Over 100 people have backed a crowdfunding campaign to support low-income writers with the costs of attending this year’s BFI London Film Festival (LFF, October 4-15).
Organised by UK film critics and writers Hanna Flint and Hannah Strong, the campaign has received £3,708 from 104 donations at the time of writing, since its launch on Monday, July 31. It can be accessed via this link.
The campaign has identified that “the middle and upper class are already disproportionately represented in film journalism”, and is aiming to correct that “by widening the pool of people who are able to take part” in this year’s LFF.
It is aiming to raise a minimum of £4,000, having quickly passed its initial £520 target. Funds raised will be used to cover the accreditation cost of attending this year’s festival, which is £52 at the standard rate from August 7 to September 30 (passes bought from October 1 onwards will cost £92). Anyone looking for financial support must secure an LFF press pass through the regular application and can then apply to the fundraiser for reimbursement of fees.
“We’ve been blown away by the support we’ve received, both in a monetary sense and people sharing it and reaching out to offer encouragement,” said Strong. “The fact this generosity comes at a time when writer and actor unions across the pond are rallying together speaks to the power of community when united behind a shared cause,” added Flint.
UK-Ireland industry figures to have contributed to the fundraiser so far include new Sheffield DocFest managing director Annabel Grundy, a former BFI executive; Robert Beeson, director of UK distributor New Wave Films; and director Mark Cousins, who has previously screened at the festival with films including The Storms Of Jeremy Thomas and The Story Of Film: A New Generation.
The BFI is supportive of the fundraiser, according to BFI director of press and PR Judy Wells. “What an incredible thing, how wonderful that [Hannah and Hanna] have done that,” said Wells. “How great that we’ve got a community of journalists and writers who care about bringing people forward who don’t have opportunities.”
Wells highlighted the BFI’s Critics Mentorship scheme, now entering its sixth edition. Each year it selects a group of emerging critics to attend the festival and receive direct mentorship from industry professionals; it is open to critics from across the UK, with a particular focus on the regions. “We’re very aware that lots of people who are based outside London do find it hard to access the LFF in person; and in general it’s tough for a lot of writers to get paid gigs,” said Wells. [Screen is a participant in the mentorship scheme.]
Last year’s LFF had 3,200 industry and press delegates, of whom 846 were press delegates - down from 891 (2022), 1,039 (2021) and 984 (2019). The £52 press pass – a £2 increase from last year, to cover increasing costs across the board – provides access to pre-festival and festival P&I screenings; a rush queue for weekday matinee public screenings; the LFF digital viewing library; plus tickets for evening and weekend screenings and events.
The BFI also offers free industry accreditation to BFI Network participants. Last year it introduced Pay It Forward, an initiative allowing delegates to help with accreditation fees for industry attendees who were struggling to pay the pass cost, with the money provided to applicants from underrepresented groups.
Funds distribution
The fundraisers are also forming a committee with other film critics to decide how to distribute the funds, with the potential for any excess funds to go towards travel and accommodation costs, plus future iterations of the festival.
Other major film festivals to charge press accreditation fees include Cannes Film Festival, which charges €20 “to offset carbon emissions”; and Venice and Berlin, which each charge €60 for their press passes.
“Film festivals are elitist in nature, often involving exorbitant travel and accommodation costs, not to mention taking time off work and finding childcare,” said Strong. “Finances have always been a massive barrier to access and employment in the arts, and it’s something we both feel isn’t changing for the better.”
“While Cannes, Berlin and Venice now charge press varying fees to attend, and we do understand the cost of running a press programme at a festival, the fee at LFF is particularly high. There is also currently no discount or waiver for people from low-income households.”
“The festival’s premium sponsors – and any brands that profess to love the arts – could do more to support access at the festival and within the UK film industry, for both journalists from low-income households and guests,” added Strong. “I believe art is a human right, and you shouldn’t be expected to pay a premium just to be able to do your job.”
“It is frustrating that the film journalism ecosystem in the UK and Ireland is not lucrative enough to pay many of its writers enough of a living wage to do their job comfortably, let alone pay for access to a film festival in their own country,” said Flint.
“The devaluation of writers and critics continues to have an adverse effect on those with the least amount of access to screenings, festivals or financial privilege, so I can only hope this support fund will inspire industry gatekeepers to use their own initiative to secure systemic financial change for the better.”
The 2023 BFI London Film Festival runs from October 4-15; the press launch will take place on August 31.
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