Sixteen Things We Learned about Programming for Film Festivals under COVID

Abstract

Five programme advisors from the British Film Institute (BFI) London Film Festival offer reflections on film programming during and post COVID. In addition to a discussion on hybrid festivals, the programme advisors also comment on audiences, Q&As, the engagement with filmmakers, and what it means to programme for both virtual and live festival formats.

Keywords:

• Film festivals
• film curating
• film audiences
• programming

Helen de Witt is a curator and lecturer specialising in artists’ film and independent cinema. Previously Head of Cinemas at the BFI, she is a programmer of the BFI London Film Festival’s Experimental section of artists’ film. Helen is a lecturer in Film Studies at UCL and Birkbeck University of London and a visiting lecturer at the National Film and Television School. She has published in several film magazines and websites including Sight & Sound, BFI, Animate Projects, Club Des Femmes, and the Journal of Film Preservation and contributed to a number of books on artists’ film.

Maria M. Delgado is an academic, curator, and critic. She has been collaborating with the BFI London Film Festival since 1997 and has also undertaken curatorial and advisory work for the BFI, the ICA, and the London Spanish Film Festival. She writes regularly on film for Sight & Sound. She is the Vice Principal for Research and Knowledge Exchange at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London.

Aduke King has programmed shorts for film festivals since 2015 and for the BFI London Film Festival since 2017. She is currently focused on creating new space in distribution at Other Parties Film Company.

Sarah Lutton has been working with the BFI London Film Festival since 1998. She is Programme Advisor for the LFF’s Nordic selection. Initially moving into film exhibition from a background in academia, Sarah is currently a freelance film programming and research consultant working with organisations and companies including BAFTA, BFI Southbank, UK Film, and the British Council Film Department.

Leigh Singer is a film journalist, video essayist, and programmer, advising on the BFI London Film Festival Laugh strand since 2013 and now also focusing on US independent film. He was previously the Feature programmer for LOCO, the London Comedy Film Festival and is a Film Programmer for the Red Sea International Film Festival. His written and audio-visual journalism has featured in Sight & Sound, the BFI online, Little White Lies, Indiewire, BBCi, The Guardian, and more. He teaches academic video essay work, including a video essay module on the Film Studies, Programming and Curation MA course at the National Film and Television School.