Speakers and events announced for this year’s LFF Industry Forum

Opening with a Spotlight conversation with prolific UK producer and co-CEO of House Productions, Tessa Ross, this year’s Industry Forum will go on to explore the pivotal role of producers in nurturing creativity and navigating the ever-changing landscape of the international film industry. 

Four award-winning producers - Maria Ekerhovd (Sentimental Value), Emily Morgan (Dreamers), Klaudia Śmieja-Rostworowska (Orphan) and Lorna Tee (Diamonds in the Sand) - will discuss the art of international co-productions, and the core creative teams behind festival highlights Ish (writer-director Imran Perretta, producer Dhiraj Mahey, and co-writer Enda Walsh) and The Death of Bunny Munro (director Isabella Eklöf, producer Ed Macdonald, and writer Pete Jackson) join the line-up for deep dives into these anticipated titles.

Immersive, XR and video games will be platformed in the inaugural LFF Expanded Industry Day, and discussion events on VFX, documentaries and film festivals will explore how these sectors are looking to capitalise on opportunities and innovations: 

• leading VFX creatives and producers from prestigious UK VFX studios Framestore, Milk, beloFX and One of Us, will discuss the art and craft of visual effects at a timely moment for the sector following the introduction of the UK VFX tax credit; 

• leading figures from documentary production, distribution and sales will discuss distribution strategies for non-fiction films including Stephanie Fuchs (Autlook Filmsales), Eve Gabereau (Modern Films), Luke Brawley (Indox), Lali Madueño (Perpetua Cine);

• directors and senior programmers from international film festivals will join a conversation about how festivals are working and evolving to better support cinema and creativity, including Thomas Rosso (Cannes’ Semaine de la Critique), Jacqueline Lyanga (Berlinale), Pia Lundberg (Göteborg Film Festival) and Kristy Matheson (BFI Festivals)

The festival has doubled the attendance of international industry professional delegates over the last five years and will once again welcome world-leading figures who will share their experience and knowledge. Industry Forum speakers cover the lifecycle of film – from script stage and pre-production through to international sales and distribution – and new talent will also be spotlighted with six rising screenwriters from across the UK joining the ‘Emerging Writers in Conversation’ event.

“Film festivals are all about connection and I’m thrilled to see this exciting line-up of UK and international guests joining us to share their time, knowledge and experience,” said Kristy Matheson, BFI London Film Festival Director. “As ever, our popular networking events and curated meetings will continue to foster new creative and business collaborations, and I look forward to seeing the results of these in the years to come.”

“We are delighted to be welcoming international creatives and industry leaders across the whole programme of panel events, taking a deep dive into key areas of the industry from VFX to international sales and screenwriting to festival curation,” said Silvia Angrisani, BFI London Film Festival, Industry Programme Manager. “We are especially pleased to be welcoming leading UK producer Tessa Ross for this year’s Spotlight event and to be hosting so many producers across the programme, in a celebration of the integral and instrumental role that independent producers play in the film ecosystem.”

In addition to the programme of in-person panel discussions, the LFF Industry Forum offers a targeted range of 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. 

For the first time, international delegations of experienced feature film producers from Germany and Brazil will attend the LFF and participate in targeted co-production meetings with their UK counterparts — organised by the BFI’s international team in collaboration with the Goethe Institute in London and the German Federal Film Board (FFA), and with the São Paulo International Film Festival, respectively. 

Supporting UK screen-based businesses and talent, and increasing opportunities for international collaboration, the 2025 Industry Forum features a variety of talent development initiatives, as part of the UK Talent Days focus in partnership with the British Council. These include the sixth edition of the Works-in-Progress showcase for new UK work; the BFI NETWORK@LFF programme for UK-based writers, directors and producers; and the LFF Critics Mentorship Programme. An exclusive BFI Film Academy Relaunch event will also reveal how the organisation is evolving its flagship UK-wide training programme.

Industry accreditation is open to UK and international filmmakers and individuals working in a professional capacity in film and/or wider screen sectors.