Latest in BBC Films

Pirates, the debut feature from British TV presenter and writer Reggie Yates, is one of the first BBC Films productions to be halted by coronavirus. The Hillbilly Films production, about three friends who drive across London on New Year’s Eve in 1999 in search of party tickets, has been filming in the British capital…

UPDATE: After today’s story that Creative England’s popular iFeatures scheme was looking at an uncertain future, Lady Macbeth producer Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly and director William Oldroyd got in touch to ask if they could send over a comment to voice their support for the program, which I’ve added to the end of this…

Calamity Films, the UK producer behind Judy, for which Renée Zellweger recently won an Oscar, has named Sam Gordon as its head of development. Gordon joins from BBC Films, where he worked as a development executive on projects including recent Sundance pic Herself and the upcoming People Just Do Nothing: Big In Japan…

EXCLUSIVE: A new survey published today on the state of the UK's independent production sector has revealed the harsh challenges being faced by the country's indie producers. Among the eye-opening findings are that 75% of independent film producer respondees who have made 1-2 feature films earned less than $7,800…

EXCLUSIVE: BBC Films is at the Sundance Film Festival with a record five movies playing in official selection. It's one of the UK producer-financier’s biggest hauls at any overseas festival. Debuting in Park City this year are Mamma Mia! director Phyllida Lloyd's Herself, Remi Weekes' debut His House, Sean Durkin's…

EXCLUSIVE: Sean Durkin, whose sophomore feature The Nest starring Jude Law and Carrie Coon premieres at Sundance on Sunday (January 26), is already hard at work on his next film project. The Martha Marcy May Marlene filmmaker is scripting a pic that will tell the rise and fall of the Von Erich family, a dynasty of…

Production is underway on an under-the-radar feature adaptation of BAFTA-winning BBC comedy series, People Just Do Nothing. After five seasons of the cult mockumentary series on BBC and Netflix, People Just Do Nothing: Big In Japan has begun shoot in Japan and the UK for six weeks and is due be released in cinemas…

Follies, the Tony and Olivier Award-winning Stephen Sondheim musical, is being adapted into a feature film by On Chesil Beach filmmaker Dominic Cooke. Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and Marriage Story producer David Heyman is overseeing the project with Rosie Alison at their banner Heyday Films. Rose Garnett of BBC Film…

In a rare public speaking engagement, BBC Films director Rose Garnett took to the stage at the Zurich Film Festival yesterday (September 28) to discuss how the organization has changed under her tenure, and how the nature of public service broadcasting is evolving. BBC Films remains a stalwart of the UK business and…

For the third year, the UK's three leading financiers, the BFI, BBC Films and Film4, in collaboration with the British Council and the UK government's 'Great' campaign, will be showcasing up-and-coming UK talent in Cannes via the ‘Great 8’ program. Scroll down for the lineup. Highlighted on Tuesday May 14 during a…

EXCLUSIVE: Focus Features, Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk outfit Pastel and BBC Films have teamed up on Eliza Hittman (Beach Rats) feature Never Rarely Sometimes Always. Written and directed by Hittman, the film is an intimate portrayal of two teenage girls in rural Pennsylvania. Faced with an unintended…

The Favourite star Rachel Weisz is to star and produce in the forthcoming feature adaptation of Max Porter's novel Lanny. The book, published this month, tells the story of a boy who goes missing from a village sixty miles outside of London. BBC Films and The Bureau will produce. The book's blurb: There's a village…