and makeup artists and heads of training, skills and recruitment from companies and organisations like Warner Bros. Discovery, 60Forty Films, Framestore, The BFI and The Film & TV Charity, as well as individuals working across production, aesthetics and script supervision. Sara Putt, BAFTA Chair and Founder / MD of Sara Putt Associates, said: ā€œAs someone who spends most of her waking life talking to people about films, production and the state of the industry, Iā€™m a huge believer in the idea that every threat is an opportunity when flipped on its head. Thatā€™s no less true when looking at the shifts going on right now in our sector. ā€œAmid all the flux and change, weā€™re also witnessing new types of storytelling, new types of storyteller and new tools that mayā€”or may notā€”change the way those stories get told. If weā€™re going to capitalise on this change as an industry then itā€™s important not only for us to learn, adapt and upskill ourselves, but also to help new generations of talent do the same. Todayā€™s Summit is a really important inflection point, a moment to challenge ourselves on whether weā€™ve truly got the right approach and training to meet these challenges from AI, from changing models of production, head on? To this end, the work of °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ and the Metro London Skills Cluster is invaluable in helping our industry train for and fill the roles it needs tomorrow as well as today.ā€ Adrian Wootton OBE, Chief Executive of °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ and the British Film Commission, said: ā€œLondon and the UK continue to produce globally renowned film and TV content, underpinned by our world class crew base, the very lifeblood of our screen industries. To ensure the UK remains at the heart of cutting-edge film and TV production, we must continue to invest in our workforce, find solutions to existing skills gaps and futureproof for what comes next, all while improving the diversity of our crews. ā€œEveryone involved in the Metro London Skills Cluster is committed to making this happen, and Iā€™m proud that in the last 12 months alone weā€™ve been able to train over 1,300 film, TV and games professionals and help almost 150 of them find roles across the industry. Being able to engage in a fruitful dialogue with our peers and partners from The National Film and Television School, the Association of Colleges and London Higher, the Capital City College Group, Middlesex University about our shared successes and the challenges weā€™ve faced was powerful, productive and thought-provoking, and Iā€™m proud of the role weā€™ve collectively been able to play as part of the BFIā€™s UK-wide network of Skills Clusters. Over the next three years, we plan to deliver even more training to help below-the-line talent at every stage of their career secure and retain the roles that our industry is crying out for. Alongside our partners and strategic bodies such as ScreenSkills weā€™ll be doing everything we can to ensure the industryā€™s workforce is ready to seize the opportunities from whatever the next generation of production looks like.ā€ /latest/film-hub-london-exhibitors-breakfast-the-chiswick-cinema Tue, 17 Feb 2026 10:59:00 +0000 Phil Jones /latest/film-hub-london-exhibitors-breakfast-the-chiswick-cinema Earlier this month, we were delighted to be at the Chiswick Cinema for the first Exhibitors' Breakfast of 2025. After a welcome from Head of Film Culture Paul Bowman and Chiswick Cinema Programme and Marketing Manager Chris Parker, Ti Singh from Film Hub South West presented on the upcoming BFI FAN UK-wide season, focused on youth culture. /latest/uk-animation-at-berlinale-2026 Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:49:00 +0000 Phil Jones /latest/uk-animation-at-berlinale-2026 UK animation will be front-and-centre at this yearā€™s Berlinale as part of the first ever EFM Animation Days. To mark the occasion, we thought weā€™d get the inside skinny from some of the companies taking part in the eventā€™s UK Spotlight. Supported by the BFI National Lottery UK Focus Fund and curated by Animation UK as programme partner, the UK Spotlight will showcase the power of the UKā€™s feature animation talent with pitch sessions, a co-pro case study and opportunities for one-to-one consults with UK animation experts. As Kate Oā€™Connor, Executive Chair, Animation UK explains: ā€œThe UK Spotlight at Berlinale reflects the strength, ambition and global relevance of UK animation today ā€” bringing distinctive storytelling and world-class talent to international partners at a pivotal moment for feature animation.ā€ Pitching UK animation talent Fridayā€™s exclusive pitch session will see five family-friendly feature animation projects unveiled to international financiers, sales agents and potential co-pro partners. They range from adaptations of beloved stories to all-new IP, with reps from Lupus Films, Hoho Entertainment (in association with Wild Child Animation), Snafu Pictures, Two Daughters Entertainment and Space Age Films all keen to wow would-be partners with their creativity and storytelling. While the producers donā€™t shy away from the challenges facing UK animation companiesā€”market contraction; the ongoing impact of Brexit; rising production costsā€”they remain buoyant in terms of the countryā€™s ability to deliver world-class animated features. ā€œIn the UK we have all the creative skills to produce top tier childrenā€™s content,ā€ says Hoho Entertainmentā€™s Oliver Ellis. His thoughts are shared by Camilla Deakin of Lupus Films. ā€œThe UK animation sector is extremely strong in terms of creative vision and IP and the industry certainly has the skills and talent to create really memorable and commercial animated films,ā€ she says. ā€œPlus thereā€™s the new enhanced tax credit for independent films makes the UK a more attractive territory for co-productions than ever before.ā€ Both producers are attending this yearā€™s UK spotlight with adaptations of beloved childrenā€™s classics: Hoho Entertainment with Toad The Movie, an adaptation of Kenneth Grahameā€™s classic The Wind In The Willows, and Lupus Films with Brambly Hedge, based on the work of writer and illustrator Jill Barklem. Between them, these stories have sold almost 100 million books and been translated into dozens of languages worldwide, neatly showcasing the universal appeal and evergreen popularity of British storytelling. Hohoā€™s feature-length project seeks to build on the success of the animated series they produced Warner Bros. Discover, which launched worldwide throughout 2023-2026. ā€œThe series was very much inspired by the novel, taking the much-loved characters of Toad, Ratty and Mole and creating new stories for them and adding new characters for them to engage with,ā€ explains Oliver. ā€œIn the movie, we are returning to the story of the original novel but updating it with the new characters we introduced in the series and also reinstating scenes from the novel that previous iterations have left out. Itā€™s a very sympathetic adaptation whilst also being a sensitive update.