BFI, Working Title Films Spotlight Events at 2024 London Film Festival

Spotlight sessions featuring the bosses of Working Title Films, the international head of Searchlight Pictures and the chair of the BFI, as well as panels on the story behind the success of Last Swim, emerging film writers and documentary makers, adaptations and remakes, the art of sound, and marketing magic are among the industry sessions at this year’s BFI London Film Festival.

Organizers unveiled the discussions on a broad range of topics on Monday.

In Spotlight sessions, BFI CEO Ben Roberts will discuss U.K. film production, the transformation of the industry, talent relationships and how to nurture a new generation of filmmakers with Working Title co-chairs Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, while BFI chair Jay Hunt, who is also creative director, Europe, worldwide video at Apple, will discuss her career and the industry. Plus, Katie Goodson-Thomas, head of international production and development for Searchlight’s U.K operations (The Banshees of Inisherin, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Poor Things, All of Us Strangers), will share her insights.

Check out the full list of events and their descriptions below.

THE ART OF SOUND. JOHNNIE BURN IN CONVERSATION 
Thursday, October 10 at 11:45am, Picturehouse Central 

“The LFF is thrilled to welcome Oscar and BAFTA award-winning sound designer Johnnie Burn for an exceptional opportunity to delve into the art of sound with filmmaker and producer Charlotte Matheson. With a portfolio of films spanning Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest and Under the Skin, Jordan Peele’s Nope and many of Yorgos Lanthimos’s projects including The Lobster and Poor Things, Johnnie will guide the audience through key scenes from his celebrated work and analyse how sound contributes to creating immersive landscapes and enriching the film experience. He will also shine a light on the work of sound professionals and their relationships with directors and heads of departments.”

ANATOMY OF A DEBUT: LAST SWIM  
Thursday, October 10 at 3:30pm, Picturehouse Central

“After their success at the Berlinale, the Last Swim team will offer a deep dive into the making of the film, its creative genesis and business journey, from assembling the creative team and casting, to raising finance, securing sales representation and eventually arriving to that magic moment where the film eventually meets its audience. Writer-director Sasha Nathwani will be joined by co-writer and executive producer Helen Simmons (co-producer Hoard), cinematographer Olan Collardy (Rye Lane) and producers Campbell Beaton (Hot Property, Bonus Track and many commercial and music videos) and Nisha Mullea (videos – The Heist Not One is Talking About, Save the Children: Still the Most Shocking Second a Day) in discussion with Mariayah Kaderbhai, head of programs, BAFTA.” 

NEW VOICES IN DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING 
Friday, October 11 at 11:45 am, Picturehouse Central 

“Documentary film has long been an important part of the LFF and this year three filmmakers with backgrounds in documentary filmmaking, photography and fine arts will share their creative processes and production journeys in bringing their distinctive non-fiction films to screen. Programmed by the LFF in collaboration with Sheffield DocFest, filmmakers Cécile Embleton for Mother Vera and Manon Ouimet and Jacob Perlmutter for Two Strangers Trying Not to Kill Each Other will be joined in the discussion by Raul Niño Zambrano, Creative Director, Sheffield DocFest.”

FADE IN. EMERGING WRITERS IN CONVERSATION supported by WGGB – The Writers’ Union 
Friday, October 11 at 3:30pm, Picturehouse Central 

“Bringing new talent into the industry spotlight, six passionate emerging writers from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will discuss their journey into screenwriting, their sources of inspiration and their writing process in discussion with producer and consultant Anna Higgs. Having developed their skills in writers’ rooms, talent labs, and screenwriting competitions, they have built up their credits in short films, children shows, theatre and TV drama and they are now stepping into feature films. With references ranging from Amadeus to Ghost in the Shell, the speakers will share their personal themes and obsessions, and how they are sharpening their style. Join us to celebrate the power of storytelling. They are Alys Metcalf, Andrew Wong, Angela Franklyn, Carley Magee, Celia Morgan, and Shannon Welby.”

