Bristol UNESCO City Of Film

22/10/2026

Jane Coulter (All Set West Programme Manager) headed out to beautiful Galway City of Film in Ireland last month, for this year’s annual meeting of the UNESCO Cities of Film Subnetwork.

Hosted by Ardán, which manages the Galway City of Film designation, the two day event (28-30 Sept) welcomed representatives from Sofia, Gdynia, Bradford, Valladolid, Bristol, Łódź, Cannes, Potsdam, Terrassa, São Paulo, Busan, Yamagata and Qingdao 🌎

In her guest blog, Jane reflects on the themes that resonated throughout the trip, of cultural identity, regional talent and pride in place - and also reveals the exciting news that Bristol has been selected as host city for the next meeting in 2027, our tenth anniversary year! 👏
Read it here: https://bristolcityoffilm.co.uk/unesco-cities-of-film-subnetwork-meeting-galway-2026/

Now that Galway has passed the host city baton to Bristol, we look forward to building a strong programme for our visitors in 2027. One that will showcase the many strengths of our city as a world-class centre for film and the moving image, whilst sharing a taste of the exciting and varied work generated by the talent based here 💫

Bristol City Council UNESCO in the UK

21/10/2026

Tune in tomorrow (Thursday 22nd October) to catch On Air 2026, the world’s largest global student-led broadcast, which returns to once again deliver an ambitious 24-hour live production bringing together students, educators and industry professionals from across six different continents 🌎

We are delighted to have supported our educational partners University of Bristol with their one-hour slot, which will broadcast from 11.45am on the UK Culture channel 👏

The students have written, presented and edited a one hour programme showcasing their drama, documentary and animation films, which will also include a discussion with Piers Leigh (Senior Lecturer in Cinematography) and Jane Coulter (All Set West Programme Manager) discussing what makes Bristol a UNESCO City of Film, its strengths in different genres and formats, and the emergence of new types of production worldwide such as Vertical Filmmaking.

Supported by Films at 59 and The Bottle Yard Studios, the students have produced an incredibly polished and professional hour for broadcast and we wish them the best of luck as they broadcast tomorrow!

Subscribe and follow on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/
Read more about On Air: https://www.mediatalentmanifesto.com/on-air

21/10/2026

BBC Studios Natural History Unit (NHU) in Bristol is hiring a Researcher for a Landmark Series as part of its EXTEND programme for disabled people.

Fixed-term Contract, 22 months, based at BBC NHU, Bridgewater House, Bristol with at least 3 dpw in the office.
Closing date for applications: 28th October.

To apply for the role you should identify as deaf, disabled or neurodivergent and must meet either the definition of disability in the Equality Act (2010), or the definition of disability in the Disability Discrimination Act (1995) if applying in Northern Ireland.

Full details here: https://careers.bbc.co.uk/job/Researcher%2C-Landmark-Series-NHU-EXTEND/55057-en_GB

21/10/2026

Did you catch a screening or event at Encounters Film Festival 2026 last month? Safe to say, Festival week was next level, welcoming thousands of attendees and highlighting bold international work, standout British talent and Encounters’ growing remit for films in all their forms.

This years' Brief Encounters Grand Prix was awarded to Altay Ulan Yang’s Hyena, described by the jury as “a visual treat and a brilliant allegory showcasing the descent into mob mentality.” The festival also awarded Saoirse Ronan the Best of British (Live Action) for her directorial debut Paper Plane. Praised for its “satisfyingly ambiguous” storytelling and elevated central performances, the film marks a significant step in Ronan’s evolution behind the camera. Past winners who scooped this award early in their award-winning careers include Rafael Manuel, Isabelle Sieb, Yasmin Afifi and Esther May Campbell.

Among other awards, talent from Bristol and the surrounding region was also strongly celebrated, with Jasmine Blackborow’s Lovely taking the South West Showcase Award, and Tia Salisbury’s The Devil Is In Me winning the Audience Award - making Tia the first South West filmmaker to win the category since Esther May Campbell won for September in 2008 on her way to a BAFTA win.

The biggest single event was Underscore 003: SIRĀT LIVE at The Prospect Building (pictured), where Kangding Ray, whose score is nominated at next month’s World Soundtrack Awards, and director Óliver Laxe performed opposite each other on stage, to more than 600 people. The festival programme was also topped off by a special closing‑night celebration at Wake the Tiger, bringing filmmakers, partners and industry guests together for an immersive finale.

Read more: https://bristolcityoffilm.co.uk/encounters-2026-winners-altay-ulan-yangs-hyena-wins-grand-prix-and-saoirse-ronans-paper-plane-leads-british-awards/

(Sirat Live photo by Charley Williams)

14/10/2026

A powerful new film bringing previously untold stories of Britain’s Windrush Second Generation to the big screen is set to premiere this month in Bristol UNESCO City of Film.

First Born Second: Voices of the Children of the Windrush Era opens at Watershed on Thursday 29th October. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Michelle Pascal and co-produced by writer and curator Roger Griffith MBE, the film brings together seven Bristol voices whose experiences illuminate a pivotal but still under-told chapter of modern British history.