ā€ Currently in early stage development, Oliver is hoping to use his first trip to Berlinale as an information-gathering mission, with an eye to also attracting partners and financing. Similarly, Camilla says that Lupus Films are seeking co-producers, buyers and financiers for their family animated adventure movie. ā€œThe books are so wonderfully charming and warm and still retain their appeal over 40 years since they were first published,ā€ she says of Brambly Hedge, while also noting their enduring themes of community and respect for the environment. An international co-pro success Away from the UK Spotlightā€™s pitching sessions, thereā€™ll be a special session focusing on The Amazing Maurice 2, with the UK and German companies behind the animated feature discussing their co-production experiences as part of an exclusive panel session. The session will explore how the co-production was structured, from financing strategies and partner alignment to managing cross-border production workflows while maintaining a unified creative vision. The session is likely to be of particular interest given that the filmā€™s UK production company, Cantilever Media, have recently formed a join venture with sale and financing company Architect that seeks to get two new animated movies off the ground every year starting with an adaptation of English writer Guy Kennawayā€™s Bird Brain. Ask an expert For those inspired to find out more about the practicalities of working with UK animation talent, the EFM will also be hosting one-on-one consultations with UK animation professionals, including Sean Clarke (Aardman), Ken Anderson (Red Kite Animation) and Chris Halliday (BFI, Head of Certification). /latest/picture-east-film-festival-2026 Tue, 10 Feb 2026 10:22:00 +0000 Phil Jones /latest/picture-east-film-festival-2026 PictureEast Film Festival is a free, dynamic, community-led fortnight of cinema celebrating stories from East London and around the world through feature films, shorts and panel discussions, providing a platform for underrepresented voices and creating meaningful dialogue between filmmakers and local communities. The festival ran from 20 January to 1 February and was co-curated with residents of Newham and Barking & Dagenham, responding to local cinema closures by restoring the shared joy of the big screen and amplifying underrepresented voices and local histories. Highlights of the festival included a preview of Wasteman with a Cinematographer, Producer, Production Designer, HMU, Costume Designer and Art Director Q&A, BAFTA-nominated Edem Kelman appearing at House for Artists on Saturday 31 Jan, the Young Programmers the Wilds showcase, the preview of My Father's Shadow with cinematographer Jermaine Edwards, and the Idil Ahmed Q&A with a screening of Lollipop at House for Artists. The post-screening discussion saw Ahmed speak openly with festival audiences about her leading role in Lollipop, the filmā€™s themes, and the creative journey behind the project. Audience members engaged in a wide-ranging conversation covering representation on screen, independent filmmaking, and the importance of telling nuanced stories rooted in lived experience. /events/girls-in-film-100-nights-of-hero-q-a-with-director-julia-jackman-and-author-isabel-green Wed, 04 Feb 2026 17:56:00 +0000 Rhian Solomon-Ayeh /events/girls-in-film-100-nights-of-hero-q-a-with-director-julia-jackman-and-author-isabel-green 100 Nights of Hero screening + Live Q&A with director Julia Jackman and author Isabel Green Girls in Film present a special premiere weekend screening of Julia Jackman's 100 Nights of Hero. A playful medieval fairytale about about gender, sexuality, status and power starring Emma Corrin, Nicholas Galitzine, Maika Monroe, Amir El-Masry, Richard E Grant and Charli XCX, 100 Nights of Hero. Adapted from the graphic novel by Isabel Greenberg. Following the screening will be a Q&A with director Julia Jackman and author Isabel Greenberg, hosted by Becs Rainey, Head of Girls in Film UK.Once upon a time in a fairytale kingdom, Cherry is happily married to Jerome and living an idyllic life. At least thatā€™s how it seems. But the couple have yet to conceive an heir, and the rulers of their patriarchal society are less than pleased. When Jerome absconds and his dashing friend Manfred arrives with dastardly intentions, Cherryā€™s troubles look set to worsen. But Hero, Cherryā€™s wily and loyal maid, who wonā€™t let anything happen to her beloved mistress, concocts a plan. As Hero tells captivating stories night after night about rebellious women who refuse to follow the rules of their society, she ignites a fire within Cherry that could forever change their lives. Supported by BFI NETWORK, Vue Lumiere and Margaret. Julia Jackman is a BFI NETWORK alumna, having made her short The Riley Sisters in 2022. /latest/whats-on-screen-and-filming-in-london-february-2026 Tue, 03 Feb 2026 16:23:00 +0000 Phil Jones /latest/whats-on-screen-and-filming-in-london-february-2026 February is here, which means a fresh rundown of where to see London on screen this month, and what is currently filming in the capital. Hamlet is in cinemas from Friday 6 February, with Riz Ahmed leading a contemporary reimagining set in modern London. Directed by Aneil Karia, the film reframes Shakespeareā€™s tragedy through the lens of a British South Asian family, where grief, power, loyalty and public image collide, with a cast including Joe Alwyn and Timothy Spall, and it was shot in London Wuthering Heights, directed by Emerald Fennell, brings a bold new take on Emily BrontĆ«ā€™s gothic romance, following the volatile bond between Cathy and Heathcliff and the damage it leaves in its wake. Starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, the production included London-based stage work and is released on 13 February. The Moment, the A24 release led by Charli xcx, is framed as a sharp, self-aware mockumentary that follows a pop star navigating the pressure of success and the machinery around her as she gears up for a major tour moment. Principal photography began in London, with filming reported across multiple parts of the city, including Eastbrook Studios. The cast includes Rosanna Arquette and Alexander SkarsgĆ„rd, ahead of its release on 20 February. Wasteman, directed by Cal McMau, is the opening gala film for PictureEast Film Festival, sponsored by °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ, and follows Taylor as his hopes of parole and a fresh start are thrown into jeopardy when a new relationship inside