The British Film Institute (BFI) has unveiled the line-up of speakers and events taking place at the Cannes UK Pavilion, including talent talks with Santosh filmmaker Sandhya Suri and Birds and Kinds Of Kindness director of photography Robbie Ryan, as well as panel discussions on the historic UK independent tax credit and a conversation with representatives from UK film funders from across the nations and regions.
Suri will be joined by UK producer Mike Goodridge from Good Chaos and Eva Yates, director of BBC Film, to share the journey behind Suri’s narrative director debut, which plays in Un Certain Regard.
Irish director of photography Ryan is in Cannes with two films In Competition this year – Bird directed by Andrea Arnold and Kinds Of Kindness from Yorgos Lanthimos. Ryan, whose credits include Poor Things and The Old Oak, will be discussing his work to-date.
Scroll down for the full line-up
After the UK’s new Audio-Visual Expenditure Credits (AVEC) came into play in January, and the Independent Film Tax Credit (IFTC), which gives 40% of relief after tax for UK qualifying independent films with budgets up to £15m, being introduced in March, the BFI’s deputy chief executive Harriet Finney will be unpacking the details of the new measures alongside UK producer Bennett McGhee, co-founder of Home Team, Judith Chan, executive director at bank Coutts &Co, and Isla MacGillivray, partner at chartered accountants, Saffery.
UK film funders will also take part in a conversation about national and international ambitions, how they are working to empower emerging talent in a new media landscape, and their approach to creativity and risk. Taking part will be Mia Bays, director of the BFI National Lottery Filmmaking Fund; Isabel Davis, executive director, Screen Scotland; Ursula Devine, development executive, Northern Ireland Screen; Shanida Scotland, co-director and Global Head of Film at Doc Society; and Lee Walters, chief executive, Ffilm Cymru Wales; and Denitsa Yordanova, head of UK Global Screen Fund and International Funds.
There will also be a Great 8 presentation of films and their filmmakers, co-hosted between the BFI and British Council, to UK and international buyers and programmers. Films taking part in this year’s showcase are Brides, Bring Them Down, The Fall Of Sir Douglas Weatherford, On Falling, The Salt Path, Sunlight, Surviving Earth and documentary Witches.
The BFI is also partnering with Diversity in Cannes, the British Blacklist and Times Up UK to host a lunch event as part of the Cannes Market event programme, celebrating Black women filmmakers (12:30-14:30, Sunday May 19).
UK Pavilion industry events are open to festival and market delegates as well as press attending the festival. The UK Pavilion is based in the Cannes Market International Village, and this year, unveils a new look and feel reflecting the launch of the new ScreenUK industry brand, replacing We Are UK Film.
UK Pavilion 2024 industry events:
Thursday May 16
Great 8 presentation of films with their filmmakers
(16:30-17:30)
Friday May 17
Talent talk: Robbie Ryan, director of photography
(11:30-12:30)
Good work in production: how can we become the healthiest and happiest sector to work in?
Speakers: Grainne Brunsdon, chief operating officer, Screen Australia; Philippa Childs, Bectu, UK; Agnès Toullieux, deputy secretary general, Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée, France.
(11:30-12:30 – location: Palais des Festivals)
International co-productions: case studies
Speakers: September Says producers Rachel Dargavel, Crybaby Films, Chelsea Morgan Hoffmann, Element Pictures and Mark Byrne, group head of business affairs, Sackville Film and Television Productions; and for Leonora In The Morning Light, producer James Heath, Mallinson Television Productions and producer Lena Vurma, Dragonfly Films.
(16:00-17:00)
Saturday May 18
How the UK’s new Audio-Visual Expenditure Credits (AVEC) work and the introduction of the AVEC for independent film
Speakers: Bennett McGhee, co-founder, Home Team; Judith Chan, executive director, Coutts&Co; Harriet Finney, deputy chief executive, BFI; and Isla MacGillivray, partner, Saffery.
(11.30-12.30)
Working together: how to find your international partner
Speakers: Guevara Namer, DOK co-pro market coordinator; Dok Leipzig, Alessandra Pastore, market manager, When East Meets West; Justin Pechberty, co-founder, Les Valseurs; and Elhum Shakerifar, producer and curator, Hakawati.
(14:00-15:00)
Developing new audiences for independent film: international case studies
Speakers: Sarah Calderon, Director, The Film Agency, Ian Cartwright, Co-founder, Elevenfiftyfive, Manon Dulauroy, Distribution Director, Piece of Magic Entertainment and Anne Pouliquen, Director, Futura Cinema.
(16:00-17:00)
Sunday May 19
Supporting creativity across the UK: film funders in conversation
Speakers: Mia Bays, director, BFI National Lottery Filmmaking Fund; Isabel Davis, executive director, Screen Scotland; Ursula Devine, development executive, Northern Ireland Screen’ Shanida Scotland, co-director and global head of film at Doc Society; Lee Walters, chief executive, Ffilm Cymru Wales; and Denitsa Yordanova, Head of UK Global Screen Fund and International Funds.
(11:30-12:30)
Storytelling across media: film, TV, interactive formats and games
Speakers: John Giwa-Amu, CEO, Good Gate Media; Eline van der Velden, founder and CEO, Particle6; and Neil McPhillips, co-head of Games, Blazing Griffin.
(14:00-15:00)
Talent talk: Santosh
Speakers: Writer-director Sandhya Suri, producer Mike Goodridge from Good Chaos and Eva Yates, director of BBC Film.
(16:00-17:00)
Monday May 20
Challenges and opportunities in the international circulation of UK films
Speakers: Stephan De Potter, CEO, Cineart , Stefano Massenzi, Head of Acquisitions, Lucky Red, Sarah Mosses, CEO, Together Films, and Fabien Westerhoff, CEO, Film Constellation.
(11:30-12:30)
Maya: The Birth Of A Superhero and Evolver (Cannes immersive works)
Speakers: Maya: The Birth Of A Superhero artists Poulomi Basu and CJ Clarke; Evolver producers Emma Hamilton and Sam Pressman.
(14:00 to 15:00)
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