Edward Enninful, the editor-in-chief of British Vogue and the European editorial director of Vogue, is set to headline the 2021 London Film Festival‘s industry program.
In a special conversation taking place on Oct. 7 — part of the long-running LFF Connects strand celebrating the intersection between film and other creative industries — Enninful, who was named editor in 2017, will discuss how innovation, activism and inspiration meet within creative spaces to tell stories across all art forms.
Unveiled Monday, the program — which will comprise live in-person screenings and events while also offering digital access to a range of panels post festival for increased international participation — will also see spotlight conversations with Element Pictures’ Ed Guiney, the multi-award winning producer behind The Favourite, Normal People and Joanna Hogg’s recent Cannes-bowing The Souvenir Part II (which screens at the festival), plus Jess Search, CEO of Doc Society (formerly BritDoc).
Elsewhere, industry panel discussions will feature figures, such as writers Jack Thorne (His Dark Materials, The Eddy), Lucy Prebble (Succession, I Hate Suzie), and Steven Knight (Spencer, Peaky Blinders), plus discussions on virtual production, colorism in hair and make-up and extended reality. In association with The Hollywood Reporter, the panel entitled “But I Can Start a Podcast from My Bedroom, Right?” will discuss the phenomenal rise of podcasts and where they sit in the entertainment industry ecosystem, with participation from Steve Ackerman (executive vp and co-head of global podcasts at Sony Music Entertainment); Rob Herting (CEO of L.A.-based QCODE); N’Jeri Eaton (head of audio/podcast programming at Netflix); and Ruth Fitzsimons (managing director of Podfront U.K.).
Other aspects of the festival’s industry events include a works-in-progress showcase for emerging British talent, the LFF Critics Mentorship program, the BFI Network@LFF internationally-focused talent development program, Buyers & Sellers event and Film London production finance market.
“We’re so looking forward to welcoming the U.K. and international industry delegates and guests back to London for in person events and programs at the 65th BFI London Film Festival,” said festival director Tricia Tuttle. “This year’s program grows out of our passion for exploring collaboration and convergence – of forms, but also of ideas and creative practice. And our LFF Connects event with Edward Enninful OBE is a perfect way to open this year’s industry programme as it spotlights a conductor of powerful cultural currents and a creative storyteller who has used his platforms to celebrate invention, independent thinking and difference.”
The 2021 London Film Festival will run Oct. 6-17.
Source: HollyWood