threatens to pull him back into violence. Starring David Jonsson and Tom Blyth, it included some London location days alongside primarily stage-based production in Enfield, and reaches UK cinemas on 20 February. /latest/london-anchor-institutions-network-celebrating-5-years-of-impact Tue, 03 Feb 2026 14:47:00 +0000 Phil Jones /latest/london-anchor-institutions-network-celebrating-5-years-of-impact °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ is a committed member of LAIN (London Anchor Institutionsā€™ Network) and today (4 February) alongside other major organisations across the city, we celebrated five years of collective effort to build a fairer, greener, more prosperous London. As one of the largest and most impactful anchor networks in the world, weā€™re proud to be part of a programme of work, backed by the Mayor of London, that is helping London and Londoners to thrive. LAIN boasts a growing membership spanning the public, private, faith-based, education and cultural sectors. Each member has significant presence and influence in the city and has committed to working in partnership to tackle inequalities and the growing climate emergency. We do this by using our procurement, workforce and estates to help create the conditions Londoners need to thrive ā€“ such as making changes to the way we hire people, buy goods and services, and manage our facilities to reduce carbon emissions. In just five years, LAIN has proven it can deliver change at scale and at pace. It has: Opened up new opportunities for small and diverse-led businesses, awarding them more than Ā£3.4bn worth of contracts ā€“ creating new jobs for local people and strengthening supply chains. Driven down carbon emissions, saving more than 311,000 tonnes of CO2e ā€“ critical to the cityā€™s ambitions to achieve net zero. Transformed lives through fair pay, uplifting the salaries of more than 11,000 Londoners through new London Living Wage accreditations ā€“ helping more Londoners to thrive. Taken steps to make Londonā€™s workforces as rich and diverse as the city itself - narrowing pay gaps, creating thousands of apprenticeships and offering hundreds of supported internships for those with learning difficulties. Click here to read more about London Anchor Institutionsā€™ Network. /latest/ai-london-shorts-and-artist-filmmaking-at-lsff Wed, 28 Jan 2026 12:52:00 +0000 Phil Jones /latest/ai-london-shorts-and-artist-filmmaking-at-lsff °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ was proud to take part in this yearā€™s London Short Film Festival, showcasing some of the support it lends to the capitalā€™s creatives across short film, animation, artist filmmaking and an innovative new approach to how AI might be used to assist filmmakers today and tomorrow. The Festival also saw the premiere of two brand new short films, Doula and Stage Of Flesh, made under the AI in Film: A New Creative Dialogue banner. Led by Fondation Liban Cinema in partnership with °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ, the British Council-funded initiative paired two UK-Lebanese filmmaking teams, tasking them to explore using AI technology at every stage of the filmmaking process, to see where the benefits and challenges might lie. ā€œThe idea for the project came from the fact that many filmmakers ā€“ myself included ā€“ were scared,ā€ said Fondation Liban Cinemaā€™s Karim Nasr at the post-screening panel session. ā€œWe were scared of not being able to tell the difference between projects that were made with AI and those that werenā€™t. Scared that this technology would replace human artists. Instead of wallowing in this fear the idea was to test it, to empower artists and help them mitigate.ā€ Alongside Karim and °µĶų³Ō¹Ļā€™s Jordan McGarry were [JM1] the filmmakers who worked on the project: directors and producers from Lebanon, writers and composers from the UK (in fact only one of the writers, Georgia Goggin, was available for the panel, the other, Nico Mensinga, was at home with his newborn daughter). The feedback in terms of AIā€™s practical uses was mixed, with Doula composer Alex Morris using it as an assistant rather any sort of compositional tool and writer Georgia finding its uses limited as a script consultant, saying that while the language it used was eerily accurate, the actual feedback was too flattering to be useful. The technologyā€™s lack of culturally-specific knowledge also proved problematic when it came to presenting mood boards and concepts, or assisting with Lebanese dialogue, geography or history. /latest/london-shines-in-oscar-and-bafta-nominations Wed, 28 Jan 2026 11:26:00 +0000 Phil Jones /latest/london-shines-in-oscar-and-bafta-nominations The 2026 Oscar and BAFTA nominations have been unveiled, and feature a number of London productions and °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ alumni. The Academy Awards nomination list included 8 nominations for Hamnet, which shot many of its London scenes at The Charterhouse, as well as nominations for F1 which also filmed in London. Click here to read the full list of Academy Award nominations. On the BAFTA side of things, a number of London productions received nominations including Hamnet, Pillion and Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ alumni also feature on the BAFTA nominations list. We supported Pillion director Harry Lighton to make Wren Boys in 2017, part of London Calling. In the Best Short category producer of Terence Noah Reich is NETWORK Short Film Fund supported for House Party 2023, whereas co-director of This is Endometriosis Matt Houghton was NETWORK/London Calling Plus supported for Landline in 2018. We supported producer of Wasteman Sophia Gibber via BFI NETWORK Short Film Fund as producer on Precious Hair and Beauty (2021). Click here to read the full list of BAFTA nominations. /resource/bma-house Mon, 26 Jan 2026 14:36:00 +0000 Fernanda Franco /resource/bma-house BMA House Set in the heart of Bloomsbury on Tavistock Square, BMA House is a distinguished Grade II listed building designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, offering a rare combination of heritage, scale and versatility in central London. Blending historic character with contemporary appeal, its striking architecture and adaptable spaces make it a sought-after filming location for high-end productions. Surrounded by iconic landmarks and excellent transport links, it provides an exceptional backdrop for film, television and photography. The venue brings together a variety of visually distinct environments within a single footprint. Its two enclosed outdoor spaces, the Courtyard and the Garden, are particularly valuable in central London, offering controlled exteriors with strong cinematic appeal. The Garden, with its terrace, pond and mature planting, evokes a tranquil, residential