The British Film Institute (BFI) has unveiled the line-up of speakers and events taking place at the Cannes UK Pavilion, including a talent talk with Urchin filmmaker Harris Dickinson, as well as panel discussions on artificial intelligence, gender inclusivity and disability.
Dickinson, who starred in 2022 Palme d’Or winner Triangle Of Sadness, is playing in Un Certain Regard with his BFI and BBC Film-backed directorial debut, Urchin. Dickinson will be joined by director of photography Josêe Deshaies and producer Archie Pearch from Devisio Pictures.
Akinola Davies Jnr, whose BBC Film and BFI-backed feature debut My Father’s Shadow also plays in Un Certain Regard, will also be giving a talent talk with co-writer Wale Davies, UK producer Rachel Dargavel (Element Films/Crybaby Films), Nigerian co-producer Funmbi Ogunbanwo (Fatherland Productions, Nigeria) and BBC Film director Eva Yates.
Harry Lighton is also giving a talent talk, following the world premiere of his debut Pillion, again in Un Certain Regard. Pillion is also produced by Element Pictures, with backing from BBC Film, BFI, Picturehouse Entertainment and September Films.
Scroll down for the full line-up
BFI, Reclaim The Frame and Women & Hollywood have united for a panel discussion on how trans and non-binary professionals are marginalised in film and ways for the industry to be more inclusive. Speakers include Layla writer-director Amrou Al-Khadi, film director and award-winning screenwriter Chica Andrade and Kiyoko McCrae, programme director at US-based gender film group Chicken & Egg Films.
AI will be dug into by an international panel of researchers and practitioners, including David Defendi, a writer, screenwriter and film director, and also founder of Genari, an artificial intelligence platform dedicated to screenwriting and literary writing; Katharina Gellein Viken, a pioneer in AI-driven filmmaking; Graham Jack, chief technology officer at visual effects and technology company beloFX; and Rachel Lyske, a leader in the field of AI-based music.
A conversation with filmmakers, sharing their experiences of inclusive spaces for disabled professionals in the film industry, will feature playwright, author and filmmaker Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini; one of the UK’s first trained access coordinators Abbie Hills; and writer-director Mari Sanders.
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 (Sunday 18 May), celebrating Black women filmmakers in film.
“The UK has much to celebrate at Cannes with filmmakers and creators of five festival selection films and immersive work, headlining our events in the UK Pavilion,” said Denitsa Yordanova, BFI Head of the International Funds and UK Global Screen Fund.
”In addition, our information-sharing and networking sessions on working with the UK will be accompanied by a rich programme of panel events featuring international speakers on topics that are important to the industry globally and that aim to foster debate and collaboration, from international co-production to disability and creativity, the rise of indigenous language films and TV series, working with AI, best practices for a gender inclusive industry, as well as the chance to meet some of the UK’s leading film festivals.”
UK Pavilion 2025 industry events
All events take place at the UK Pavilion unless stated otherwise
Friday May 16
Working with the UK: how to navigate the UK’s new Audio-Visual Expenditure Credits (AVEC)
Speakers: Sinéad McHugh (Saffery), Anna Mansi (BFI video games and Certification unit)
(09:30-11:00)
Talent talk - Harris Dickinson, Urchin (Un Certain Regard)
Speakers: Harris Dickinson, Josêe Deshaies, Archie Pearch
(11:30-12:30)
The art of being a minority co-producer
Speakers: Julie Blondin (Telefilm Canada); Dany Delvoie (Netherlands Film Fund); Birthe Klinge (German Federal Filmboard); Denitsa Yordanova (UK Global Screen Fund)
(14:00-15:00)
Meet the UK film festivals
Speakers: Kristy Matheson (BFI London Film Festival); Paul Ridd (Edinburgh International Film Festival); Allison Gardner (Glasgow Film Festival)
(16:00-17.00)
Saturday May 17
Working with the UK: a new opportunity with post-production and VFX
Speakers: Gareth Kirkman (British Film Commission); Neil Hatton (UK Screen Alliance); Isabel Davis, (Screen Scotland); and Cheryl Conway (Screen Scotland)
(09:30-11:00)
Creativity and disability: when challenges spark innovation
Speakers: Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini, Abbie Hills, Mari Sanders
(11:30-12:30)
Talent talk - Akinola Davies Jnr, My Father’s Shadow (Un Certain Regard)
Speakers: Akinola Davies Jnr, Wale Davies, Funmbi Ogunbanwo, Eva Yates, Rachel Dargavel
(14:00-15:00)
Beyond the binary: best practices for a gender inclusive industry
Speakers: Amrou Al-Khadi, Chica Andrade, Kiyoko McCrae
(15:30-16:30 – location: Palais des Festivals)
Sunday May 18
AI – routes to a desirable future
Speakers: David Defendi, Katharina Gellein Viken, Graham Jack, Rachel Lyske
(11:30-12:30)
The rise of indigenous languages
Speakers: Patrick O’Neill (Wildcard); Emanuele Galloni (My Culture); Mitchell Stanley (No Coincidence Media)
(14:00-15:00)
International co-productions: case studies
Speakers: dir. Chris Andrews, prods. Ivana MacKinnon, Julianne Forde, Ruth Treacey – Bring Them Down
Prods. Victoria Barrell, Emma Slade – Lomu
(16:00 – 17:00)
Monday May 19
The charm of genre: how genre films travel across borders
Speakers: Todd Brown, (XYZ Films); Maria Ekerhovd (Mer Film); Katarzyna Siniarska (New Europe Film Sales); Oliver Kassman (Escape Plan Productions)
(11:30 – 12:30)
Talent talk: Trailblazer and tAxI (Immersive)
Speakers: Eloise Singer, Lesley Paterson - Trailblazer
Stephen Henderson, Oriana Neidecker - tAxI
(14:00-15:00)
Talent talk: Harry Lighton, Pillion (Un Certain Regard)
Speakers: Harry Lighton
(16:00-17:00)
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