What to see at BFI Future Film Festival 2025: The Young Programmers’ Picks
Running from 20 February to 6 March, the BFI Future Film Festival is the UK’s largest festival for young screen creatives, offering screenings, masterclasses, workshops and networking opportunities.
The festival features in-person screenings and events at BFI Southbank alongside a globally accessible online programme. For the second year running, it also includes a UK-wide programme, expanding access to screenings and educational events for young screen creatives across the country.
Our BFI Film Academy Young Programmers, all aged 25 and under, play an essential role in shaping the festival programme. Here they introduce some of the events they curated and will be hosting.
Screening: Satu – Year of the Rabbit + Q&A with director Joshua Trigg
Beatrice Benn
I’m drawn to cinema as a way of escaping the subjective experiences of day-to-day life, so the opportunity to be transported to the breath-taking landscape of Laos in Satu – Year of the Rabbit is a very special treat. Trigg’s film offers a rare insight into a completely different culture, one that is rarely represented on the big screen. Meanwhile, the gorgeous gaze of the 16mm cinematography captures the luscious vistas of the country, evoking the warmth of the summer sun.
Alongside the film we’ll be presenting a live Q&A with director Joshua Trigg, which I am delighted to be hosting. You will learn invaluable lessons about bridging the gap between short and feature films and hear about Trigg’s experience of working in Laos.
Stories of Quarter-Life Crisis and Twentysomething Strife
Jack Synnott
As we struggle to decide who we want to become in our twenties, life can feel like it has lost any sense of structure or certainty. “What am I doing with my life?” is a question that rears its head with worrying regularity, especially for those of us working in the notoriously insecure screen industries.
It’s no surprise, then, that twenty-something angst has become commonplace for contemporary filmmakers, who’ve produced coming-of-age tales that are relatable to the point of inducing anxiety. Crucially, though, these stories can also be inspiring and cathartic, and they’re stories anyone can tell. With my co-curator Felix Farrow, I’ve programmed this event to hear how filmmakers have found personal ways to express the confusion of extended adolescence. Along the way, they’ll hopefully provide roadmaps for embracing the possibilities of early adulthood and making the most of a decade that’s as exciting as it is terrifying.
Speed Socials
Katia Hiver
Let’s be honest: networking at film festivals can be awkward. Forced intros, the same small talk on repeat… we’ve all been there. That’s why we’re doing things differently with Speed Socials. As Young Programmers, we wanted to create a space that’s fun, relaxed and where you can meet people who actually get your love for film. No need for rehearsed pitches or forced formalities, just a chance to interact through fun prompts and quick conversations in a way that feels natural. It’s happening at lunchtime, so no need to get a ticket, just drop in and see where the conversation takes you. You never know who you might meet – maybe your next collaborator, or just someone to sit with at the next screening!
How to Craft Narratives from Nature
Jess Painter
An event I want to shout about is ‘How to Craft Narratives from Nature’ – not least because I’ve helped curate it. This masterclass, led by the brilliant Libby Penman, will look at storytelling in nature films – from pre-production to the edit. My co-curator Katia and I were keen to showcase the creativity and narrative possibilities involved in wildlife filmmaking at the Future Film Festival, and encourage attendees to lend their storytelling skills to animal subjects.
Libby will be focusing on using budget equipment and local resources – so expect to leave the session with practical tips you can start experimenting with right away. I’m especially interested to hear how Libby’s work in other documentary spaces has shaped her approach to wildlife storytelling. We are also hoping for a few sneaky insights into some of her upcoming projects! Even if you aren’t an aspiring wildlife filmmaker, this fascinating masterclass about crafting compelling non-fiction stories is well worth checking out.