atmosphere, while the Courtyard, framed by grand architecture, lends itself to more formal or institutional settings. Inside, BMA House offers a series of elegant, production-ready interiors. The Great Hall delivers impressive scale, featuring 28-foot ceilings, Corinthian columns, gold-leaf detailing and views over the Courtyard. The Princeā€™s Room provides a more intimate, characterful setting with period features and a striking chandelier, while the Garden Room benefits from abundant natural light and direct access to the exterior spaces. A disused banking vault adds a distinctive and unexpected element, further expanding creative possibilities. Spaces can be dressed for both period and contemporary narratives, offering productions a highly flexible canvas. BMA House has successfully transformed for a wide range of film settings, including embassies, government buildings, healthcare environments and private residences. It has hosted productions for leading broadcasters and streamers, with filming highlights including Red Eye (ITV), The Diplomat (Netflix), Slow Horses (Apple TV+) and Bridgerton (Netflix). Alongside its visual appeal, the venue offers a high level of production support. Facilities include exclusive hire options, goods lifts, three-phase power, multiple spaces suitable for holding areas, costume storage, and hair and make-up, as well as flexible catering arrangements. The building can be hired in full or by individual spaces, providing flexibility and control for productions of all scales. Combining historic elegance with production-ready infrastructure, BMA House offers a refined and highly adaptable filming environment in central London. Visit BMA House website For filming enquiries, see more here /resource/london-zoo Mon, 26 Jan 2026 14:17:00 +0000 Fernanda Franco /resource/london-zoo London Zoo is an London icon and one of the UKā€™s most distinctive living sets. Spanning 36 acres on the edge of Regentā€™s Park, the Zoo offers an exceptional combination of heritage architecture, contemporary design and natural environments ā€” all within a single, film-friendly location. First opened in 1828, London Zoo is home to over 600 species and a remarkable architectural mix, from the historic 1828 clock tower and iconic Lubetkin Penguin Pool to modern exhibits such as the Giant of the Galapagos, Secret Life of Reptiles and Amphibians and Monkey Valley. Its diverse spaces include landscaped parkland, animal houses, select animal habitats, terraces, function rooms and specialist facilities such as laboratories and even a reference library, providing outstanding flexibility for film, television, photography and commercial production. With a long and celebrated screen history, London Zoo has appeared on film and television since the earliest days of filmmaking and remains a dynamic, in-demand location today. From Daniel Radcliffeā€™s memorable scene with a ā€˜talkingā€™ Burmese python in Harry Potter and the Philosopherā€™s Stone to Hugh Grant and Nicholas Hoult strolling past the Dung Beetle sculpture in About a Boy, the Zoo has hosted many iconic on-screen moments. It was also featured in Goodbye Christopher Robin, which tells the story of Winnie-the-Poohā€™s creator, A. A. Milne, and his family in 1920s Britain. Offering an extraordinary range of architectural styles, landscapes and animal settings within a single central London location, the Zoo presents a wide variety of looks ā€” from urban to rural, Victorian to contemporary ā€” alongside generous spaces suitable for unit bases and technical support. As a result, it has welcomed productions of every scale, from major studio features to high-end television, documentaries, commercials and music videos. Other screen credits include feature films Withnail and I, Back to Black, Wimbledon and An American Werewolf in London; television series The Vice and One Night inā€¦ London Zoo; music videos including As It Was by Harry Styles; and specialist factual productions such as David Attenboroughā€™s Natural Curiosities, London Zoo at Christmas and What Killed the Whale. For filmmakers seeking authenticity, character and a truly unique living environment, London Zoo offers an unparalleled filming location ā€” right in the heart of the capital. Visit London Zoo website For filming enquiries, see more here /resource/case-studies-on-young-audience-activity-around-the-uk Thu, 22 Jan 2026 17:17:00 +0000 Phil Jones /resource/case-studies-on-young-audience-activity-around-the-uk A live series of Case Studies focussed on successful Young Audience activity taking place around the UK. These Case Studies detail different types of films and activities that engage a range of age-groups across the young audience demographic, including information on how organisations and venues approach curation, scheduling, funding and marketing. They also highlight challenges and biggest successes in a bid to inspire, motivate and advise other organisations on how to successfully engage with young audiences. Open City Documentary Film Festival - Experimental short films for families and children aged 2 - 7 yrs Read Open City Documentary Film Festival case study The Garden Cinema - Year-round family programming and activities for children aged 5 - 11 yrs Read The Garden Cinema case study The Ultimate Picture Palace - Setting up a Kino Kids Cinema programme for Children and families Read The Ultimate Picture Palace case study NI Science Festival - Festival events programmed by Young People aged 18 - 26 yrs Read NI Science Festival case study Discovery Film Festival - Short films for 0 - 3 yr olds supporting early years development Read Discovery Film Festival case study Cellb, Wales - Engaging rural teens and young adults across a multi-arts venue Read Cellb, Wales case study /events/screening-talk-ufuoma-essi-and-onyeka-igwe Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:56:00 +0000 Ufuoma Essi /events/screening-talk-ufuoma-essi-and-onyeka-igwe Join Camden Arts Centre for an evening of moving image works and discussion with artists Ufuoma Essi and °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ Jarman Award recipient Onyeka Igwe to coincide with Karimah Ashaduā€™s exhibition at Camden Arts Centre. After the screening, the artists will be joined by Tendai Mutambu to chair a discussion on their shared interests in memory, archival narratives and Black feminist thought, reflecting on colonial infrastructure, suppressed histories, and the relationship between sound, image and testimony. /events/preview-all-thats-left-of-you-q-a Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:54:00 +0000 Ufuoma Essi /events/preview-all-thats-left-of-you-q-a Join ICA for a special preview screening of Cherien Dabis's acclaimed All That's Left of You. Amid the unrest of the West Bank, a confrontation between Noor, a Palestinian teenager, and Israeli soldiers prompts his mother to revisit her familyā€™s long tradition of resilience. In Dabisā€™ film, history and memory intertwine to form a restrained yet deeply affecting meditation on displacement and shared humanity. