EXCLUSIVE: Doc Society and the BFI have selected six emerging producers for the second edition of the Rise Producer Programme.
The six producers are: Andy Wilkinson (Northern Ireland); Arij Al-Soltan (Midlands); Dermot O’Dempsey (North East); Ilinca Calugareanu (Scotland); Toby Cameron (Wales); Yemi Adegbulu (London). All are working towards their first documentary feature.
The six-month programme consists of tailored group sessions and individual consultations from BFI Doc Society and industry leaders, plus an intensive market introduction at Sheffield DocFest. The programme will produce future planning consultations to better equip the selected producers.
“Taking the leap to producing a first feature-length documentary can be a lonely and difficult journey, particularly for independent producers who lack financial stability and industry access in their early career,” said Luke Moody, head of BFI Doc Society Fund. “The Rise producer programme is intended to recognise individual needs for dialogue with peers to ensure a more supportive and sustainable experience for the participants.”
Rise 2025 producer bios
Bios provided by Doc Society
Andy Wilkinson (Northern Ireland)
Andy Wilkinson is a filmmaker based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Over the past number of years Andy has worked primarily in factual television with a variety of independent production companies on programmes for the BBC. Currently, Andy is producing Rabie Mustapha’s debut feature documentary June 1982: A Massacre, with development funding from AFAC and selected by IGNITE-Docs. He is also producing Ross McClean’s short film The Organist, funded by Northern Ireland Screen and works with Little Ease Films as a development producer.
Arij Al-Soltan (Midlands)
Arij Al-Soltan is a British Iraqi producer whose work seeks to offer alternative narratives and provoke a sense of self-introspection. She is drawn to bold, emerging talent, collaborating with filmmakers who bring innovative aesthetics and nuanced narratives to the screen. Her recent short film, Beneath a Mother’s Feet, produced in partnership with BFI Network, Mont Fleuri Productions, and writer-director Elias Suhail, has garnered multiple international awards and continues to resonate with audiences worldwide. Her current documentary project, The Sixth Story with director Ahmed Abd, is in development with support from the Doha Film Institute and recently participated in its prestigious industry programme, Qumra.
Dermot O’Dempsey (North East)
Dermot O’Dempsey is an Irish Creative Producer based in Newcastle Upon Tyne. He is currently development producer at Shudder Films / Mother Tongues, and his recent credits include the Irish Language Feature Film Kneecap, which won an Audience Award at Sundance in 2024, before going on to win a BAFTA for Best Debut Feature. Upcoming Productions include: Learning to Breathe Under Water, a heartfelt comedy-drama directed by Rebekah Fortune, starring Rory Kinnear & Maria Bakalova, and Something Familiar, a revelatory documentary debut from Rachel Close supported by BFI Doc Society.
Ilinca Calugareanu (Scotland)
Ilinca Calugareanu is a UK-based Romanian filmmaker and producer working across creative documentary and hybrid storytelling. She is the founder of Seaweed Pictures, an Edinburgh-based production company dedicated to bold, cinematic documentaries by women and gender-expansive filmmakers. Ilinca’s work has screened globally, with titles on Netflix, HBO, Arte, Hulu, The New York Times, and The Guardian. She is a Berlinale Talents Alumna, Sundance Institute | National Geographic Fellow, and a 2023 Chicken & Egg Award recipient. Ilinca is currently developing her own work while producing new projects by emerging directors.
Toby Cameron (Wales)
Toby Cameron is the Senior Producer and Founder of On Par, a micro-indie based in Cardiff whose work spans multiple platforms, including broadcast, cinema, digital, and advertising. With a focus on sustainability and positive storytelling, On Par prioritises the well-being of contributors and crew. They have won multiple awards for their work, including BAFTA Cymru and Drum Roses Awards. Toby was part of BBC Wales’ first New Directors Scheme in 2019, during which he directed and produced a four-part series that earned him the Best Breakthrough award at the RTS Cymru Awards in 2020. Over the past year, he has led an Innovate UK-funded R&D project exploring the viewing habits of 16-24-year-olds.
Yemi Adegbulu (London)
Yemi is a British-Nigerian producer with experience in both feature and short films. She co-runs production company, Sleepwalker Studios. Yemi recently worked as an associate producer on the feature film Dreamers, a BBC Film and Quiddity Films production. She joined this film through the BBC Film Associate Producer Programme. Yemi’s other recent credits as a producer include: The Memory Boom commissioned by Phoenix Exeter, National Lottery Heritage, and the Radcliffe Trust; world premiere in competition at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival 2024. Goodbye Train commissioned by the Roundhouse, Wiggin Filmmaker Award winner, programmed for the British Urban Film Festival 2024. The Ink Life commissioned via Fresh Cuts by ITV, premiered at BAFTA, broadcast nationally, and won the New Shoots Filmmakers Award 2023.
No comments yet