Screen, British Council celebrate UK Stars at LFF

A select group of the 2014 stars, and several alumni from past years, will be celebrated at an invitation-only international industry dinner tonight at Kettners.

This is the first time that Screen’s Stars of Tomorrow have been presented at LFF. The event is supported by British Council and Casting Society of America (CSA), and will be held in association with We Are UK Film.

Briony Hanson, Director of Film, British Council, said: “Connecting the brightest and best filmmakers, both established and up-and-coming, to international audiences and counterparts is absolutely at the heart of what we do at British Council Film. So we are thrilled to be partnering on this event which will give the UK Stars of Tomorrow a focused opportunity to meet and greet key players from the international film industry. We hope the Stars will forge connections that will serve them well as they move onwards and upwards in their careers, and that our international guests feel truly welcome at what is fastbecoming one of the most exciting film festivals in the world.”

Fionnuala Halligan, Screen International contributing editor and curator of Stars of Tomorrow, said: “The BFI London Film Festival is the natural destination for many of the young actors and film-makers starting out in British cinema and British Council is also their natural partner on the way to finding audiences overseas, so it’s a natural partnership which will be extremely helpful for all involved.”

Matthew Lessall, vice president of the CSA, said: “The CSA is excited to be a partner with the BFI London Film Festival and the Screen International UK Stars of Tomorrow. We are presenting a panel on casting with top casting directors from Los Angeles, New York and London. As a global organisation promoting the casting profession, with over 600 members worldwide (20 members in London), we see this as an opportunity to share insights on our craft; all of which relies on the talent of outstanding actors like those who are being recognized. We are particularly excited that the 2014 Screen UK Stars of Tomorrow has recognised one of our members, Rose Wicksteed, and we are excited for her and are here to support her achievement, as it’s important to recognise and celebrate when a programme like Stars of Tomorrow highlights a casting director.”

LFF festival director Clare Stewart added: “We are thrilled to be embarking on this new partnership with Screen International and British Council on an initiative that will provide concrete opportunities for the UK Stars of Tomorrow to expand their networks and engage with international industry attending the BFI London Film Festival. Screen, British Council and the Festival have a commitment to discovering and profiling new British talent and it seems fitting to be launching this partnership in a year when Stars of Tomorrow alumnus Benedict Cumberbatch shined so brightly at our Opening Night gala presentation of The Imitation Game.”

Stars of Tomorrow from 2014 expected to attend tonight include Maisie Williams [pictured], Mia Goth, Aisling Franciosi, Michael Berliner and Chloe Pirrie, plus alumni including John Maclean, David Leon and Mahalia Belo.

Industry guests will include casting directors, packaging agents, festival programmers, producers and financiers.

The dinner will be preceded by a private masterclass led by US casting agent Deborah Aquila, whose credits include The Shawshank Redemption and TV series Dexter and The Shield.

At a separate LFF industry event, CSA casting directors Aquila, Susan Shopmaker (Listen Up Phillip) and Jeanne McCarthy (Foxcatcher) will join the UK’s Gary Davy (Hunger) at a talk tomorrow at 11 am at the Century Club Green Room called Working With A Casting Director. Topics of discussion will include the role casting directors play in discovering new international talent and matching them with producers and directors.

This is the 11th year that Screen International has curated its UK Stars of Tomorrow. Talents highlighted in the past include James McAvoy, Carey Mulligan, Emily Blunt, Dominic Cooper, John Boyega, Andrea Arnold and Robert Pattinson.