The BFI has announced the 15 writers, directors and producers selected for this year’s edition of BFI NETWORK@LFF.
The annual flagship professional development programme, running as part of the BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express, is designed to support and inspire new and distinctive filmmaking voices.
BFI NETWORK@LFF 2025 is focused on “ambitious filmmakers who are poised to make a significant impact in the industry”, the organisation said, and for the second year the Lab features a growing documentary strand supported by the BFI Doc Society Fund.
The BFI continued in a press release: “Fifteen of the boldest and brightest early career filmmakers across fiction and documentary were selected based on the strength and quality of their body of work and because their career trajectories and debut features in development have the potential to make an impact.
“A group of storytellers with fresh perspectives and championing underrepresented voices and stories, the cohort is a great example of the exciting range of filmmaking styles and approaches within the emerging UK screen industry.”
The list of filmmakers included in the programme is available below.
- Anna Snowball | Director | South East
- Cheri Darbon | Producer | London
- Chloe Culpin | Writer-director-producer | Midlands
- Courteney Tan | Writer-director | South East
- Elham Ehsas | Writer-director | London
- Hannah Currie | Director | Scotland
- Hannah Tookey | Producer | North
- Hansel Rodrigues | Writer-director | South West
- Jesse Lewis-Reece | Writer-director | South East
- Jessica Bishopp | Writer-director | London
- Josephine Lohoar Self | Writer-director | South East
- Matty Crawford | Writer-director | London
- Ray Wilson (they/them) | Producer | Wales
- Shannon Welby | Writer | Northern Ireland
- Sophie Chater | Producer | Scotland
BFI NETWORK@LFF’s cohort of UK-based writers, directors and producers participate in an intensive programme of masterclasses, screenings and events with industry professionals.
Following the LFF, the cohort will regroup in spring 2026 for further tailored sessions expanding the Lab following feedback from previous participants.
BFI NETWORK@LFF aims to support the next step in their careers and offers an opportunity to foster new industry connections and utilise the knowledge and experience of more established filmmakers, aiming to inspire the cohort and to further develop their feature projects.
Alice Cabañas, head of BFI NETWORK, said: “Every year I am blown away by the applications we received for this Lab, the talent and ambition demonstrated make it a very tough selection process.
“Once again, this has resulted in an incredibly strong cohort for an exciting programme we have put together with our partners at the BFI Doc Society Fund and the BFI London Film Festival.
“I am also looking forward to expanding the scope of the Lab this year and bringing the cohort back together in 2026, to continue to support their professional and creative development.”
Full information on the cohort is available on the BFI website.
