London Film Festival 2020: Program To Add TV, VR, And Industry Sections

The BFI London Film Festival will offer more than film screenings

The 2020 BFI London Film Festival will be moving beyond the silver screen with its offerings.

The festival’s organizers have announced the addition of new sections that will showcase non-film-related audio-visual projects. Also known as “strands”, these sections will focus on upcoming small-screen works for television and streaming platforms. There will be strands presenting immersive experiences such as augmented and virtual reality projects, as well.

The London Film Festival will also expand its pre-existing industry section to foster creative and business-related collaborations among working filmmakers. The organizers hope this will allow for emerging U.K. talent to network on both a local and international scale.

Tricia Tuttle, the festival’s director, welcomes the expansion as a sign of both technological innovation and media evolution.

“We’ve focused a great deal in recent years on the seismic changes in how films are reaching audiences, but there are other more creative ways the ground is shifting, with ‘filmmakers’ and producers increasingly working across different platforms, and greater connections and dialogue across different creative forms,” said Tuttle. “We look forward to showing their work here, and offering a new platform where audiences can engage with different kinds of moving image-based storytelling, fiction and nonfiction.”

Financial Accessibility

According to Deadline, the festival is also hoping to increase its amount of free-to-access events, including screenings, strands, and talks. Tuttle stresses the importance of this accessibility, saying that finances shouldn’t be a hindrance to one’s participation with the arts.

Our free program will offer greater opportunity for debate and discussion on pressing topical issues, themes and ideas that are emerging. Film helps us understand ourselves and each other and it’s this collective experience that really defines a festival. We want to make this a richer experience for everyone.

The 64th iteration of the BFI London Film Festival will take place from October 7-18, 2020. The official film selection will likely be released sometime in early September.

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