A MAP TO THE STARS: CASE STUDIES IN MARKETING AND PROMOTION OF INDEPENDENT FILMS
Monday, October 14 at 3:30pm, Picturehouse Central  

“How did a black-and-white drama set in Rome in 1946, amid the ruins left by the war, directed by an actress working behind the camera for the first time – Paola Cortellesi’s There Is Still Tomorrow – reach the top of Italian box office for 2023, ahead such giants as Barbie and Oppenheimer? And how did an independent first film in the Irish language – Colm Bairéad’s The Quiet Girl  – become a best international feature film contender at the Academy Awards? Marketing and promotion specialists Mathias Noschis (Founder of Alphapanda, Berlin) and Laura Mirabella (Chief Marketing Officer at Vision Distribution, Rome) will discuss how the films made European cinema history with film and industry programmer Nadia M Oliva.”

SPOTLIGHT CONVERSATION WITH KATIE GOODSON-THOMAS, SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES
Tuesday October 15 at 11:45am, Picturehouse Central  

“For over a decade, Katie Goodson-Thomas has overseen a prestigious slate of U.K. and international features at Searchlight Pictures, including The Banshees of Inisherin, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Poor Things and All of Us Strangers. As head of international production and development for Searchlight’s U.K. operation, she has been supporting both established and new filmmakers, as well as nurturing multiple relationships in the U.K. film industry. Prior to her role at Searchlight, Goodson-Thomas was head of film at Chris Coen’s Unanimous Pictures, having previously worked at companies, including Origin Pictures and Working Title Films, and with some of the U.K.’s best producing and directing talent, including Graham Broadbent, Lynne Ramsay, James Marsh and Danny Boyle.”  The conversation will be moderated by journalist and film festival consultant Wendy Mitchell. 

SPOTLIGHT CONVERSATION WITH WORKING TITLE’S TIM BEVAN AND ERIC FELLNER  
Tuesday October 15 at 3:30pm, Picturehouse Central

“Working Title’s contribution to the U.K. film industry locally and internationally is unparalleled,” the LFF highlights. “Co-chaired by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner Working Title has forged a reputation as a world-leading British production company having created well-loved and critically acclaimed film and TV content for 40 years. With an eye to developing talent, they recently announced with Universal its Global Writers Program, the studio’s first internationally-run talent initiative, and they also co-founded the London Screen Academy, a state-funded sixth-form academy for young people of all backgrounds.”

GOOD STORIES: ORIGINALS, ADAPTATIONS AND REMAKES  
Wednesday, October 16 at 11:45am, Picturehouse Central 

The ultimate search for success – finding and acquiring good stories? Across big and smaller screens, the story plays a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the final project. Our panel of experts in film finance, remake rights, film production and writing talent will share their insights in scouting stories and dealing with originals, adaptations and remakes whilst assessing risk on new or pre-existing IP; the part played by data and instinct decision-making; and evaluating potential against different platforms and markets.  Kevin Loader (producer and Co-Founder, Free Range Film), Tolu Stedford (executive producer and CEO, Story Compound), Meg Thomson (EVP Worldwide Content, Globalgate Entertainment) and Alex Walton (Co-Head, WME Independent) will be joined by the discussion chair, Rowan Woods, Creative Director of the Edinburgh TV Festival. 

SPOTLIGHT CONVERSATION WITH JAY HUNT  
Wednesday, October 16 at 3:30pm, Picturehouse Central  

“With an impressive career spanning over 30 years, Jay Hunt has been championing U.K. talent throughout her whole professional journey. The only person to have been the creative head of BBC1, Channel 4 and Channel 5, she has commissioned such contemporary classics as Slow Horses, Luther, Sherlock, Black Mirror, Derry Girls and Gogglebox.  In this exclusive conversation with BAFTA award-winning television presenter, radio personality and journalist, Claudia Winkleman, Jay will talk about her career and its key moments, including working in the public and private sectors and how they can work together.”