Film programmer (BFI festivals)

Interviews: First interviews will be held in the week commencing 16 November. Second interviews will be held on TBC

Fixed Term Contract: (18 January 2027 – 05 November 2027) Full-time

Location: London, BFI Southbank

Hybrid working: 3 days onsite and 2 days work from home

Help shape the BFI’s festival programme by researching, selecting and championing films for the BFI’s festivals.

We are a cultural charity, a National Lottery distributor, and the UK’s lead organisation for film and the moving image. We believe society needs stories. Film, television and the moving image bring them to life, helping us connect and understand each other better. We share the stories of yesterday, search for the stories of today, and shape the stories of tomorrow.

We are looking for an experienced Film Programmer who will support the artistic vision of the festival and bring a creative and considered approach to welcoming existing and new audiences to a wide range of work.

Working closely with the Festival Artistic Director and programme team this role will devise and deliver a programme that differentiates the BFI in terms of quality and relevance to dialogue and debate around the moving image, while also working to meet the box office and audience targets of all of BFI’s Festivals. The role will actively engage in all elements of the programme including film selections, public programmes, writing for festival publications, hosting Q&A’s and events.

What you’ll do

Research & Viewing 

• Actively research films from initial project phase and maintain festival database to ensure information is accurately recorded. 
• View Feature and Short films including Work in Progress titles and write viewing notes with clear indications of potential audiences 

Programming

• Champion films, discuss them, and take an active role in the decision-making process.  
• Write lively, enticing, and accessible marketing copy about the films and programme. Support the brochure production process. 
• Host informed and accessible on-stage introductions, Q&As and panel discussions with filmmakers and industry guests. 

Stakeholder Management  

• Ensure that best practice standards for visiting filmmaker and industry guests are upheld in collaboration with the Guest and Hospitality teams.

What you’ll bring

• Significant and demonstrable experience of feature film programming in a film festival environment that serves a broad public audience.
• Demonstrable knowledge of international cinema and historical film.
• Significant contacts and demonstrable working relationships across UK and international film industries.
• Proven ability for self-guided research including tracking films in various stages of production, writing reports and meeting briefs, analysing box office data. 
• Proven experience with viewing and decision making on feature films (including work-in-progress material).
• Significant and demonstratable experience in scheduling film programmes and events.

Take a look at the full job description to learn more about the role and how you could be a great fit.

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Benefits

• 25 days annual leave (rising to 30 with service) + bank holidays + the option to buy up to 5 extra days of annual leave
• Additional paid time off between Christmas and New Year
• BFI pension scheme with 5% employer contribution
• BFI Childcare Scheme, where we contribute to childcare costs
• Enhanced pay for Maternity & Paternity leave
• Complimentary tickets to BFI Southbank & IMAX screenings and events
• Free BFI Player subscription + discount on BFI merchandise, and film tickets
• For most of our roles we operate a hybrid working model, more information can be found on the job description

Plus more!

We support diversity and inclusion, and as an organisation recognise that we need to address under representation within our teams. As such we strongly welcome and encourage applicants from our under-represented groups; who identify as D/deaf and disabled and/or are Black and Global Majority. We guarantee a place at the first stage selection process to our under-represented groups who meet our minimum requirements.

We welcome and encourage applications from candidates who are under-represented in the creative industries.

Please make sure that you state in your application that you found this role via Creative Access.