The Glasgow Film Festival's Industry Focus strand will expand to five days for its 11th edition, running from March 2 to 6, 2026, across two venues. The program gathers film and TV professionals from the UK, Europe, and beyond for panels, networking, and screenings on key screen sector topics. Speakers include executives from the BBC, Curzon, Bankside Films, and others.
The 11th edition of the Glasgow Film Festival's Industry Focus strand has announced its full lineup, marking an expansion to five days from March 2-6, 2026. This growth, supported by partners like Screen Scotland and the Glasgow Convention Bureau, underscores the event's rising international appeal, with delegations from France and Austria expected.
The program features a diverse array of speakers, including Halon CEO Chris Ferriter, animation veteran Andrew Pearce, Conic directors Jen Davies and Graham Fulton, and UK talent agent Aileen McEwan of McEwan & Penford, whose clients include Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mark Bonnar. Other participants are Bankside Films Head of Sales Yana Georgieva, The Match Factory’s Festival Executive Valentina Bronzini, Media Finance Capital’s Jonathan Gorner, Ashland Hill Media Finance’s Joe Simpson, Goldfinch Entertainment’s Phil McKenzie, MetFilm Studio’s Zak Brilliant, Peccadillo Pictures’ Tom Abell, and Vue Lumière’s Rachele Parietti.
Keynote addresses will come from Melissa Hardinge, Senior Commissioning Editor for BBC Children’s 7 to 12; filmmaker and script consultant David Pope; former Curzon CEO Phillip Knatchbull; and Curzon Head of Development Kristian Brodie.
Highlights include an in-conversation with Glasgow-based composer and cellist Oliver Coates, known for Aftersun and Pillion, and Bonus Track director Julia Jackman. The event will launch Scotland’s new Black Filmmakers Community Network, led by Balenji Mwiche, Briana Pegado, and Liz Chege. A Book to Screen case study will feature Booker Prize-nominated author Bernard MacLaverty and producer Guy Heeley on the Glasgow-shot drama Midwinter Break, alongside a live pitching event.
GFF Industry Manager Samantha Bennett stated: “The 2026 Glasgow Film Festival Industry program is our biggest to date, underscoring a growing international profile with delegations from France and Austria in attendance, alongside high-profile executives from across the screen industry. Industry Focus is a key destination for discovering original IP, from books available for adaptation, to bold, original comedies from exciting UK talent, firmly establishing the conference as a must attend event for the screen sector.”
GFF Head of Operations Debbie Aitken added: “We thank our major partner Screen Scotland for their support, the Glasgow Convention Bureau in helping us to expand to five days, plus all the program partners and collaborators who help ensure Glasgow Film Festival remains a vibrant hub for world-class storytelling.”
Screen Scotland’s Sarah Smyth remarked: “GFF’s industry program has become one of the most important touchpoints for Scotland’s screen sector and the 2026 program shows exactly why. It’s ambitious, outward-looking and grounded in the strength of Glasgow’s singular screen community, while bringing global industry leaders into the conversation. This is an event that goes beyond showcasing talent to actively shaping the industry’s future.”
The broader 22nd Glasgow Film Festival occurs from February 25 to March 8, 2026.
