US producer Anthony Bregman, incoming BFI London Film Festival director Kristy Matheson and leading UK execs are among the speakers confirmed for the second edition of the Sundance Film Festival: London industry programme.
The Sundance Institute will once again be partnering with Picturehouse for this year’s event, which takes place at London’s Picturehouse Central from July 6-9.
Bregman will deliver the keynote talk. He premiered three features at the Sundance Film Festival in January: Flora And Son, Eileen and You Hurt My Feelings, and is co-founder of New York-based production company Likely Story, with film credits including Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, In The Heights and Sing Street.
“Sundance has been a second home for me since I first started producing movies, and over the past nearly 30 years they’ve been an indispensable supporter of my films, not to mention the films that advance the art of cinema and inspire me,” said Bregman. “I’m thrilled to be attending Sundance London for the first time, and looking forward to meeting new talent and connecting with the local industry in the UK.”
Further speakers from Sundance include Sundance Institute CEO Joana Vicente, new Sundance Film Festival director Eugene Hernandez and director of programming Kim Yutani.
The UK funders and commissioners taking part are Mia Bays, director of the BFI Filmmaking Fund, Farhana Bhula, Film4’s head of creative, Eva Yates, director of BBC Film and Andrew Orr, Sky Cinema head of original film.
Further industry figures include Phil Hunt (Bankside/Headgear/Bohemia), Bobby Allen (Mubi), Akua Gyamfi (The British Blacklist), Sophie Green (Bankside), Tejinder Jouhal (HanWay), Finn Halligan (Screen International), Hannah Boulton (The Agency), Negeen Yazdi (Fifth Season), Julie La’Bassiere (Apple), Christos Michaels (Lee & Thompson),Karina Gechtman (Anton Corp), Jonathan Rutter (Premier PR), Len Rowles (Protagonist), Melanie Iredale (Reclaim The Frame); Shanida Scotland (Doc Society) and Mia Powell (Pretty Bird).
Director Prano Bailey Bond, screenwriter Tony Grisoni, script consultant Kate Leys, plus producers Alison Owen, Carlo Cresto-Dina, Matthew James Wilkinson, Faye Ward, Emily Morgan, Sarah Brocklehurst and Farah Abushwesha will also feature.
Activities and events
The industry talks programme will examine topics including sustainable production, new ways of reaching audiences, how to get the most out of film festivals and masterclasses with top filmmakers.
New this year is a live pitching session where emerging filmmakers can pitch their idea and get instant feedback from a panel of experts from across production, financing, distribution and festivals.
Activities including a daily networking brunch for newcomers to learn from experts, and a daily happy hour for networking.
“We were all so thrilled with the response to our first industry programme in 2022 and we’re excited to offer even more enhanced industry activities at Sundance Film Festival: London 2023,” said Wendy Mitchell, festival producer at Sundance Film Festival: London. “It’s been great to see the response from so many industry experts keen to be involved and meet and mentor emerging talents.
”Last year my favourite story was that Gurinder Chadha spoke at one of our brunches, and met a young producer there and later invited him to a table reading at her house. That’s the kind of real connection and meaning we hope our industry programme can deliver again this year.”
The full film programme for the festival will be unveiled on May 3.
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