The 2024 BFI London Film Festival has unveiled a bustling lineup of speakers and events for its industry forum.
Set to take place between Oct. 10-16 at the Picturehouse Central cinema in central London, the festival’s industry arm is headlined by a trio of “LFF Spotlight” conversations with Working Title Films co-chairs Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner (whose current output includes Steve McQueen’s festival opener “Blitz”), Searchlight’s head of international production and development Katie Goodson-Thomas, and Apple TV+ creative director for Europe — and BFI Chair — Jay Hunt.
Elsewhere, Variety is sponsoring a conversation with Johnnie Burn, the award-winning sound designer whose long list of credits include a lengthy collaborative partnership with Yorgos Lanthimos (including last year’s “Poor Things”) and “The Zone of Interest,” for which he won an Oscar.
Other events include discussions with documentary filmmakers Cécile Embleton (“Mother Vera”) and Manon Ouimet and Jacob Perlmutter (“Two Strangers Trying Not to Kill Each Other”) and the team behind “Last Swim,” including co-writer/director Sasha Nathwani, cinematographer Olan Collardy, co-writer/producer Helen Simmons and producers Campbell Beaton and Nisha Mullea . Meanwhile four panel discussions will explore themes of shifting world markets, original stories, adaptations and remakes, film and TV work across the U.K. and marketing of independent film with teams of sales agents, producers, emerging writers and marketing specialists, respectively.
“We’re excited about this year’s line-up of events for our industry forum and our heartfelt thanks go to the incredible talent and speakers for generously sharing their knowledge and experience,” said London Film Festival director Kristy Matheson. “Working and learning together is increasingly vital in our evolving industry as we look to forge new connections for collaboration and storytelling.”
Alongside the various talks there are also several networking events for creatives, producers and buyers and sellers, plus a work-in-progress showcase and Masterclass series for emerging U.K. talent.
“This year’s industry programme of talks and events is setting out to provide insights and inspiration,” said the festival’s industry program manager, Silvia Angrisani. “We are welcoming conversations with writers, directors, producers, financiers and sound designers as well as the business of international sales and marketing, whilst considering the questions around how we balance creativity and risk. Our sessions will offer delegates the opportunity to be in the room and hear international industry leaders as well as new voices. In addition, our networking and business meetings will foster international collaborations and hopefully create and informal and warm setting to discover new talent and new partners, locally and internationally.”