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the director. /events/serpentine-cinema-rehana-zaman Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:50:00 +0000 Ufuoma Essi /events/serpentine-cinema-rehana-zaman Join Serpentine Cinema at Peckhamplex for a special screening of Rehana Zaman's Everything Worthwhile is Done with Other People. A film made in collaboration with women affected by incarceration that examines the intersections of race, gender and class within the UK criminal justice system. The programme will be introduced by Rehana Zaman and Lizzie Graham and will also feature a screening of Time and Time Again: Women in Prison by Nina Ward with Women & The Law Collective. /events/films-for-workers-bread-and-roses-panel Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:48:00 +0000 Ufuoma Essi /events/films-for-workers-bread-and-roses-panel Join Rio Cinema as they present the second screening in their Film For Workers season in collaboration with International Workers of Great Britain (IWGB). Bread and Roses, directed by Ken Loach, explores the struggles of poorly paid janitorial workers in Los Angeles and their fight for improved working conditions and the right to unionise. It is based on the "Justice for Janitors" campaign of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). This film will be subtitled in Spanish and followed by an in-person discussion with IWGB. /events/breathless Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:44:00 +0000 Ufuoma Essi /events/breathless Join Riverside Studios for special screenings of Breathless, a French New Wave crime drama film written and directed by Jean-Luc Godard. The film follows Michel, a petty thief, who steals a car and runs over a policeman. He meets Patricia, an aspiring journalist who offers him asylum, and later tries to seduce her into running away with him to Italy. It stars Jean-Paul Belmondo as a wandering criminal named Michel, and Jean Sebergas his American girlfriend Patricia. /events/london-short-film-festival-2 Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:37:00 +0000 Ufuoma Essi /events/london-short-film-festival-2 The UKā€™s leading short film festival, the London Short Film Festival (LSFF), returns for its 23rd edition from 23 January to 1 February, bringing films and events to Londonā€™s iconic cinemas alongside community and creative spaces. LSFF presents the best in independent, boundary-pushing filmmaking from around the world. Highlights of the festival programme include Everybodyā€™s Darling: Melodrama in 80s & 90s Punk Cinema with an extended intro and Trans Sister Seventies! /events/pictureeast-film-festival-2026 Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:34:00 +0000 Ufuoma Essi /events/pictureeast-film-festival-2026 PictureEast Film Festival 2026 (PEFF 2026) returns in Newham and Barking & Dagenham from 20th January to 1st February 2026! The dynamic programme of feature films, short film showcases, and panel discussions will continue our legacy of Curated Community Cinema in Newham and expand into Barking & Dagenham, championing the stories and cultures embedded in both places and inherent to East London. Highlights of the programme include the films Wasteman, Akinola Davies Jr.ā€™s debut feature film My Fatherā€™s Shadow and a gala closing with Palestine Comedy Club. /latest/film-london-at-the-london-short-film-festival-2 Tue, 20 Jan 2026 16:55:00 +0000 Phil Jones /latest/film-london-at-the-london-short-film-festival-2 This year marks the second edition of the London Short Film Festivalā€™s (LSFF) industry programme, offering five days designed to support filmmakers at all stages of their practice. Bringing together educational sessions, professional development opportunities and space to meet other creatives and potential collaborators, the programme is designed to help filmmakers build skills, deepen knowledge and connect with the wider industry.There is a wealth of °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ involvement in this year's programme, starting on Tuesday 27 January with the launch of Ai in Film: A New Creative Dialogue. The project paired creatives in the UK and Lebanon to create two live-action short films, experimenting with AI technology at each stage of the process. We are delighted to be launching the resulting films exclusively at the festival, with the film-makers sharing their experience of working on the films, and discussing their learnings and process with the AI tools. On the same day, head to the ICA for a BFI NETWORK London Showcase. A selection of dynamic short films supported by °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ as part of BFI NETWORK, this programme celebrates Londonā€™s bold new voices shaping the future of filmmaking. Click here to read the full LSFF Industry Programme.Films by John Smith and Andrea Luka Zimmerman form part of the London Short Film Festival public programme opening night, which draws together a group of works that take a diaristic approach to filmmaking. Yasmine Djedje-Fisher-Azoumeā€™s FLAMIN Animations-commissioned work DĆ©dĆ© screens alongside work by FLAMIN Fellow Simon Hamlyn and more in a programme of British animations, while FLAMIN alumni Andrew Kotting, Rhea Storr, Hope Pearl Strickland and Jane and Louise Wilson feature elsewhere in the programme. /resource/lfp-animation-companies Thu, 15 Jan 2026 11:50:00 +0000 Phil Jones /resource/lfp-animation-companies To find out more about the London Filming °µĶų³Ō¹Ļhip click here or email lfp@filmlondon.org.uk to find out about membership. Beakusā€‚ ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚Blue Zooā€‚CANUK Productionsā€‚Flying Duck Studio Labā€‚ā€‚Hocus Pocus Studios Ltdā€‚HoHo Entertainmentā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚Karrot Entertainmentā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚M2 Entertainmentā€‚ā€‚Snipple Animation Studiosā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚Studio akaā€‚The Illuminated Film Companyā€‚The Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundationā€‚ā€‚ /latest/whats-on-and-filming-in-london-january-2026 Tue, 13 Jan 2026 10:43:00 +0000 Phil Jones /latest/whats-on-and-filming-in-london-january-2026 2026 has arrived and that means we're back with our new year rundown of where to see London on screen this month, and everything currently filming in the capital. /latest/hamnet-the-making-of-at-the-charterhouse Thu, 08 Jan 2026 15:22:00 +0000 Phil Jones /latest/hamnet-the-making-of-at-the-charterhouse Plain text version available below /events/no-other-choice-screentalk Thu, 