The Glasgow Film Festival’s Industry Focus strand has unveiled its full line-up for its 11th edition, with the event expanding an extra day to five days across two venues from March 2-6, 2026.
Industry Focus brings together film and TV film professionals across the UK, Europe and beyond for a program of panel discussions, networking sessions and screening covering topics critical to the screen sector.
Speakers this year include: Halon CEO Chris Ferriter; animation veteran Andrew Pearce; Conic directors Jen Davies and Graham Fulton; UK talent agent Aileen McEwan, Company Director of McEwan & Penford, whose roster includes Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mark Bonnar; Bankside Films Head of Sales Yana Georgieva; The Match Factory’s Festival Executive Valentina Bronzini; Media Finance Capital Investment and Development Exec Jonathan Gorner; Ashland Hill Media Finance Joe Simpson; Goldfinch Entertainment COO and Co-Founder Phil McKenzie; MetFilm Studio’s Zak Brilliant; Peccadillo Pictures’ Tom Abell; and Vue Lumière’s Rachele Parietti.
Key-note speakers this year include an opening address from Melissa Hardinge, Senior Commissioning Editor for BBC Children’s 7 to 12, filmmaker and script consultant David Pope and former Curzon CEO Phillip Knatchbull and Curzon Head of Development Kristian Brodie.
Additional highlights across the five day event include an in-conversation event with Glasgow-based composer and cellist Oliver Coates (Aftersun, Pillion) and Bonus Track director Julia Jackman, the launch of Scotland’s new Black Filmmakers Community Network from Balenji Mwiche, Briana Pegado and Liz Chege, a Book to Screen case study of Glasgow-shot drama Midwinter Break, featuring Booker Prize-nominated author Bernard MacLaverty and producer Guy Heeley and a Book to Screen live pitching event.
“The 2026 Glasgow Film Festival Industry program is our biggest to date, underscoring a growing international profile with delegations from France and Austria in attendance, alongside high-profile executives from across the screen industry,” said GFF Industry Manager Samantha Bennett. “Industry Focus is a key destination for discovering original IP, from books available for adaptation, to bold, original comedies from exciting UK talent, firmly establishing the conference as a must attend event for the screen sector.”
GFF Head of Operations Debbie Aitken added: “We thank our major partner Screen Scotland for their support, the Glasgow Convention Bureau in helping us to expand to five days, plus all the program partners and collaborators who help ensure Glasgow Film Festival remains a vibrant hub for world-class storytelling.”
Screen Scotland International Distribution and Commercial Development Officer Sarah Smyth said: “GFF’s industry program has become one of the most important touchpoints for Scotland’s screen sector and the 2026 program shows exactly why. It’s ambitious, outward-looking and grounded in the strength of Glasgow’s singular screen community, while bringing global industry leaders into the conversation. This is an event that goes beyond showcasing talent to actively shaping the industry’s future.”
The 22nd Glasgow Film Festival takes place from February 25 – March 8, 2026.
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