Glasgow Film Festival Announces 50 Filmmakers for 2026 Industry Talent Labs

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50 Filmmakers Join Glasgow Film Festival Industry Labs

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We have selected 50 emerging filmmakers from across the UK for our three flagship talent development labs, marking our largest annual cohort to date. The participants will develop 25 new screen projects ahead of Industry Focus 2026.


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Our talent labs support 50 UK filmmakers

Our talent labs support 50 UK filmmakers


We have selected 50 filmmakers for our 2025/26 Animatic, Funny Features, and New Talent Mentorship Scheme programmes, creating the largest annual group we have supported through these initiatives so far. Across the three labs, we are supporting the development of 15 feature films, five TV series and five shorts from filmmakers based across the UK.    

All participating filmmakers will be celebrated during a special ceremony at GFF26, which runs from 25 February to 8 March 2026. The labs connect directly to Industry Focus, our professional conference for the Scottish screen sector, which will take place from 2 to 6 March 2026.

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We are also collaborating with leading organisations such as Cartoon Saloon, Netflix, BFI, Aardman and Curzon, whose representatives will contribute to sessions, mentoring and live pitching events. These labs are delivered with support from partners including the BFI awarding National Lottery funding, the Scottish Government Festivals EXPO Fund, the William Grant Foundation, Animation Scotland, Screen Scotland and MySmashMedia.  


H2: Animatic, Funny Features and New Talent Mentorship Scheme

Animatic, Funny Features and New Talent Mentorship Scheme

H3:Animatic


Animatic

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The third edition of our Animatic lab supports 15 Scotland-based animation projects across features, series and shorts. Made possible through the Scottish Government Festivals EXPO Fund via Creative Scotland, the lab offers a six-month programme of sessions, meetings and workshops delivered by executives from Netflix, BFI, Aardman Animations, Screen Scotland and Mackinnon & Saunders. 

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We are also welcoming mentors including Brenda Chapman, Jonas Poher Rasmussen and Julie Lockhart, co-founder of Locksmith Animation. Participants will compete for three awards: Best Feature (£6,000), Best TV Series (£3,000), sponsored by Astley Baker Davies, and Best Short (£1,500).  


H3: Funny Features

Funny Features

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We have selected ten new comedy feature projects from across the UK for Funny Features, our comedy-focused lab supported by the BFI Creative Challenge Fund. The slate includes Notice Me, based on the proof-of-concept Short Film Exec Produced by Lena Dunham, and Gro(ceries), co-written by Sex Education actor Chinenye Clarissa Ezeudu.  

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Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman seated at newsroom desks in All The President's Men.
Audience engagement during a live Q&A at the Funny Features 2025 pitch session. Photo by Erika Stevenson.

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Over six months, we will bring participants together with mentors such as Debbie Gray, Yvonne Ibazabo, John Finn, Brian J. Falconer, Tom Wood and Campbell X. Returning facilitators include My SMASH Media, finance workshop facilitator Tom Harberd, creative producer David Pope and script editor Kate Leys. One team will also be eligible for the Curzon Creates Award, offering a development meeting with Curzon’s Head of Development to discuss their project’s next steps.

H3: New Talent Mentorship Scheme

New Talent Mentorship Scheme

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Through our New Talent Mentorship Scheme, funded by the William Grant Foundation, we are now in our sixth year of supporting emerging professionals working in film, high-end television and animation. The 2025/26 mentees were announced earlier in the year, and we have now confirmed the mentors who will work with them for six months.  

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Mentees will receive tailored guidance from Cartoon Saloon, Charlotte Regan, Sam Lavender, Julia Jackman, Brian Welsh and other senior creatives. Our aim is to provide practical, career-focused support that helps them build sustainable careers in the screen industries.  

H2: Our growing industry platform

Our growing industry platform 


Our growing industry platform

These three labs are a core part of our commitment to supporting diverse UK screen talent and building structured pathways for filmmakers at all stages, particularly those under-represented in the sector. Since we launched our Industry programme in 2016, Glasgow Film Festival has become a key annual meeting point for Scotland’s film and television sector, offering insight sessions, networking opportunities and year-on-year talent development.  

The full Industry Focus 2026 programme will be announced on Wednesday 28 January. GFF26 will run from 25 February to 8 March and is presented by Glasgow Film, the charity which also operates Glasgow Film Theatre, with support from Screen Scotland and Glasgow Life. 

Samantha Bennett - Quote

Paul Gallagher seated in a cinema auditorium
GLASGOW FILM FESTIVAL

Industry ManagerSamantha Bennett

“Our Industry programme at Glasgow Film Festival continues to grow from strength to strength, and this is reflected in the wealth of talent and facilitators across our portfolio of opportunities. We could not deliver this work without the support of our partners: the BFI, the Scottish Government Festival’s EXPO fund, the William Grant Foundation, Animation Scotland, Screen Scotland and MySmashMedia, plus the continued guidance and backing from our partners and colleagues across the sector, including Curzon, and Oscar-winning and nominated directors, leading animation studios, and executives from Netflix, BFI, Atomic Cartoons, and Aardman.

“We look forward to welcoming delegates and guests to Industry Focus 2026 to showcase some incredible projects.”

H2: How to attend Industry Focus 2026


How to attend Industry Focus 2026

How to attend Industry Focus 2026


Industry professionals interested in attending Industry Focus 2026 will be able to find accreditation details, programme information and key dates on our website closer to the event. 

Learn more about Animatic, Funny Features, and our New Talent Mentorship Scheme, including how each lab works and who it is for. You can also visit our Industry accreditation page to check eligibility, deadlines and how to apply to attend Industry Focus 2026. 

GFF26 runs from 25 February to 8 March 2026, with Industry Focus taking place from 2 to 6 March. We will share further announcements, including speakers and sessions, in early 2026. If you are planning to join us, we recommend applying early to secure your place. 

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