Film London's Production Finance Market (PFM) kicked off yesterday and we were delighted to welcome Ben Roberts, Chief Executive of the BFI as the keynote speaker.

After hosting the last two editions online due to the pandemic, this year’s Film London PFM takes place in person from 11 - 12 October as part of the 66^th BFI London Film Festival Industry Programme.

Following the launch of BFI’s Screen Culture 2033, Ben Roberts joined Film London’s Adrian Wootton for a fireside chat to set out his vision over the next 10 years and how that will translate – within a wider cultural and industrial mission – to funding support and policy focus for independent production, and building international cultural and industry collaboration.

Following the keynote, the PFM presented a UK Global Screen Fund panel session, moderated by Adrian Wootton and highlighting current opportunities for UK and international producers, including international co-production. Joined by Denitsa Yordanova, Head of the UK Global Screen Fund, the session explored a case study of Germany/UK co-production The Tutor, with producer Cassandra Sigsgaard on hand to discuss the collaboration and its international ambitions.

PFM connects filmmakers and financiers from across the globe through 1:1 meetings as a way to navigate potential business partners and investment. The main strand accommodates feature film projects with budgets above €1m, while the New Talent Strand supports budgets below €1m.

The 2021 virtual edition of PFM saw 61 feature film projects presented, with a total production value of around €182 million. The Market attracted over 180 attendees, facilitating 893 meetings from across the globe with delegates from 18 different countries, all in two days. Now in its 16th year, the Production Finance Market 2022 will welcome attendees to begin those all-important creative and business conversations face to face whilst also building upon the success and reach of the virtual editions.

A recent success from PFM is The Laureate which was completed in 2021 and released in the US earlier this year, with a UK release coming later this year. The finance was put together almost entirely based on the Production Finance Market from 2016. Producer William Nunez is set to return to the Market this year.

Featuring in the New Talent Strand this year are Lucky Jim, which is directed by Baff Akoto, co-producer of Queen of Glory; while Nosa Eke, Film London Director Lodestar and BFI NETWORK alumna, will bring her project The Young and the Dopeness.

As part of the PFM support package, all filmmakers selected for PFM's New Talent strand took part in a week-long training programme, which was open to observers for the first time. Film London Labs: The Production Finance Sessions included talks and advice from key industry figures. The week-long lab focused on the art of pitching a finance-ready project, enabling filmmakers to defend creative choices and ground plans in reality.

The 2022 edition of PFM has seen nationwide network The New Black Film Collective (TNBFC) and BIFA Springboard on board as new partners, in addition to continuing its partnership with Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival which started in 2021. PFM continues its international partnerships with EAVE, MIFF 37 South, The Netherlands Film Commission, Ontario Creates IFF@TIFF and South Africa’s National Film & Video Foundation, whilst also continuing to work with its Spanish and Italian industry colleagues and others across Europe.

The Film London Production Finance Market is supported by the Department for International Trade (DIT), the Mayor of London and the BFI London Film Festival.