Industry forum at 70th BFI London Film Festival spotlights UK producers, with Pippa Harris and James Wilson headlining

Two of the UK’s most successful producers, Pippa Harris (The Beatles, Hamnet, 1917) and James Wilson (The Zone of Interest, The Voice of Hind Rajab, Under the Skin), will have individual Spotlight Conversations at the 70th BFI London Film Festival’s Industry Forum to discuss their careers, current projects and navigating the international film and TV market in a rapidly changing landscape.  

The LFF’s Industry Forum welcomes industry delegates from all over the world for a programme of thought-provoking conversations with some of the most exciting practitioners working in the screen industries and networking events with professionals from all over the world. Industry accreditation is now open. The scheduling of the Spotlight Conversations, together with the full LFF Industry Forum programme will be announced mid-September. 

As one of the most acclaimed and dynamic producers working in film and television today, Pippa’s work has had a huge impact with audiences all over the world. Pippa will join us for a deep dive into her pioneering work, including the hugely ambitious and much-anticipated quartet The Beatles films, directed by Sam Mendes – also her Neal Street co-founder, and currently in production. Pippa will discuss the challenges of development and production and her relationship with filmmakers and talent across her career. Pippa’s credits include Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA winning films Hamnet and 1917, Oscar and BAFTA nominated Revolutionary Road, Jarhead and The Magic Faraway Tree and some of our best loved TV productions including Call the Midwife, Penny Dreadful, Britannia, The Hollow Crown and Stuart, A Life Backwards.  

James Wilson, one of the UK’s most exciting independent film producers, will draw on his 30+ years in the business, to discuss his incredible career and bold creative collaborations. James has worked with visionary independent filmmakers to great creative and commercial success on films that include the Oscar and BAFTA winning The Zone of Interest and Under the Skin (Jonathan Glazer), You Were Never Really Here (Lynne Ramsay), The Voice of Hind Rajab (Kaouther Ben Hania), Hamlet (Aneil Karia), 20,000 Days on Earth (Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard) and The Pervert’s Guide to Ideology (Sophie Fiennes). This conversation will guide us through James’ key career moments, from his years at Fox Searchlight Pictures and Film4, where he was the production executive on, among others, Sexy Beast and Dancer in the Dark, through to the creation of his own company JW Films in the 2000s.   

“This year our industry programme puts a spotlight on producers and the vital role they play in shepherding artistic visions from their earliest stages through to the screen,” said Kristy Matheson, BFI London Film Festival Director. “I’m delighted that industry colleagues will have the opportunity to hear from Pippa Harris and James Wilson – two esteemed producers whose unique creative careers have given us some of the most memorable and critically acclaimed films of recent years.” 

Attendance of international industry professional delegates to the LFF has doubled over the last five years, and this year it once again welcomes world-leading figures to share their experience and knowledge. In addition to the Spotlight conversations, expect a programme of in-person panel discussions and targeted networking events for industry delegates, creating valuable opportunities for creatives and industry professionals to meet and make new connections with UK and international colleagues seeking potential creative and business collaboration.  Industry delegates also get access to the LFF’s Press & Industry screening programme which will start in September.