08 Jan 2026 12:17:00 +0000 Ufuoma Essi /events/no-other-choice-screentalk Join the Barbican Cinema for a special preview screening of Park Chan-wook's darkly comic thriller No Other Choice about a man who resorts to desperate measures to secure a new job. When Yoo Man-soo loses his job after 25 years of service, heā€™s at risk of losing the life he has worked so hard for. To secure his next role, he plans to eliminate his competitors by any means necessary. A screentalk with the director will follow the screening. /events/films-for-workers-killer-of-sheep-introduction Thu, 08 Jan 2026 12:14:00 +0000 Ufuoma Essi /events/films-for-workers-killer-of-sheep-introduction Join Rio Cinema as they present the first screening in their Film For Workers season. Killer of Sheep examines life in the Black Los Angeles ghetto of Watts in the mid-1970s through the eyes of Stan, a sensitive dreamer who is growing detached and numb from the psychic toll of working at a slaughterhouse. The screening will be introduced by Sylvie Dumont, season curator, and followed by a group discussion with free tea and coffee. /events/the-makioka-sisters-introduction Thu, 08 Jan 2026 12:09:00 +0000 Ufuoma Essi /events/the-makioka-sisters-introduction As part of Garden Cinema's 1980s: The Lost Decade of Japanese Cinema, join them as they present a screening of The Makioka Sisters. The Makioka Sisters follows the lives of four siblings who have taken on their familyā€™s kimono manufacturing business in the years leading up to the Pacific War. The screening will be introduced by independent curator Yuriko Hamaguchi. /events/the-voice-of-hind-rajab-q-a Thu, 08 Jan 2026 12:06:00 +0000 Ufuoma Essi /events/the-voice-of-hind-rajab-q-a Join Ritzy Picturehouse for a special screening of The Voice of Hind Rajab. The film follows the Red Crescent response to the killing of Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl, by the Israel Defense Forces during the invasion of the Gaza Strip. It stars Saja Kilani, Motaz Malhees, Amer Hlehel, and Clara Khoury. Following the screening, there will be a Q&A with director Kaouther Ben Hania. /events/i-only-rest-in-the-storm Thu, 08 Jan 2026 12:04:00 +0000 Ufuoma Essi /events/i-only-rest-in-the-storm Join the ICA for the UK Premier of I Only Rest in the Storm, directed by Pedro Pinho. Starring SĆ©rgio Coragem, Cleo DiĆ”ra and Jonathan Guilherme. It follows a Portuguese environmental engineer who takes a job position in West Africa, and his complicated relationship with two locals. As his ennui and detachment erode, he begins to approach the post-colonial, extractive and capitalist forces and legacies shaping all of their lives. /events/close-up-nema-ye-nazdik Thu, 08 Jan 2026 11:59:00 +0000 Ufuoma Essi /events/close-up-nema-ye-nazdik Join Close-Up Cinema as they present screenings of pioneering Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami's seminal film Close-Up, a landmark work blending documentary and fiction. The film is the true story of a poor man who impersonates Director Mohsen Makhmalbaf to gain access to a wealthy household on the pretext of using them and their house in his next film. The screening is part of Close-Up Cinema's retrospective season, Close-Up on Abbas Kiarostami. /resource/spencer-house Wed, 07 Jan 2026 12:27:00 +0000 Fernanda Franco /resource/spencer-house Spencer House is one of Londonā€™s most exceptional and historically resonant grand townhouses, offering unrivalled period character in the heart of St Jamesā€™s. Built between 1756 and 1766 for John, the 1st Earl Spencer ā€” an ancestor of Diana, Princess of Wales ā€” this Grade I-listed aristocratic palace stands proudly overlooking Green Park, embodying the elegance and power of Georgian society in both its exterior and interior form. The architecture marries a refined Palladian faƧade with some of the earliest fully realised neoclassical interiors in England. Designed initially by John Vardy and brought to spectacular fruition by James ā€œAthenianā€ Stuart, Spencer Houseā€™s state rooms feature authentic classical detailing, intricate ornamentation, and richly decorated reception spaces that set a benchmark for 18th-century design. Inside, the suite of eight grand State Rooms ā€” Entrance Hall, Ante Room, Library, Great Room, Palm Room, Music Room, Lady Spencerā€™s Room and Dining Room ā€” displays lavish decorative plasterwork, period furnishings, fine art and architectural moments that evoke aristocratic ceremonial life. These interiors provide a ready-made canvas for productions requiring richly historic, high-end heritage backdrops, spanning Georgian through to contemporary narratives. Spencer Houseā€™s history reflects layers of Londonā€™s cultural life: a setting for lavish entertainments, a witness to changing fortunes through the centuries, and the subject of a major late 20th-century restoration that returned its interiors to their former glory. Beyond its interiors, the private terrace and garden overlooking Green Park offer additional exterior filming opportunities, combining sweeping city park views with a rare sense of seclusion in an urban setting. Its rich history and striking interiors provide a unique and visually compelling backdrop, making it an ideal location for productions seeking character and authenticity. Screen credits include documentary series Enslaved with Samuel L. Jackson (BBC Two), The Windsors: Inside the Royal Dynasty (CNN), and Cunk on Earth (BBC), as well as reality series Extra Mile Club (NBC) and promotional filming for Netflixā€™s Bridgerton Series 2. These examples underscore the Houseā€™s versatility across factual, entertainment, and high-end promotional content. Perfect for feature films, television dramas, commercials, and photography, Spencer House combines historical authenticity with spectacular cinematic potential ā€” from grand ceremonial scenes to intimate period moments ā€” making it a standout landmark location for filming in central London. Click here to learn more about Spencer House. For filming enquiries, click here. /latest/the-hot-house-returns-for-2026 Tue, 06 Jan 2026 11:29:00 +0000 Phil Jones /latest/the-hot-house-returns-for-2026 °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ is excited to partner with Climate Spring once again for The Hot House development lab for scripted long-form TV and feature film projects. The Hot House 2026 writers development lab for scripted longform TV and feature film projects is now open for applications. Part of Climate Springā€™s writers development offering, and run in collaboration with BBC Writers and °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ, the 8-week lab supports screen writing talent in creating engaging and commercially viable climate stories for film and TV, while offering industry exposure and expert guidance. Championing visions of