The Great 8 showcase, which presents new UK feature films from some of the UK’s “most exciting first-time and early career filmmakers” to international distributors and festival programmers, has announced eight new projects for this year’s edition, taking place throughout this year’s Cannes Marché.
Now in its ninth year, the 2026 Great 8 showcase is funded and produced by the BFI and the British Council, with thanks to BBC Film and Film4.
In preparation for the Marché, unseen footage from all of the titles will be introduced by their filmmakers and screened online exclusively to buyers and festival programmers from midday Friday 8 May and throughout the festival across five different time zones.
All of the features will be available to buyers during the Cannes Marché (13-24 May).
The films and filmmakers in this year’s Great 8 are:
- Ancestors, director/writer David Turpin
- Black Church Bay, director/writer Rhys Marc Jones
- Daughter of Eden, director/writer Fateme Ahmadi
- FLORID, director/writer Billy Lumby
- In Starland, director Ray Panthaki, writers Ray Panthaki, Jason Kavan
- Masc, director Bertil Nilsson, writers Bertil Nilsson, Joshua Griffin
- Our Share of Sand, director/writer Shalini Adnani
- Salvation, director/writer Tom Nicoll
Briony Hanson, the British Council’s director of film, said: “Our annual Great 8 showcase, which has previously championed both first and second-time filmmakers, focuses entirely on debuts for its ninth edition.
“With formats and genres ranging from thrillers to experimental films on show, and films from Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland and England in the line-up, the selection represents the breadth of new voices and new work happening in the UK.
“It also symbolises the importance of collaboration to the UK industry, with a number of non-UK-born directors and co-productions in the mix.”
Agnieszka Moody, BFI head of international relations, added: “It’s incredibly encouraging to see another fantastic line up of strong UK debuts for this year’s Great 8 – showcasing the range of unique and original filmmaking voices coming into our industry.
“We are delighted to partner with British Council on Great 8 to give this invaluable opportunity to up-and-coming talent, which has proved to be an effective route to be discovered by the international film community and accelerate careers.”
Since its first edition in 2017, Great 8 selections have sold widely internationally, being acquired by major studios, global streaming platforms, and independent distributors.
Great 8-selected films and filmmakers who have gone on to find international critical acclaim and commercial success from last year’s selection include Imran Perretta’s Ish, which world premiered in Venice Critics’ Week, winning the Audience Award, and was nominated for the First Feature Competition at the BFI London Film Festival, with the film’s producer winning a British Independent Film Award for breakthrough producer; and Ashley Walters’ Animol, which world premiered at the Perspectives section of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the FIPRESCI Prize for Best Film.
More information is available on the BFI website.
