On 12–13 November, British Film Festival will bring together representatives of the British and Polish film industries, producers, institutions, regional film funds and industry experts at Kino Muza in Poznań to discuss the state of the film industry today and where to look for new opportunities for collaboration.

We are proud to present the BFF Industry 2026 programme and invite you to Poznań – applications for industry accreditations are now open!

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Day 1 | 12 November

9:45 Morning Tea & Coffee (15’)

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10:00 Opening & Welcome

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10:05 Myth or Reality? Interactive Industry Opening (15’)

Prologue

host:

– Stephen Follows, Film Industry Data Analyst

Has Brexit brought an end to the UK’s film cooperation with Europe? Are the majority of British productions still made in London? Or is the UK film industry currently undergoing one of its biggest transformations in years?

Myth or Reality? is an interactive opening to the Industry programme, confronting common perceptions about the British film industry with reality. Participants will be presented with a series of statements about the market, production and international cooperation and asked to choose Myth or Reality. The answers will not be revealed immediately – we will return to the questions throughout the first day, testing them against data, expert experience and the perspectives of representatives of the British film industry.

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10:20 The State of the British Film Industry: Challenges, Opportunities & International Cooperation (30’)

presentation

speaker:

– Agnieszka Moody, Head of International Relations, British Film Institute

What does the British film industry look like today, and what changes are shaping its future? The State of the British Film Industry is a presentation exploring the current situation of the UK film sector – its structure, key challenges and the opportunities it offers to international partners.

Rather than focusing on the activities of a single institution, we will look at the British market as an interconnected ecosystem in which institutions, producers, funds and international partners work together. An important part of the discussion will also be the place of Europe and Poland within this system, and the question of how to build effective partnerships with the British film sector today.

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10:50 The British Film Industry in Numbers (30’)

data presentation

speaker:

– Stephen Follows, Film Industry Data Analyst

What does the British film industry look like in numbers? We will find out during a dynamic presentation of key data illustrating the scale and significance of the UK film sector – from the number of productions and the value of the market, through co-productions, to regional film funds and the impact of the film industry on the economy.

The session will be led by Stephen Follows, a British film industry analyst and consultant to Guinness World Records. The numbers will tell the story of the scale of British cinema – and perhaps Stephen will also reveal a few film-related Guinness World Records that very few people have heard of.

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11:20–11:45 Coffee Break (25’)

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11:45 Beyond London: Regions as a Driving Force of British Film Production (75’)

panel discussion

guests:

– Caroline Cooper Charles, Chief Executive, Screen Yorkshire

– Kieran Hannigan, Head of Scripted, Screen Scotland

– Agnieszka Moody, Head of International Relations, British Film Institute

The British film industry is much more than London. Beyond London is a conversation about the growing role of the UK’s regions, which are becoming increasingly important in film production, talent development and international cooperation.

Representatives of leading regional screen organisations will discuss the opportunities their regions offer to international producers, how they support co-productions and the development of local film ecosystems, and what advantages they may offer over London as a production hub. It is also an opportunity to look at the UK not as a single market, but as a diverse network of regions and potential partners for international productions.

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13:00 Behind the Scenes of a Polish-British Co-production: ALMA (dir. Sally Potter) (60’)

case study

guests:

– Beata Rzeźniczek, Producer, Madants

– Kurban Kassam, Producer, Adventure Pictures

How does an international co-production actually come together? Behind the Scenes of a Polish-British Co-production: ALMA is a conversation about building a Polish-British partnership through the example of a specific project. From the first conversations and decisions about collaboration, through the division of responsibilities and project development, to the challenges that arise on the way to production.

This is a look at co-production primarily through the lens of relationships and the everyday work of producers. The conversation will offer a behind-the-scenes perspective on international collaboration, exploring the biggest challenges and decisions along the way, and considering what this project can teach partners planning future co-productions.

