GREAT8 showcases emerging UK directors

BFI AND BRITISH COUNCIL REVEAL GREAT8 SHOWCASE FOR CANNES 2021

New films from Harry Wootliff, the directors of Notes On Blindness James Spinney and Peter Middleton, Yardie star Aml Ameen, a comedy from Jim Archer and Prasanna Puwanarajah's debut feature as a director are among the films that were selected for this year’s GREAT8. Now in its fourth edition, this year’s showcase is funded and run by the BFI and the British Council, in partnership with BBC Film and Film4.

Footage from some of the UK’s most exciting emerging filmmakers was presented to international distributors and festival programmers online on 17 June. All eight films are in post-production and will be available to buyers at the pre-Cannes screenings virtual market (June 21-25).

The films featuring in the GREAT8 2021 line-up are:

  • A Banquet (dir: Ruth Paxton)
  • Ballywalter* (dir: Prasanna Puwanarajah)
  • Boxing Day* (dir: Aml Ameen)
  • Brian and Charles* (dir: Jim Archer)
  • The Real Charlie Chaplin* (dirs: Peter Middleton, James Spinney)
  • Ride the Wave (dir: Martyn Robertson);
  • She Will (dir: Charlotte Colbert)
  • True Things* (dir: Harry Wootliff)

Five of the films* have been supported by the BFI Film Fund.

Find out more about the GREAT8 line-up and read the full film details in the press release here.

Image: Boxing Day, Aml Ameen