Lizzie Francke, Fiona Morham & Natascha Wharton to step down form senior roles in the BFI Film Fund

Lizzie Francke, Editor-at-Large, Fiona Morham, Head of Production and Natascha Wharton, Head of Editorial have announced their decision to leave the BFI Film Fund later this year. The three senior team members have led the BFI’s National Lottery funding for the development and production of UK films, providing guidance and support to filmmakers and their teams throughout the life journey of a film and initiatives for developing emerging filmmaking talent.

As passionate champions of UK independent filmmaking, they have supported titles and careers including most recently: Rye Lane (directed by Raine Allen Miller and written by Nathan Bryon and Tom Melia), currently on release across the UK; BAFTA winner Aftersun (writer/director Charlotte Wells); Girl (writer/director Adura Onashile), which opened the recent Glasgow Film Festival and premiered at Sundance; Consensus Gentium (writer/director Karen Palmer) which won the award for Best XR at SXSW this week, 2022 Cannes Palme d’Or winner Triangle of Sadness (writer/director Ruben Ostlund); Blue Jean (writer/director Georgia Oakley), which premiered at Sundance; BAFTA winner After Love (writer/director Aleem Khan); Ali and Ava (writer/director Clio Barnard), Boxing Day (director Aml Ameen); BAFTA winner Rocks (director Sarah Gavron and writers Theresa Ikoko and Claire Wilson); The Souvenir parts 1 & 2 (writer/director Joanna Hogg), The Reason I Jump (director Jerry Rothwell) and Surge (director/writer Aneil Karia and writers Rupert Jones and Rita Kalnejais).  

Lizzie, Fiona and Natascha will depart in late spring/early summer 2023. They will continue to support their slate of projects, working with the Filmmaking Fund team as it transitions to a new structure.  

Ben Roberts, BFI CEO, said: “Natascha, Lizzie and Fiona leave a huge legacy behind them and a lasting impact on UK film making that has seen them steer some of the most exciting and important work coming out of the UK independent sector. They also leave us with an amazing slate of projects of which we are all incredibly proud. At this moment of change for the Filmmaking Fund, it is important to recognise the tremendous work of all three of them that we are building on. As we focused on debuts and put our values of equity, diversity and inclusion front and centre during the last strategy period they were instrumental in ensuring we supported great, important and impactful work. I wholeheartedly thank them for their enormous contribution to the BFI, their passion, intelligence and dedication and their legacy of incredible work.”

Lizzie Francke, Fiona Morham and Natascha Wharton jointly said “It has been such a huge privilege to work for the Film Fund over the years and to champion an extraordinary range of filmmakers. With the 2023-33 strategy and the Filmmaking Fund being launched this week we feel it is a perfect time to step away to pursue our own ventures.

“In recent years we have been immensely proud to have worked collectively across a broad range of films and in that witness an exceptional sea change in UK cinema with many new and original voices and perspectives being amplified. The vital work continues with a compelling range of projects going into imminent production and we are excited for the team we leave behind.   The new wave we have overseen and supported feels like a mighty force.”

Mia Bays, Director of the BFI National Lottery Filmmaking Fund, said: “Lizzie, Natascha and Fiona are rightly recognised as three of the most experienced professionals in the UK film industry, with a track record that speaks for itself. Myself and the rest of the team, and, most importantly the filmmakers we work with, have learnt an enormous amount from them.  I think I speak for everyone in saying how much we will benefit from their wealth of experience in this handover period, and wish them well for the future.”

Screen Culture 2033, the BFI’s 10 year strategy, sets out a clear commitment to support UK independent film in recognition of its vital importance to UK cultural and economic life. £54m over three years, representing almost 40% of the BFI’s National Lottery ‘good cause’ funding, is dedicated to filmmaking, supporting talent development, shorts, features and immersive. The new BFI Filmmaking Fund is an important pillar of that work.   

Details of the new fund will be published on Tuesday 21 March.  

The BFI is currently reviewing resource required to support the delivery of the new BFI Filmmaking Fund.