a regenerative future, this yearā€™s The Hot House focuses on inspiring world building stories and regenerative storyworld design. This brief has been chosen to help creatives craft stories that allow us to imagine, see and feel the future weā€™re fighting for. Click here for full details and to apply. /latest/early-career-artists-selected-for-film-londons-flamin-fellowship-2025-26-development-scheme Tue, 06 Jan 2026 11:21:00 +0000 Phil Jones /latest/early-career-artists-selected-for-film-londons-flamin-fellowship-2025-26-development-scheme °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ today (Wednesday 7 January 2026) announces the six recipients of the 2025/26 FLAMIN Fellowship ā€“ the UKā€™s only training and bursary scheme dedicated to the next generation of artist filmmakers. Offering early-career artist-filmmakers a unique programme of mentoring, funding and support to develop a new moving image work, the FLAMIN Fellowship nurtures cutting-edge emerging talent and has proven increasingly important to the UKā€™s creative ecosystem. The FLAMIN Fellowship equips artists with industry knowledge and advice on sustaining a practice through a series of monthly workshops. Workshops are convened by industry-leading artists, previously including Larry Achiampong, Hetain Patel, Heather Phillipson, and Marianna Simnett. Investing a total of Ā£15,000 in artists' development bursaries, FLAMIN offers each artist Ā£2,500, along with access to a series of monthly workshops and one-to-one guidance from an experienced Production Advisor. The work of this yearā€™s FLAMIN Fellows displays a wide range of approaches, including DIY audiovisual performance, archival documentary, animation and community filmmaking. Alina Akbar is a filmmaker and storyteller working across moving image, photography and installation. Her practice is rooted in both the personal and collective experiences of people of colour, and is often developed through conversation and collaboration with her community and personal network.Charlie Osborne is a Welsh artist based in London, who works across film, performance, writing, music and sculpture. Using structural systems similar to poetry, works are presented through sensations of a never-ending performance. The theatricality in her projects can be explained as an on-going circus patchwork of pain, where muggy misfits cause circulation of hope, humour and magic.Dino Zhang is an artist filmmaker and researcher based in London and Shanghai. Employing an autoethnographic framework to retrace the past, he approaches his practice as inherently research-oriented, gathering cumulative materials and archives from his family and where he grew up. Through grieving, contemplating, and reconciliation with the contradictory discourses of the past, he examines socio-cultural history and how we can embody a burdened past.Jordan Antonowicz-Behnan uses animation as an open space to bring combine a range of media including collage, music, documentary, poetry and live-action. Leaning into the accidental and unknown, he is interested in breaking the rules of animation and often draws upon discarded or unconventional materials, recently sticks, stones, walls, floors, street-signs, tape, and broken glass.Guided by conversations and poetic gestures, Laisul Hoqueā€™s practice explores autotheory through filmmaking and installation, with socially engaged modes of presentation that seek to uplift the individuals and communities connected to each project. Recent projects include a film that documents his motherā€™s first trip to London, made using a camera his father bought twenty years earlier to record his own journey through Europe.Simon Hamlynā€™s process-led approach to filmmaking utilises printmaking techniques to create hybrid analogue-digital experimental animated films. The common subject of his work involves exploring the complex mythologies behind our built environment, examining the stories and circumstances that underlie the spaces we inherit to re-present these moments in visceral animated vignettes. Hamlynā€™s approach blends personal home-video aesthetics with surreal imagery, depicting the fluid and often unreliable nature of memory. /latest/new-year-honours-list-2026 Tue, 06 Jan 2026 10:49:00 +0000 Phil Jones /latest/new-year-honours-list-2026 We are delighted to congratulate Michael French, Head of Games, °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ and Festival Director, London Games Festival, for being appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to the Games Industry, to Inclusion and to Charity! Michael Heads up Games London and has been an influential figure in the UK video games industry for over two decades. He is Festival Director for the London Games Festival, which returns this Spring. Find out more about the upcoming festival here. The New Year Honours List 2026 recognised many London-based professionals from the Screen Industries, including: Tina McFarling, Head of Strategic Communications, British Film Institute. Awarded an MBE in recognition for services to the Film Industry. A highly regarded Comms and media advisor, Tina most recently served as head of strategic communications at the British Film Institute (BFI). Cynthia Erivo, Actor, Singer, Producer and Author. Three-time Oscar nominee and Tony, Emmy and Grammy winner Erivo, recently seen in Wicked: For Good, received the MBE for services to music and drama. Her feature acting credits also include Harriet and Widows. Idris Elba, Activist, Actor and Musician was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to drama in 2016 and recently knighted in the 2026 New Year Honours for services to Young People. The actor earned Bafta nominations for Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom and TVā€™s Luther, and has directed features including Yardie. /±š±¹±š²Ō³Ł²õ/·É“Ē³¾±š²Ō-“Ē“Ś-²¹±ō³¾“Ē»åĆ³±¹²¹°ł Wed, 17 Dec 2025 17:55:00 +0000 Ufuoma Essi /±š±¹±š²Ō³Ł²õ/·É“Ē³¾±š²Ō-“Ē“Ś-²¹±ō³¾“Ē»åĆ³±¹²¹°ł Join the Lexi for Volver, the final screening of their Women of AlmodĆ³var programme and part of the BFI and BFI FANā€™s UK-wide season, Too Much: Melodrama on Film. Raimunda (PenĆ©lope Cruz) and her sister Sole (Lola DueƱas) are visited by the apparition of their Mother (Carmen Maura), who has returned to reconcile with her daughters and resolve an issue that has haunted the family since her death. The 22 December screening includes a pre-recorded introduction from film writer, broadcaster, and journalist, Christina Newland. /events/peter-hujars-day-q-a Wed, 17 Dec 2025 16:42:00 +0000 Ufuoma Essi /events/peter-hujars-day-q-a Another Man and the ICA present a special screening of Ira Sachsā€™ Peter Hujarā€™s Day, an intimate recreation of a day in the life of the cult New York artist and photographer, whose work traced the cityā€™s queer and underground