Applications open for the BFI LFF Critics Mentorship Programme 2026

Are you an aspiring film critic or journalist? If you’re writing reviews for blogs or social media but haven’t yet broken into established platforms, apply to the award-winning BFI London Film Festival Critics Mentorship Programme and gain industry mentorship and the opportunity to have your work published by LFF media partners and the BFI. 

The mentorship runs 7 to 9 October, offering access to press screenings and events, alongside opportunities to write reviews and features and build industry connections. Successful applicants will also attend the 70th BFI London Film Festival (7 to 18 October 2026). 

Mentees are paid the London Living Wage for work produced during the three days and receive full press accreditation for the full festival. Those based outside London may receive travel and accommodation support.

By the end, participants will have strengthened their film journalism skills, gained industry insight, expanded their portfolio, built professional networks, and received confirmation of completion. Previous years’ participants have interviewed talent including Sir Steve McQueen, Mike Leigh, Jeymes Samuel, Letitia Wright, Malcolm Washington, Nikyatu Jusu, Yemi Bamiro and Adura Onashile.

We continue to look at how we can better serve writers from underrepresented communities by offering mentorship that can pave the way to future opportunities for paid work in the media. As in previous years, we will be offering the 2026 Critics Mentorship to mentees from underrepresented voices in film criticism.  

For this year applicants should self-identify from the following underrepresented groups: 

• Black, MENA (Middle East and North African), South Asian, South East Asian or East Asian background, including mixed ethnicity applicants 
• D/deaf and disabled applicants, including those who are neurodivergent or have a long term health condition 

The BFI welcomes intersectionality across a number of areas. These include, gender, sexuality, age, religion, geographical location (nations and regions) and socioeconomic circumstances. 

• Applicants must be 18 and over with the right to work in the UK 
• To be eligible you will have not had any written work published in/on a national print publication/online platform before.  
• An interest in film with excellent writing skills  
• The ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with BFI colleagues, partners and stakeholders. 
• You will self-identify from one or more of the underrepresented groups as detailed above 
• A commitment to continuous professional development and passion for film journalism 

Due to the demands of the programme and the availability of Lead Mentors, applicants must be able to commit to the full schedule of activity, in particular being available full time from 7 to 9 October 2026, including evenings. Please do not apply if you are unavailable on these specific dates. 

Please submit your application by 23:59 on Thursday 4 June 2026.