• 46 minutes 56 seconds
    From pre-sales to distribution: inside UK indie filmmaking with ’Sunny Dancer’ team

    On this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, the team behind new UK indie Sunny Dancer reveal how they made the tricky jump to a second feature and discuss the film’s pre-sales, budget manoeuvres and festival launch. 


    Filmmaker and producer George Jaques, a 2022 Screen Star Of Tomorrow, and producer Ken Petrie talk to Screen’s senior UK and international reporter Ben Dalton about making their new feature Sunny Dancer, which is set at a summer camp for teenage cancer survivors. The film made a significant number of pre-sales at Cannes 2024 via Embankment.


    Sunny Dancer is Jaques’ second feature following his 2023 debut Black Dog, a DIY indie made on a budget of £500,000. While Sunny Dancer was a big step up, Jaques discussed how he navigated budget limitations. 


    Read Screen's review of the film here: https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/sunny-dancer-review-bella-ramsey-heads-confident-and-upbeat-uk-teen-drama/5213822.article


    The Screen Podcast is produced by Ellie Calnan, with Wendy Mitchell serving as editorial director. New episodes every Thursday.



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    6 August 2026, 8:14 am
  • 45 minutes 18 seconds
    What should Isabel Davis’s priorities be as new head of BFI Filmmaking Funds?

    On this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, the team delves into the appointment of Isabel Davis as the new head of the BFI Filmmaking Funds and what it means for the future of the UK independent film sector.


    First, Screen’s editor Matt Mueller checks in with senior UK and Ireland reporter Mona Tabbara, who spoke to the industry this week about the appointment.


    Mueller is then joined by producer Nicky Bentham of Neon Films, who is also co-chair of Pact’s Film Producers’ Group, to discuss what potential changes Davis could bring in. 


    Finally, Wendy Mitchell speaks to producer and filmmaker Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor, who shares her thoughts on Davis’s international impact.


    The Screen Podcast is produced by Ellie Calnan, with Wendy Mitchell serving as editorial director. New episodes every Thursday.


    Read more on this story here: https://tinyurl.com/9vmx25hh

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    30 July 2026, 9:46 am
  • 29 minutes 27 seconds
    First reactions to the Venice film festival lineup

    On this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, the team delves into the lineup for the 2026 Venice Film Festival, which was announced earlier today. 


    Host Wendy Mitchell is joined by Screen’s editor Matt Mueller and senior international critic Wendy Ide to discuss what themes emerged from this year’s programme, including the absence of Hollywood studios once again, the lengthy documentary section and the inclusion of just one woman in competition. 


    Read more here: https://www.screendaily.com/news/venice-film-festival-reveals-2026-lineup/5218820.article

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    23 July 2026, 3:55 pm
  • 34 minutes 18 seconds
    What the Karlovy Vary, Galway, Munich and Transilvania film festivals do best

    On this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, we hear about why the early summer film festivals of Transilvania, Munich, Galway and Karlovy Vary are must-attend, fun and lively events for savvy international execs.


    First host Wendy Mitchell talks to senior UK and Ireland reporter Mona Tabbara about her time at the Transilvania and the Galway Film Fleadh. 


    Mitchell is then joined by senior UK and international reporter Ben Dalton to get the lowdown on the Karlovy Vary film festival and share her own thoughts on the Munich International Film Festival, including why she declined to take part in the (in)famous rafting activity. 


    The Screen Podcast is produced by Ellie Calnan, with Wendy Mitchell serving as editorial director. New episodes every Thursday.


    Read more on https://www.screendaily.com

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    16 July 2026, 11:41 am
  • 42 minutes 30 seconds
    Komplizen, Razor heads talk German funding changes, streaming obligation

    Razor Film co-founder Roman Paul and Komplizen Film co-founder Janine Jackowski explain why the German film sector is undergoing a major transition.


    Host Wendy Mitchell talks to Jackowski and Paul about some of the challenges facing production in Germany at the moment and the advantages of European co-production.


    Paul co-founded Razor in 2002 with Gerhard Meixner, and their credits include Waltz With Bashir, The Perfect Candidate and Quo Vadis, Aida?.


    Jackowski founded Komplizen in 1999 alongside Maren Ade, with Jonas Dornbach joining as managing director and producer in 2010. Their output has included all of Ade’s films, plus Pablo Larrain’s Spencer and Marie Kreutzer’s recent Cannes Competition title Gentle Monster.


    Both companies are part of The Creatives, the alliance of nine international production companies, which is also discussed in the podcast.


    The Screen Podcast is produced by Ellie Calnan, with Wendy Mitchell serving as editorial director. New episodes every Thursday.


