Film London

19/10/2026

Applications for Cohort 8 of Film London’s Connect Mentoring Programme will soon be open!

Mentoring can be a powerful way to find support for people who want to focus on their career development and make decisions about their next steps. It can genuinely be a life-changing experience for the mentees and mentors.

To be eligible for the programme you must be aged 18-30 and be a new or early film industry entrant. Please note too that we will be prioritising applications from individuals identifying as being from global majority and/or under-represented groups including disabled, neurodivergent and working class individuals.

As a mentee you will be offered training, advice, guidance and access to a suite of resources by the mentoring team and we will work with you throughout the length of the 6 month programme.

Applications will open from Monday 28 October at 10am.

https://filmlondon.org.uk/latest/film-london-connect-cohort-8

18/10/2026

After a fantastic couple of weeks, the 70th BFI London Film Festival draws to a close this evening with the Closing Gala screening of The Debut. Writer-director Jesse Eisenberg delivers a rapturous and raucously funny love letter to community theatre, featuring a luminous lead performance by Julianne Moore.

https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/lff/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=debut-lff26&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id=

17/10/2026

By popular demand, Creative Trades Networking returns to Walthamstow Trades Hall on Thursday 29 October, from 7pm to 9pm.

If you’re a curator, producer, or local maker, come and have a proper chinwag with the people making things happen in this corner of London. Whether you’re looking for a collaborator or just want to see what’s bubbling across East London communities, you’re more than welcome.

https://ticketlab.app/event/39984-Creative-Trades-Networking-October-2026-tickets?mc_cid=74ef56e1a6&mc_eid=6d87b96074 #/

16/10/2026

The Uruguayan Film and Audiovisual Agency (ACAU), co-organiser of the Ventana Sur audiovisual market, is delivering a Spotlight on the UK programme of activity at this year's market, supported by the BFI National Lottery UK Focus Fund. The activity aims to strengthen the relationship between the UK and Latin American screen industries. As part of this UK focused activity, ACAU is inviting applications from UK producers with feature film projects in active development, to attend Ventana Sur 2026 and to pitch their projects to Latin American industry.

16/10/2026

Apply now for Grierson DocLab: Development, a programme is a professional development initiative designed for eight early to mid-career practitioners already working in factual television and documentary.

Celebrating the best of documentary and factual filmmaking through the Grierson Awards, Grierson DocLab and wider sessions

16/10/2026

Film London presents the second of four newly commissioned texts on the work of the 2026 Jarman Award shortlist.

Responding to Ilona Sagar’s ‘Other Actors’ (2025), journalist and critic Oliver Basciano considers how Sagar imagines new forms of citizenship and inclusiveness suggested by the utopian ideals of Paimio Sanatorium.

Available to read now on the Film London website, or in a free printed booklet available to audiences at partner venues of the 2026 Jarman Award tour.

Image: Ilona Sagar, Other Actors (2025), film still. Courtesy of the artist.

https://filmlondon.org.uk/flamin/the-jarman-award/jarman-award-2026/new-writing-ilona-sagar?mc_cid=74ef56e1a6&mc_eid=6d87b96074

15/10/2026

Join us for the next BFI NETWORK Shorts School! A free online series of talks for emerging directors, writers and producers working towards a short form project and those interested in applying to the next round of the Short Film Fund.

We will also be talking about the Early Development Fund, which is now open. This supports writers in the very early stage of their development process, before having a script, to produce an initial treatment and related materials for a feature film idea (live action, immersive and animation fiction projects).

Guest speakers include;

Simon Brooke, Director & Writer, Yellow Bucket (Iris Prize-nominated)
Riffy Ahmed, Director, The Call & Writer (Early Development Funded)

https://buytickets.at/filmlondon/2456014/r/linkedin

15/10/2026

Thanks to everyone who presented or attended this morning, and a big thanks to the Barbican Cinema for hosting!

15/10/2026

Great to be at the Barbican Cinema for the BFI London Film Festival edition of our Exhibitors’ Breakfast

14/10/2026

The BFI, in collaboration with the BFI Doc Society Fund, are welcoming applications for a Group Attendance to EFM DocSalon in Berlin, running 11-16 February 2027.

Selected producers will have access to the DocSalon industry programme, documentary-specific networking events, the EFM conference and a dedicated UK Documentary Showcase open to all EFM accredited industry. The BFI will cover return economy travel from the UK, five nights of hotel accommodation, and EFM accreditation.

This guide gives you advice and recommendations on how to write a good application to the BFI National Lottery International Connections Fund for an in-kind Group Attendance award.