Join us at Leeds International Film Festival in November for industry-focused talks and networking.
We’re back at the fantastic
Leeds International Film Festival on Tuesday 4 November with an afternoon of inspiring sessions and brilliant speakers, followed by a BFI NETWORK Mixer.
Our afternoon of talks brings together writers, directors and producers across shorts, features and broadcast to discuss their process, breaking into the industry, and the craft of filmmaking, alongside other issues affecting new and emerging filmmakers in the North.
We’ll end the day at Department to continue discussions over a drink at our BFI NETWORK Mixer.
FHN at LIFF: Industry Afternoon
Tuesday 4 November 2025, 13:00 - 17:00
Everyman Cinema, Level 4, Trinity, Albion St, Leeds LS1 5AY
An afternoon of talks covering shorts, features and broadcast. Talks include:
From Pitch to Post - SOFTY
Meet the team behind BFI NETWORK’s Short Film Softy which has screened at festivals across the country. We’ll be digging into the film's development, production and its life so far. Softy features Ashley Walters and explores a family’s struggles through abuse and mental health issues as his son dreams of a life elsewhere.
Panellists:
- Joshua Reeves is a Manchester-born writer and director. He has worked with BBC, ITV, SKY, SONY & ELEVEN. His latest BFI-backed film Softy premiered at Manchester Film Festival. Joshua has also directed for ITV's Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
- Chris Lane is the founder of independent production company Leapling Films and member of The Production Guild, whose films have reached millions of viewers around the world. His diverse producer credits include Softy, Forever Young, Inertia, and A Father's Day.
What the Spec
Learn how to craft a standout spec script - and where it can take you. A panel of writers and development producers will share insights on the challenges of writing a spec script and how to make the most of it once it’s finished.
Hosted by Esther Jackson-Burton, a Salford-based Development Producer working across the North and Midlands BBC Voices programme and the Writers' Access Group.
Panellists:
- Adam James is a queer script editor and writer based in Manchester. He is an in-house script editor at Wall To Wall North, where he worked on the Warner Bros Access Northern Writers Programme with the Royal Exchange Theatre and has developed series with Apple, Disney+ and Sky. Formerly at SISTER, he helped establish their Northern hub, and as a writer he is a graduate of Channel 4’s 4Screenwriting course, Soho Writers Lab, and a former writer-in-residence with Box of Tricks. Adam is currently making his first short film, developing original TV projects with Mam Tor Productions and Riff Raff Entertainment, and his debut play Neverland was staged at HOME in 2023.
- Gemma Bedeau is an emerging Scriptwriter and Comic writer from Leeds. Gemma has written for the Princeless comic series for Action Lab and her blaxploitation comic series Afroella landed her a Glyph Award nomination for best female character and features in the Museum of Uncut Funk.
Filmmaker Focus - Akínọlá Davies Jr
Akínọlá Davies Jr is a filmmaker, writer and visual artist who was BAFTA-nominated for his short film Lizard, which won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. His BFI and BBC backed debut feature My Father’s Shadow premiered in Un Certain Regard at Cannes, where it received a special mention for the Camera D’Or award, and went on to be selected as the UK’s submission for the Best International Feature Academy Award. The film will be released in early 2026.
This Q&A session will discuss Akínọlá’s career to date exploring his inspirations, challenges and approaches to film from his early commercial work through to his first feature.
BFI NETWORK Mixer with SHORTIES
Tuesday 4 November 2025, 18:00 - 20:00
Department, Leeds Dock, Clarence Dock, 4 The Blvd, Leeds LS10 1PZ
Our BFI NETWORK Mixer is a chance to stretch legs and continue the conversations started in the afternoon talks. It’s also our regular event for local filmmakers to mingle and meet peers and potential collaborators. For our mixer at LIFF we’ll be partnering with
SHORTIES, a filmmaking community for women starting out in the film industry. SHORTIES host networking events, run programmes and screen films across London and the north.
