Director of BBC Film Eva Yates and Film4 director Farhana Bhula are among the speakers taking part in the line-up of events at the 2026 Cannes UK Pavilion, running from May 15-18.
They will be discussing artistic choices, new talent and changing audiences. Also taking to the stage will be producers John Giwa-Amu of Good Gate Media, Chelsea Morgan Hoffmann of Element Pictures and Carthew Neal from Fumes and Piki Films to discuss cross-media adaptations.
How To Have Sex co-producer Konstantinos Kontovrakis of Greece’s Kinestet, The Birthday Party co-producer Leontine Petit of Netherlands-based Lemming Film and Triangle Of Sadness co-producer Julio Chavezmontes, founder and CEO of Mexico’s Piano, will discuss their experiences of partnering on projects with the UK.
Further discussions taking place in the pavilion include launching new talent into the indie film market with BFI Filmmaking Fund director Mia Bays, Tallinn Black Nights curator Malaika Bova and Virginie Devesa, Co-CEO of sales and acquisitions at Paris-based Alpha Violet, plus talks on theatrical windowing, marketing and PR strategies for film and the UK Global Screen Fund.
The BFI Inclusion team is also once again partnering with Diversity in Cannes, the British Blacklist and Time’s Up UK to host a Black Women’s lunch event celebrating Black women filmmakers in film, as well as a brunch to honouring Black women filmmakers whose work has been recognised by the festival.
UK Pavilion 2026 events
All events take place at the UK Pavilion unless stated otherwise
Friday May 15
Immersive in focus
Speakers: directors Eloise Singer, Yamil Rodriguez, Ivan Alejandro Diaz Cardenas and Pierre-Alain Giraud, and head of global partnerships at VIVE Arts Leigh Tanner
(11:30-12:30)
Meet the UK commissioners
Speakers: Eva Yates, director of BBC Film and Farhana Bhula, director of Film4
(14:00-15:00)
The theatrical window: tools and strategies for audience development
Speakers: Maddy Probst, head of film at Watershed; Seneit Debese, founder and managing director of Greta & Starks Apps; and Thierry Delpit, co-founder and president of Cinesociety
(16:00-17:00)
Saturday May 16
Working with the UK: UK Global Screen Fund
Speaker: Denitsa Yordanova, director of UK Global Screen Fund
(09:30-11:00)
First Features: Launching new talent, finding new voices
Speakers: Mia Bays, director of the BFI Filmmaking Fund; Malaika Bova, first feature competition curator at Tallinn Black Nights’ and Virginie Devesa, Co-CEO, sales and acquisitions at Alpha Violet.
(11:30-12:30)
Cutting through the noise: marketing and PR strategies for film
Speakers: Mathias Noschis, head of strategy of Alphapanda; Jonathan Rutter, executive director of Premier; and Karina Gechtman, international marketing and publicity consultant.
(16:00-17:00)
Sunday May 17
The Post and VFX Playbook: Using the UK incentives to maximise creativity
Speakers: Shobha Conway, Head of Business Development & Operations at Union VFX, Colin Kennedy, CEO of FixFx, Cara Kotschy, MD of Residence Pictures, and Steve Milne, Founder and Producer of British Film Company. Moderated by Neil Hatton, CEO of UK Screen Alliance.
(09:30-11:00)
Co-producing with the UK: experiences and best practices
Speakers: Konstantinos Kontovrakis, producer, Kinestet; Leontine Petit, producer, founder and CEO of Lemming Film; Julio Chavezmontes, founder and CEO of Piano.
(11:30-12:30)
The cultural value of film, presented by the BFI at the Marche du Film - Marche du Film - Palais Stage
Speakers: Pia Lundberg, artistic director at the Göteborg Film Festival; Isabel Davis, executive director of Screen Scotland; and Olivier Père, CEO of Arte France Cinéma
Monday May 18
Adaptations, artistic choices and distribution strategies in cross-media stories
Speakers: John Giwa-Amu, founder and producer of Good Gate Media’ Chelsea Morgan Hoffmann, producer at Element Pictures; and Carthew Neal, producer at Fumes and Piki Films.
(11.30-12.30)
Film in focus: The End Of It (Premiere strand)
Speakers: Producers Kamilla Kristiane Hodøl and Emilie Jouffroy of Elation Films and Dyveke Bjørkly Graver
(14:00-15:00)
Film in focus: I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning in Directors’ Fortnight
Speakers: producer Tracy O’Riordan, actor Anthony Boyle and author of source novel Keiran Goddard
(16:00-17:00)
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