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14:00 Lunch (45’)

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14:45 The British Film Ecosystem: How to Navigate It (105’)

workshop

led by:

– Miranda Gower-Qian, Cultural Partnerships Manager, British Film I

Registration for accredited Industry participants will open on 14 October at 12:00. Applications will be accepted via a form published on the festival website. Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The workshop is limited to a maximum of 10 participants. The workshop will be conducted in English.

How do you navigate the British film sector and know who to approach with a project at each stage of its development? The British Film Ecosystem: How to Navigate It is a practical workshop designed to help participants organise their knowledge of British institutions, funds and regional organisations supporting project development.

Rather than attending a traditional lecture, participants will work through the successive stages of developing a fictional film project, making decisions about when and whom to approach – from BFI and Film London, through Screen Scotland, to the British Council and regional organisations. The workshop takes the form of a practical decision-making map, helping participants better understand the British ecosystem and consciously plan the first steps towards cooperation with the UK.

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14:45 Location Tour x Poznań Film Commission (150’)

A joint event organised by British Film Festival and Poznań Film Commission, during which producers and experts from the UK will visit selected film locations in Poznań and explore their potential from the perspective of international productions. It is an opportunity to discover locations that could become film sets and discuss the possibilities for producing films in Poznań and the wider region.

Closed event, invitation only.

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Day 2 | 13 November

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9:45 Morning Tea & Coffee (15’)

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10:00 Behind the Scenes of a Polish-British Co-production: DOBRY CHŁOPIEC (dir. Jan Komasa) (60’)

case study

guest:

– Matthew Baker, Producer, Recorded Picture Company

What is it like to work on a film when its creators and producers are based in two different countries? Behind the Scenes of a Polish-British Co-production: DOBRY CHŁOPIEC will explore the creative aspects of Polish-British collaboration – from script development and casting to filming in Poland and the UK.

It is an opportunity to look at how international cooperation influences the creative process and how different experiences, contexts and ways of working come together in the making of a single film. The conversation will explore co-production not only as a production model, but above all as a shared creative process.

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11:00 Finding the Right Partner: The Chemistry of Collaboration (45’)

fireside chat

How are partnerships built that allow films to develop across borders? This fireside chat is an informal conversation about collaboration between directors, producers and production partners – about trust, a shared vision and creating space for creative independence.

The conversation will draw on experiences of working on films produced across different countries, production systems and cultural contexts. Rather than focusing on the financial and formal aspects of co-production, it will explore its human and creative dimension: how to find the right collaborator, how to build a relationship based on trust, and what makes it possible for a shared vision to become a successful film.

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11:45–12:15 Coffee Break (30’)

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12:15 THE NEW EUROPEAN LANDSCAPE: What Lies Ahead for European Cinema After the MEDIA Programme? (120’)

panel discussion

guests:

– Joanna Szymańska, President of the Polish Producers Guild, Producer

– Agnieszka Moody, Head of International Relations, British Film Institute

– Marlena Gabryszewska, Vice-President, CICAE (International Confederation of Arthouse Cinemas)

– Stanisław Zaborowski, President of the Board, Polish Audiovisual Producers Chamber of Commerce, Producer

The European film sector is entering a period of significant change. The New European Landscape is a panel discussion about the future of European film cooperation in the context of changes to the funding system, the Agora EU programme, and the new relationship between the UK and Europe following Brexit.

The discussion will focus not only on what will replace the existing Creative Europe MEDIA model, but above all on how changing funding instruments and new models of cooperation will affect producers, co-productions and project development across Europe. It is an attempt to look ahead and consider what the European film ecosystem might look like in the future, and what skills and strategies will be needed to navigate the new reality.

What does an Industry accreditation include?

• Access to all panels, masterclasses and meetings included in the BFF INDUSTRY programme on 12–13 November at Kino Muza,
• access to festival screenings on 12–13 November,
• festival merchandise and an accreditation badge (available for collection at the Festival Office at Kino Muza).
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Accreditation fee: PLN 200 net

Industry accreditation sales: 30 September–28 October, or until the accreditation quota is reached.

The Industry accreditation is valid exclusively on 12–13 November.