Written by Kianna Best on May 11, 2023. Posted in Awards and Festivals

BFI and British Council reveal GREAT8 showcase line up

The line up for the BFI and British Council’s GREAT8 showcase has been revealed. For its 6^th year, the showcase will present UK feature films from upcoming filmmakers on the global stage for international distributors and festival programmers in the run-up to this year’s Cannes Marché. Screenings of unseen footage for the 8 new projects will be available from today.

“The line-up of films and filmmakers featuring in this year’s GREAT8 continues to shine a light on the exciting diversity of filmmaker voices and stories continuing to come out of the UK,” Agnieszka Moody, BFI head of international and industry policy. “We are proud alongside our partners at the British Council, BBC Film and Film4 that our previous selections have been successful for international programmers and distributors, and with audiences worldwide.

Chuck Chuck Baby (image courtesy of BFI)

Screenings will take place today exclusively for buyers and festival programmers, and opportunities for buyers will commence on 16 May and conclude on 24 May. The line up includes drama, Black Dog from George Jacques, Chuck Chuck Baby from writer and director Janis Pugh, Edge of Summer by Lucy Cohen, In Camera from Naqqash Khalid, Kneecap, a black comedy drama from Rich Peppiatt, Layla, and LGBTQIA rom-com by Amrou Al-Kadhi, and phycological horror Starve Acre by Daniel Kokotajlo.

“It’s a real privilege to be able to present eight UK filmmakers and have confidence in saying they are all destined for greatness,” Briony Hanson, the British Council's director of film added. “It’s been a tough call to narrow down the selection this year and we were spoilt for choice, but the final eight – ranging from our youngest ever GREAT 8 talent to voices from across the whole UK – balances hard-hitting emotional drama with laughs and even a little song and dance. It doesn’t sound typically British – but trust us, it is!”

The GREAT8 has provided many opportunities and has developed a reputation for producing results. Previous success stories include Charlotte Well’s Aftersun ,for which she won BAFTA Outstanding Debut by a British writer, director or producer this year, Michael Pearce’s BAFTA winning Beast, Georgia Oakley’s Blue Jean which garnered her the enice iornate Degli Autori’s People’s Choice Award in 2022, Ross Glass’ BIFA Douglas Hickoz award winning Saint Maud, and 2017 Camera d’or nominee and present Cannes jury member Rungano Nyoni’s I Am Not a Witch.