BFI Doc Society & Screen South Industry Day at Folkestone Documentary Festival

Join us for a day of discussions and connections at our Industry Day at Folkestone Documentary Festival 2026, in partnership with Screen South.

Calling all filmmakers, artists and documentary-curious people. Do you want to know more about documentary film craft, find out who is funding and distributing independent non-fiction projects and documentary art, and meet with other film creatives and potential collaborators? Then book for this jam-packed day of presentations, panel discussions, case studies, one-to-ones and networking at Folkestone Documentary Festival 2026.

Open to all, whatever level of experience. The sessions are relaxed and there will be tea and coffee available throughout the day if you need to take a break.

There will also be a chance to book 1-to-1s with industry experts. These slots are offered on a first come first served basis and will be available to book on the day so arrive early to secure a slot!

The Industry Day will be followed by networking drinks at Club Folkestone.

Date

Friday 23rd October 2026, 9.30pm - 6pm

Full Programme

9.30am - Doors Open

9:45am - Welcome + Introduction from the Festival Team

10am - Creative Distribution with Jeanie Finlay and Suzanne Alizart, Glimmerama
This year's keynote session will be led by the team from Glimmerama, the creative distribution arm of Glimmer Films, the company behind this year's festival film All Rivers Spill Their Stories to The Sea and previous festival opening film Your Fat Friend. Jeanie and Suzanne will discuss ideas for rethinking the engagements documentary makers have with audiences through innovative release strategies. Presenting case studies learned from their experiments in documentary distribution crafted for specific audiences, they'll present a new frontier for film releasing done with care.

11am - Using Archive in Documentaries

The process for using and clearing archive material in docs can feel daunting...and expensive. This session will demystify the archive journey, featuring an expert panel who use archive material every day and help others to do it too. What archive is out there and available to use, and how do you research and discover it? Who do you ask for permission, what are the costs, and how do you negotiate them? What does it mean when material is in the public domain, and is fair dealing actually a thing in the UK? Beyond the admin and finance side, what are best practices of using archive creatively and interestingly in your film? Featuring:

• Stephen Slater, archive producer specialising in space
• Gonzalo Chacon, director at Footage Farm, UK archive library specialising in Public Domain material
• Janet Mc Bride, archive film consultant
• Simon McCallum, archive projects curator, BFI
• Chair: Charlie Phillips

12pm - How Not To Annoy Your Editor, Top Tips!

More than any other film art form, the film is really made in the edit with documentaries, and your editor has to be your best friend. This session features three top UK editors who will talk about what you need to do as directors and producers to make the edit go well. Featuring:

• Nicole Hálová (All Rivers Spill Their Stories To The Sea)
• Emelie Mahdavian (The Lake, Sundance Special Jury Prize 2026)
• Cassandra Roberts (Stitch N Bitch Editors Collective)
• Chair: James Collie

1pm - Lunch

Bring your own, or buy from the amazing eateries around Folkestone Quarterhouse.

2pm - Ed Webb-Ingall on Community Filmmaking/Video Activism
A session with filmmaker and researcher Ed Webb-Ingall on his new book The Story of British Video Activism. The event will trace the democratising impact of portable video recording technology from the late 1960s to the early 21st century. Webb-Ingall will introduce pioneering and dynamic videomakers showing how video played a powerful role in local and national campaigns on issues including housing, labour struggles and racial justice.

• Ed Webb-Ingall will be joined in-conversation by Charlie Phillips.

2:45pm - Shorts!
Meet some of this year's brilliant short filmmakers featured in the festival programme, and hear how they got their films made. Featuring:

• Daisy Ifama (Rap Baby)
• Roopa Gogineni and Farhaan (Riding Time)
• Louisa Rechenbach (Concrete Roots)
• Callum McCulloch (The Weavers)
• Chair: James Collie

3:15pm - What's the Film Tax Credit?
Anna Mansi, director of film and video game certification at the BFI, will present a practical guide to the Audio Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC) and Independent Film Tax Credit (IFTC) for documentaries - essential tools for every UK filmmaker to know how to access.

3:50pm - What's New in Funding and Other Opportunities?

Who's out there offering new opportunities to get your documentaries funded and otherwise supported? Hear from some documentary supporters who you may not have otherwise been aware of - what they're looking for, how you can approach them, and what they're excited about in documentaries right now. Featuring:

• Sylvia Bednarz, Managing Director, Grierson Trust
• Janine Thomas, Assistant Commissioner, BBC Storyville
• James Weddup, Fund Manager for slate development and majority co-production, Global Screen Fund (BFI)
• Harriet Guggenheim, co-founder and co-director, Placeholder Films
• Jamie Allan, Talent Development Manager, BFI Doc Society Fund
• Chair: Charlie Phillips

4:45pm - Closing Thoughts led by Charlie Phillips and James Collie

5pm - Networking Drinks at Club Folkestone
Come along, have a drink and chat about everything you've heard in the day, ready for an evening and weekend of film viewing!

1-2-1s with Industry Experts

Industry Day ticket holders will be able to book 1-to-1s with industry experts across Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. These slots are offered on a first come first served basis and will be available to book on the day so arrive early to secure a slot!

Registration

Tickets to the entire Industry Day are available for £5 from the Folkestone Documentary Festival website. Industry Day tickets also give you access to the Networking Drinks and the 1-2-1s with industry experts (book on the day on a first-come-first-served basis)

Venue

The Industry Day will take place at Folkestone Quarterhouse, Mill Bay, Folkestone, Kent, CT20 1BN. For more information on the venue and accessibility please see their website or contact the venue on info@creativefolkestone.org.uk or call on 01303 760740.