Moving Away from Apocalypse in Climate Storytelling
Joanna McClurg
With the spectre of climate-disaster looming increasingly large in cinema, this discussion will challenge budding filmmakers to move beyond the apocalyptic narratives often seen on screen, towards more hopeful, action-driven visions of the future. An all-star panel consisting of writers, producers and climate activists – each pioneering alternative storytelling methods – will discuss how to create powerful, politically relevant films that shift public perception and motivate real-world change. Whether you’re a passionate climate campaigner or feel totally overwhelmed by any mention of global-warming, this must-attend event will leave you feeling emboldened and better equipped to shape the future through climate storytelling.
Can I Afford to Work in the Screen Industries?
Osian Andrew
I recall the determined 16-year-old in me who thought he’d be in a writers’ room in LA by 21. But now, at 25, I find myself pondering the affordability of working in the film industry, with the air of an eroding determination and a dwindling dream. And with the cost-of-living crisis it’s no surprise young freelancers quit the industry in exchange for a job as a social media manager. Of course, like many of us, I’m still longing for that wholehearted creative journey that’ll feed me – literally, I mean. I’m looking forward to attending this free online event which will give a comprehensive analysis on the affordability of our adopted pathways and hopefully lend me some courage for whenever someone asks me, “How’s work?”
Building Your Own Community Cinema
Felix Farrow
The foundations for ‘Building Your Own Community Cinema’ – programmed by myself and fellow Young Programmer Beatrice Benn – lie in our shared frustrations with the commercial moviegoing experience. Like the suburban retail parks they are so often consigned to, chain cinemas in 2025 have become homogenised, vapid, cookie-cutter spaces, while their longstanding independent counterparts have fallen prey to the skyrocketing of ticket prices and the shuttering of doors.
Pulling together a panel of programmers from community-run cinemas and DIY screening groups that have cast aside the high street formula and done something different, we envision this event celebrating the pop-up picture houses in the back rooms of bars, pubs and village halls. ‘Building Your Own Community Cinema’ is a reminder that moviegoing spaces deserve to be as exuberant and exciting as the films they screen.
Navigating the Industry with Access Needs
Phoebe Yemi Ara
My first venture into the screen industry as a neurodivergent individual, with a long-term mental health condition, was fraught with inaccessible practices. When you’re an intern in a massive organisation, it’s hard to advocate for your needs, and to demand the support you’re entitled to. Particularly when you do not feel heard. It took five years of trial and error to develop my own blueprint for surviving the industry – but how much easier would these trials have been if I had the tools to build this blueprint at the very start of my career? The hope is that this event will save years of confusion and frustration for those with (and without) disabilities. If you’ve ever struggled with advocating for yourself, this one is for you.
The Movie Quiz!
Tom Hermawan
In a festival filled with emerging Scorseses, Sciammas and cinephiles, there is no better place to meet new faces and bond over a mutual love of cinema. The fun and lively atmosphere of The Movie Quiz makes it the perfect event for this, returning for its fourth year at the festival!
As someone less inclined to the formalities and small talk of networking – a somewhat fundamental part of the industry — the quiz offers a wonderful alternative. It’s the perfect opportunity to make connections in a relaxed and engaging environment through collaboration, teamwork and a bit of light-hearted fun. You’re bound to make friends, gain new knowledge, and flex your own film fun facts along the way (something I’m sure you have plenty of). I’ve already started studying Letterboxd and brainstorming the wittiest movie-related team name that Future Film Festival has ever seen!
Future Film Festival Focus
Elijah Smith-Ayton
Discover the must-see events of the Future Film Festival through our daily video series, Future Film Festival Focus. The Young Programmers will guide you through the festival’s packed schedule, ensuring you hear all about the great events we have to offer during the festival. You can follow our journey as we attend, review and spotlight our top picks from this year’s incredible schedule.
As one of the Young Programmers presenting, I’m excited to take you behind the scenes and share how our industry events create opportunities for aspiring screen creatives. I’m particularly thrilled to spotlight the emerging filmmakers whose remarkable work I helped curate. Programming for the festival introduced me to brilliant new talent, and I’m excited to finally discuss their work with our audiences!
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