Film London reveal its Lodestars 2025 Finalists. Film London Lodestars is a programme celebrating the freshest, most exciting film-maker, creative and craftspeople talent. New for 2025, ten Lodestar Category Winners will be selected from a 30-strong list of finalists.
With Lodestars known for their inspiration and guidance, the short-list celebrates those within Film, TV and Games who shine with outstanding creativity or craftsmanship, tipped to go on to ever greater works in coming years. Selected from a pool of hundreds of people, Lodestars reflects the breadth of talent across London’s screen industries, celebrating a variety of successes from festival circuits and distribution deals to community and environmental impact and gallery residencies. Film London Lodestars spotlights upcoming Londoners making great strides globally, keeping the capital firmly on the creative map.
Adrian Wootton OBE, Chief Executive of Film London, said: “I’m thrilled to announce the Lodestars 2025 finalists. Lodestars is proving to be a true marker of industry – and London – talent, with alumni going on to achieve mainstream attention and critical recognition for their work, all while helping pave the way for others to follow suit. Previous Lodestars Alice Russell (director) and Gannesh Rajah (producer) won two BIFAs in Dec 2023 for If The Streets Were on Fire, Ronan Mackenzie premiered his FLAMIN Fellowship-funded animation Rain, Rain, Go Away in competition at London Short Film Festival 2025 and Gina Lyons (producer) went into production on her Production Finance Market New Talent Strand 22 feature Go Away! to name but a few achievements.
“Supporting and championing new, bold and diverse voices and stories, on and behind the camera, is part of Film London’s DNA. I am incredibly excited by the opportunities that await this year’s Lodestars.”
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The Film London Lodestars 2025 Finalists are:
Animation
Yasmine Djedje-Fisher-Azoume
Mary Martins
Gisela Mulindwa
Artist Filmmaker
Edd Carr
Anna Engelhardt
River Yuhao Cao
Crew & Industry
Vicki Brown
Caylan Samuel
Georgie Yukiko Donovan
Director
Cecile Embleton
Jack King
Savvas Stavrou
Exhibitor
Kiln
London International Animation Festival
Rainbow Film Festival
Games
Sindi Breshani
Reedah El-Saie
Beatka Wójciak
Head of Department
Elise Butt
Jasper Enujuba
Emma Garrett
Producer
Campbell Beaton
Oriane Pick
Becca Wolff
Screen Heritage
Etienne Joseph – Hackney Archives
Diana Manipud – Brent Museum and Archives
Genova Messiah – Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives
Writer
Sasha Nathwani
Vanessa Rose
Helen Simmons
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Daniel Battsek, Film London Chair and former Chairman of Film4, said: “Lodestars is a moment in time to celebrate, shine a light on and be wowed by the sheer breadth of talent across London’s screen industries. Whatever part of the industry you work in, the people on the Film London Lodestars list are people you need to know about.”
