ScreenSkills at Cannes Film Festival

This year’s Cannes Film festival saw the global film industry takeover the southern French city for 10 days. Among them were members of the ScreenSkills film team as Emma Turner and Naomi Joseph represented the Film Skills Fund, cemented existing ties and forged new relationships.

The Film Skills Fund co-sponsored the Screen UK Industry Partners Pavillion, where Emma and Naomi were able to discuss the work of the Fund as they met with producers, directors and writers intending to shoot productions across the UK. They shared updates, answered questions and highlighted the benefits that ScreenSkills’ funded training and development programmes can bring to productions that contribute to the Fund.

There were plenty of examples on show throughout the festival as nine titles that paid into the Fund received their premieres at Cannes, with three of those being awarded with prizes. Director Akinola Davies Jnr received a Caméra d’Or Special Mention for his work on My Father's Shadow, a UK/Nigeria collaboration.

Urchin, the directorial debut from actor Harris Dickinson, was awarded a FIPRESCI Prize by the International Federation of Film Critics and saw its lead Frank Dillane collect the Un Certain Regard Best actor prize.

There was also a win for writer-director Harry Lighton, who won the Un Certain Regard award for Best Screenplay for his debut feature, Pillion, starring Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgård.

In addition to contributing to the Film Skills Fund, eight of the productions offered placements to candidates taking part in training programmes supported by the Fund, offering vital on-set experience to those at different career stages and helping to support the growth of the UK workforce.

Read more about the titles selected to play at the festival that contributed to the Film Skills Fund.