Professor Shawn Sobers, Sherrie Eugene-Hart, Latoyah McAllister-Jones, Beverly Douglas, Delroy Hibbert, Vernon Samuels and Roger Griffith MBE share deeply personal accounts of growing up Black in Britain during the 1970s and 80s, a period shaped by profound social and cultural change.

Their stories encompass encounters with racism, street skinheads, discriminatory policing and the notorious “SUS laws”, alongside extraordinary achievement, creativity and determination.

This important documentary forms part of the wider First Born Second cultural programme, which explores and celebrates the experiences of the children and descendants of the Windrush generation.

Roger Griffith MBE, Executive producer & Lead Curator of the wider First Born Second programme, said: “Our parents’ generation came from the Caribbean to help rebuild post-war Britain. Their children forged a new identity, Black and British, whilst overcoming racism, institutional discrimination and a clash of cultures and continents. This generation turned tragedy into triumph, changing the face of Britain through cultural transformation. The First Born Second programme is about ensuring those experiences are celebrated and remembered.”

Read more: https://bristolcityoffilm.co.uk/new-bristol-film-brings-untold-stories-of-britains-windrush-second-generation-to-screen/

Images: Plaster Communications

14/10/2026

13/10/2026

Free Bristol training alert 📢
Budgeting for Post Production: High End TV & Film 2026 - 2027, delivered by Post Super / ScreenSkills taking place in Bristol, London, Manchester and Glasgow
Bristol in person training day: Weds 24th February 2027

Designed for Post Coordinators and Post Supervisors who want to develop their practical post-production budgeting skills for film and high-end television. Delivered through a combination of live online learning, an in-person practical workshop, a follow-up online session and self-paced e-learning, the programme offers a practical approach to building, reviewing and adapting post-production budgets, understanding key cost drivers and communicating budget decisions with confidence.

More info and booking link: https://www.screenskills.com/bookings/budgeting-for-post-production-high-end-tv-film-2026-2027/adc6d8d2-e28e-4da7-ab92-b607b0ae36c6/

Image: ScreenSkills

ScreenSkills

13/10/2026

Free Bristol training alert 📢
Assistant Editor Best Practices in HETV & Film 2026 - 2027 delivered by British Film Editors / ScreenSkills, taking place in Bristol, London and Glasgow
Bristol dates: 9th and 10th December 2026
Deadline for Bristol applications: 23rd November 2026

The need for UK HETV and Film Assistant Editors to understand the implications of their role outside of the edit suite and to develop a set of skills to cope with competing priorities is becoming paramount.

These intensive 2-day workshops, delivered by current British Film Editors, build personal and professional development skills to enable you to become more proficient, efficient and vocal within the editing process and within your wider production and post production teams. Exercises, group work and discussions will support you to build competencies in time management, communication, decision making, and resilience as well as understanding the impact of budgets and schedules on the editing workflow.

The training reflects the professional behaviours, commercial awareness and collaborative skills that productions increasingly expect from assistant editors working within the UK HETV and Film sectors.

More info and application link: https://www.screenskills.com/bookings/assistant-editor-best-practices-in-hetv-film-2026-2027/

(Image: The Pipeline)

12/10/2026

Everything you need to know about BFI Network England Early Development Funding, and how you can find out more from Film Hub South West if you're based here 👇

BFI NETWORK: Early Development Fund The Early Development Fund opens on Wednesday 7 October 2026 and closes on Wednesday 11 November 2026. BFI NETWORK Early Development funding supports the early stages of development for debut long-form projects. This highly competitive fund supports writers with...

02/10/2026

More positive developments in Bristol's film sector 👍

BBC Studios has announced the launch of Landed, a new drama production label based in Bristol that will be "dedicated to developing ambitious and enduring series that appeal both domestically and internationally".

The label will be led by Jenny van der Lande, who joins from Big Talk where she was Creative Director for Drama. Born, raised, and based in Bristol, van der Lande is a passionate advocate for talent from across the UK.

Prior to Big Talk, Jenny led the editorial vision at Brontë and Snowed‑In. She has developed and executive produced a string of critical and commercial hits including Strike (BBC/HBO Max), Mrs Wilson (BBC/PBS, BAFTA‑nominated), The Midwich Cuckoos (Sky), You Don’t Know Me (BBC/Netflix, BAFTA‑nominated), Too Close (ITV, BAFTA‑nominated), Joan (ITV/CW) and Possession (Sky Atlantic). Earlier in her career, she developed London Spy (BAFTA‑nominated) and You, Me and the Apocalypse for Working Title TV, following more than a decade at the BBC including a BAFTA‑winning run as Series Editor on Casualty.

Landed Productions will become BBC Studios' latest new label when van der Lande joins in January 2027.

Read more: https://bristolcityoffilm.co.uk/bbc-studios-launches-new-bristol-based-scripted-label-landed-productions/

Bristol Creative Industries

BBC Studios has announced the launch of Landed, a new drama production label based in Bristol that will be dedicated to developing ambitious and enduring series that appeal both domestically and internationally. The label will be led by Jenny van der Lande, who joins following a decade shaping some....