This episode was originally broadcast as a live webinar on 22 March 2021
Moderated by:
Matt Mueller – Editor of Screen Daily and Screen International, which provides insight and intelligence into the global film and high-end TV industries via its print magazine, daily editions at major festivals and markets, multiple annual supplements, and online offering ScreenDaily.com. Before becoming editor of Screen International in 2015, Matt worked as a freelance film journalist across a variety of print and online outlets, including The Sunday Times, The Independent and IndieWire, and prior to that served as the Editor of two UK consumer film titles, Premiere UK from 1994-1998 and Total Film from 2000-2006.
On the panel:
Phil Clapp – CEO of the UK Cinema Association. During his time in post, Phil spearheaded the establishment of the Digital Funding Partnership, ensuring the survival of small and medium-sized UK cinema operators in a new technological era, as well as more recently leading on the establishment of the ground-breaking MEERKAT MOVIES promotion. Phil also serves as President of the International Union of Cinemas (UNIC), the European grouping of cinema trade associations and key operators across 38 territories. Before joining the Association, worked at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, leading on policy for the creative industries – including film, music and computer games – having joined the civil service in 1994 from a background in scientific research.
Akua Gyamfi – Founder and Managing Director of The British Blacklist. Akua Gyamfi has over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry, with a career spanning fashion, film, television, theatre, print, and online media. In 2012 Akua founded The British Blacklist a platform that celebrates the talents of British Black creatives across Screen, Stage, Literature, and Sound. She also produces podcasts Your Aunties Could Never (popular culture, and TBB Talks (interviews with Black creatives from around the globe). Alongside writer/producer Leon Mayne, Akua is the co-creator/co-exec producer and host of industry round table series The Circle. In 2019 Akua joined forces with Soul Film, The New Black Film Collective, and We Are Parable to launch the S.O.U.L. Film Festival, an annual event that showcases the best of Black filmmakers and content creators from the UK and the wider Diaspora.
Anna Smith – Film critic and Broadcaster. The former President of the Critics’ Circle, Anna is also host of the podcast Girls On Film, which was listed as the ‘Best Feminist Film Podcast’ by Stylist magazine and endorsed by EON’s Barbara Broccoli. A long-time contributor to Time Out, Metro, The Guardian and Sight & Sound, Anna also reviews for Deadline Hollywood. She appears regularly on BBC TV, Radio 4 and Sky TV. She has twice been the chosen film expert on the Sky Cinema sofa during the UK’s official Academy Awards broadcast. She tweets from @annasmithjourno.