The ScreenUK Industry Podcast

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

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

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 

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

 

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

 

 

 

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

Talent Talk: Urchin. Featuring Harris Dickinson, Archie Pearch, Josée Deshaies and Wendy Mitchell

In this episode we are joined by Harris Dickinson (Triangle of Sadness, Babygirl, Scrapper), whose first feature film, Urchin, premieres in ‘Un Certain Regard’ at Cannes Film Festival 2025. Harris is joined on the panel by director of photography Josée Deshaies (The Beast, Big Giant Wave, Babysitter) and producer Archie Pearch. Urchin is backed by BBC FILM and the BFI.

 

Guests:

 

Harris Dickinson

Writer-director

URCHIN

 

Archie Pearch

Producer

Devisio Pictures

URCHIN

 

Josée Deshaies

Director of Photography

URCHIN

 

Moderator:

Wendy Michell

Journalist and Film festival Consultant

 

 

Host and Producer:

Lawrence Francis

www.linkedin.com/in/l-francis

 

Series Trailer: The ScreenUK Industry Podcast @ Cannes Film Festival 2025

This is the podcast for the film industry.

Subscribe now for the new series of the ScreenUK Industry Podcast, which will be coming to you from the ScreenUK Pavilion at the heart of the Cannes film Festival 2025.

For more information about the series visit www.screenuk.org/industry or follow us or drop us a message on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/screen-uk-industry 

 

About ScreenUK:

Welcome to our worlds

Screen UK represents England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and every region, city, town, village and corner of this place we call home.

The most outstanding screen businesses are born and become brilliant here. Creative and innovative film, TV, documentary, animation and games companies – all with their own ways of bringing creative excellence and unique ideas to screens all over the world.

Screen UK Industry represents our national and regional agencies at key international festivals and markets.

We aim to showcase UK creative excellence to the world and encourage engagement and collaboration with UK talent and businesses by helping to:

> make and develop international connections and provide information about our production industry – including our outstanding production services, talent, locations and content.

> be the place the UK screen industry uses to provide information that promotes their work internationally; and the place the international industry turns to find out more on how to collaborate with the UK screen sector.

 

Talent Talk: Immersive stories in competition

Join us for a deep dive into two immersive works, both featuring in Cannes Immersive Competition. Artists Poulomi Basu and CJ Clarke bring us behind the scenes of Maya: The Birth of a Superhero, an immersive story following an ordinary girl as she transforms into a uniquely female superhero whose powers derive from menstruation. The work will have its European premiere in Cannes. We are also joined by producers Emma Hamilton and Sam Pressman who guide us through Evolver (French Premiere), a work which takes the audience on a journey inside the human body, through the processes that sustain all life.

Moderator:

Ulrich Schrauth | XR & Immersive Programme Lead
BFI

Speakers:

Poulomi Basu | Creator and co-director
Maya: The Birth of a Superhero

CJ Clarke | Co-director
Maya: The Birth of a Superhero

Emma Hamilton | Producer
Evolver [Marshmallow Laser Feast]

Sam Pressman | Producer
Evolver [CEO Pressman Film]

 

Podcast hosted and produced by Lawrence Francis.

 

For more information about ScreenUK Industry visit www.screenuk.org/industry and follow us on LinkedIn atwww.linkedin.com/company/screen-uk-industry/

 

 

 

The International Circulation of UK Films

With intensifying competition for talent and skills, significant production cost inflation and disruptive changes in the modes of consumption, the sales performance of UK independent films face complex challenges. In this episode we meet a panel of international sales agents and distributors to discuss how UK films travel across borders. Do genre films travel more widely than arthouse, auteur-driven films? And what does ‘UK cinema’ mean to other countries? From works by internationally renowned filmmakers to breakthrough first features, the episode delves into the cultural and economic aspects of the international circulation of UK films.

Moderator:

Wendy Mitchell | Journalist and film festival consultant

Speakers:

Stephan De Potter | CEO
Cineart

Stefano Massenzi | Head of Acquisitions
Lucky Red

Sarah Mosses | CEO 
Together Films

Fabien Westerhoff | CEO
Film Constellation

 

Podcast hosted and produced by Lawrence Francis.

 

For more information about ScreenUK Industry visit www.screenuk.org/industry and follow us on LinkedIn atwww.linkedin.com/company/screen-uk-industry/