    Find out more at https://www.screendaily.com

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    9 July 2026, 10:04 am
  • 46 minutes 5 seconds
    The titles that had cinema owners buzzing at CineEurope 2026
    In this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, the team delves into the talking points from European exhibition convention CineEurope, which took place in Barcelona last week (June 22-25).Host Wendy Mitchell is joined by Screen’s box office and awards editor Charles Gant, who takes us through all the studio presentations at CineEurope, and picks out some of the key titles.He picks out Zach Cregger’s 'Resident Evil' as one of the intriguing projects on show, and explains what was said (or not said) about the Paramount-Warner Bros merger.For more on the stories mentioned this week, go to https://www.screendaily.com/Read more of Charles' insights into CineEurope below https://www.screendaily.com/features/seven-talking-points-from-cineeurope-2026/5218143.article

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    2 July 2026, 11:27 am
  • 30 minutes 31 seconds
    Do film industry open letters make a difference?
    In this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, the team debates why open letters have become so popular in the film industry and what kind of impact they can have. Host Wendy Mitchell is joined by Screen’s deputy editor Louise Tutt and Europe editor Tim Dams to discuss the latest in a growing trend of open letters - this time, two in support of Israeli-born filmmaker Nadav Lapid, who was forced to withdraw from the FID Marseille jury as part of a cultural boycott of Israel. Other film industry open letters in recent months covered topics such as Canal+ owner Vincent Bollore, the Berlinale’s stance on Gaza and the Paramount-Warner Bros Discovery deal.The trio then discussed the new deal between Netflix and France’s TF1, which will make TF1’s content available on the streaming service.The Screen Podcast is produced by Ellie Calnan, with Wendy Mitchell serving as editorial director. New episodes every Thursday.For more on the stories mentioned this week, go to https://www.screendaily.com.France’s CNC responds to Nadav Lapid situation https://www.screendaily.com/news/frances-cnc-responds-to-nadav-lapid-situation-by-launching-a-support-service-for-filmmakers-and-festivals/5218009.articleNetflix rolls out TF1 content in France https://www.screendaily.com/news/netflix-rolls-out-tf1-content-in-france-marking-streamers-first-tie-up-with-local-broadcaster/5217808.article

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    25 June 2026, 11:30 am
  • 36 minutes 38 seconds
    Aardman’s Peter Lord on his love of physical production in the age of AI
    In this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, Aardman co-founder Peter Lord discusses 50 years of the historic UK animation company. Ahead of the Annecy film festival, senior international reporter Ben Dalton speaks to Lord about co-founding the Bristol-based company with David Sproxton over 50 years ago and their decision to become an employee-owned business in 2018.The animator, whose credits include Wallace & Gromit and Chicken Run, also discussed AI and how much Aardman would embrace the new technology.

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    18 June 2026, 10:14 am
  • 28 minutes 34 seconds
    US producer John Sloss on building finance plans for indie projects
    In this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, US producer John Sloss speaks to Wendy Mitchell about finance trends, working in Europe, and the restructuring of deal-making. Sloss is the founder and CEO of Cinetic Media and also a partner at the law firm Sloss Eckhouse Dasti Haynes LawCo. His credits include Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague, Blue Moon, Boyhood and Before Sunrise series as well as Todd Haynes’s Velvet Underground, Wonderstruck and I’m Not There. Sloss has also worked on several Oscar winners, including Boys Don’t Cry and Green Book and sold films such as Napoleon Dynamite and Little Miss Sunshine. “The process of deal-making has gotten elongated, which isn’t necessarily a good thing for the people selling films,” Sloss said. “The people buying films are controlling the market a little more and tamping down the urgency that we used to try to create.”

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    11 June 2026, 9:19 am
  • 44 minutes 45 seconds
    Our critics’ hidden gems from the 2026 Cannes Film Festival
    In this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, our senior critics share their hidden gems from the 2026 Cannes film festival. Host Wendy Mitchell speaks to Screen’s senior international critic Wendy Ide and senior US critic Tim Grierson to discuss the films from this year’s festival that didn’t come away with any prizes, and that they feel deserve more attention. The Screen Podcast is produced by Ellie Calnan, with Wendy Mitchell serving as editorial director. New episodes every Thursday.

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    4 June 2026, 9:05 am
  • 43 minutes 33 seconds
    Inside Cannes’ closing night; plus Norway’s Renate Reinsve and Marie Ulven
    In this week’s episode of The Screen Podcast, the team debriefs on Cannes Film Festival’s closing ceremony and awards; and chats to Norwegian actresses Renate Reinsve, star of Palme d’Or winner Fjord, and Marie Ulven, star of Directors’ Fortnight title Low Expectations.First, host Wendy Mitchell is joined by Screen’s France correspondent Rebecca Leffler to take us inside Cannes’ closing night activities, including the best speeches, in-the-room reactions and the afterparty.Then Mitchell speaks to Renate Reinsve and fellow Norwegian actor Marie Ulven on the ground in Cannes about their respective films in the festival. To download or subscribe to future episodes, search for ‘The Screen Podcast’, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud and YouTube.The Screen Podcast is produced by Ellie Calnan, with Wendy Mitchell serving as editorial director. New episodes every Thursday.

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    28 May 2026, 9:44 am
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