creative communities in dazzling detail through the 1970s and 80s. Following the screening, critic Vince Aletti and artist Gary Schneider will take part in a conversation chaired by Hujar's biographer John Douglas Millar. /events/blknws-terms-conditions Wed, 17 Dec 2025 16:36:00 +0000 Ufuoma Essi /events/blknws-terms-conditions Exclusive to screens in the UK, Kahlil Joseph transforms his video art installation into a layered examination of the Black experience. Join the Barbican Cinema for a unique cinematic experience that mirrors the sonic textures of an album. Adapted from Kahlil Josephā€™s highly acclaimed installation shown at the 2019 Venice Biennale, the film interweaves fictional and historical characters to explore the past, present and future. /events/the-enchanted-cinema-the-snowman Wed, 17 Dec 2025 16:27:00 +0000 Ufuoma Essi /events/the-enchanted-cinema-the-snowman The Enchanted Cinema is bringing their interactive cinema shows to the Horniman this winter with a special screening of The Snowman. Join The Enchanted Cinema as they prepare scenes from the 1982 animated film using instruments from around the world, tree-frog guiros and butterfly charango from South America, Greek lyre harp, African thumb piano, Chinese Wind Gong, South Asian Gopichand and other ingenious foley sound FX. /events/the-muppet-christmas-carol-sing-along Wed, 17 Dec 2025 16:19:00 +0000 Ufuoma Essi /events/the-muppet-christmas-carol-sing-along Join Prince Charles Cinema for special festive screenings of The Muppet Christmas Carol. Join Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and all the hilarious Muppets in this merry, magical version of Charles Dickens' classic tale. There will be a series of Sing-Along performances, and that will feature a Hosted Pre-Show with PCC's very own Father Christmas, where you will be prepped on what to do throughout the film. /events/onyeka-igwes-short-film Wed, 17 Dec 2025 16:05:00 +0000 Ufuoma Essi /events/onyeka-igwes-short-film Join The New Black Film Collective for a screening of Onyeka Igwe's Short Film hosted in collaboration with Bow Arts, and part of their Nolly-Oh! tour. The screening will feature Onyeka Igwe's film The Names Have Been Changed, including my own, and truths have been altered, in which Igwe explores the story of her grandfather, the story of ā€˜the landā€™ and the story of an encounter with Nigeria from a single point in time, in a single place. /events/souleymanes-story Wed, 17 Dec 2025 15:38:00 +0000 Ufuoma Essi /events/souleymanes-story Awarded the Jury Prize and Best Actor Prize in the Un Certain Regard selection at last yearā€™s Cannes Film Festival, as well as 4 CĆ©sar Awards in 2025, Boris Lojkineā€™s Souleymaneā€™s Story starring newcomer Abou SangarĆ©, takes audiences on a visceral ride through the streets of Paris. Souleymane, an asylum-seeking delivery cyclist, has only two days to prepare for a crucial interview. This interview will determine his residence permit status. /latest/ai-in-film-a-new-creative-dialogue Wed, 10 Dec 2025 14:14:00 +0000 Phil Jones /latest/ai-in-film-a-new-creative-dialogue °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ had a full slate at this yearā€™s FOCUS, the London-based trade event bringing together reps from film, TV, advertising, animation and games. Jordan McGarry, °µĶų³Ō¹Ļā€™s Head of Talent Development & Production, led the eventā€™s opening session: AI in film: a new creative dialogue. The room was jam-packed for the eye-opening discussion, which shared insights from a pilot scheme that examined how AI might assist teams of UK and Lebanese creatives at different stages of the filmmaking process. Alongside Jordan were BIFA-nominated writer, director and producer Georgia Goggin (Pretty Red Dress, We Love Moses) who scripted one of the schemeā€™s short films, and Screen Star of Tomorrow Ben Aston (He Took His Skin Off For Me, Russian Roulette), a filmmaker whose own AI explorations helped inform the initiative. The discussion was frank and lively, with Jordan explaining from the outset that one of its aims was to help wrest the narrative back from tech leaders and put it in the hands of the creative community. ā€œI came from a place of being terrified and ignorant but wanting to be terrified and informed,ā€ said Georgia. While she drew a hard line at allowing AI to write her script, Georgia tested ChatGPTā€™s facilities as a development exec. The results were mixed at best, with its script notes seeming informed and au fait with industry lingo only to be debunked upon further interrogation. ā€œIt would always rather affirm what I was trying to do rather than provide an uncomfortable truth,ā€ explained Georgia. ā€œI was feeling positive about an early draft thanks to the initial ChatGPT feedback, but our human producer took one look at my script and pointed out that there was zero conflict.ā€ Elsewhere, Georgia encountered issues when it came to authentic Lebanese dialogue, names and geography, which, combined with the amount of time spent prompting, did not leave a positive lasting impression. ā€œIt would constantly offer me something untrue in place of facts because itā€™s designed to please,ā€ she said. ā€œThat shredded my faith in the platform.ā€ Like Georgia, Ben had decided to tackle AI head-on due to his own lack of knowledge. ā€œAbout a year and a half ago I was freaking out about AI,ā€ he admitted. ā€œIt occurred to me that there was a huge gulf in terms of knowledge, and that this left things wide open for hucksters to exploit.ā€ Rather than a creative force, Ben likened AI to a highly knowledgeable but ultimately boring friend, suggesting that the most interesting experiments with AI tended to take the form of ā€œnightmare scat jazzā€ visions. Ben suggested that visual fidelity was clearly becoming less and less of an issue for the technology and that there were possible use cases when it came to rotoscoping, compositing and pick-ups, but that the human drive to create art and tell stories was still absolutely key. What this did mean, however, was that filmmakers should be mindful as to how much the tech might corrode their process or filmmaking fingerprint. Georgia, whose main positive takeaways stemmed from working with her fellow (human) filmmakers, agreed wholeheartedly. ā€œIt sometimes seems like the end goal of all this is to allow someone to make a film on their own,ā€ she said. ā€œFor me, thatā€™s like saying the solution to climbing Mount Everest is to bulldoze Mount Everest.ā€ AI In Film: A New Creative Dialogue is a project created by Fondation Liban Cinema in collaboration with °µĶų³Ō¹Ļ, with the support of the British Council International Collaboration Grant. The two new short films will screen as part of the London Short Film Festival in 2026, and a report on the pilot schemeā€™s findings will be produced in the new year.