Director Leena Yadav at the BFI London Film Festival 2018Do you want to be a film critic or journalist? Are you writing film reviews for blogs or social media but have not been able to break through to more established publications or platforms? Apply now to the BFI London Film Festival 2019 Critics Mentorship Programme for your chance to be mentored by industry media professionals and have your work published by LFF media partners.
Following a highly successful inaugural year in 2018, the BFI LFF 2019 is looking for six aspiring film critics and journalists to join the second year of our programme that aims to develop a diverse range of writers and bloggers to take their first professional steps into the industry.
Recognising that there is a lack of diversity in film criticism that is damaging to film culture, BFI LFF is taking a small but significant step to redress this imbalance by providing emerging film writers with opportunities to gain experience and have meaningful engagement with publications, LFF Media partners and the BFI teams.
Participating BFI LFF 2019 Media Partners include: Evening Standard, Time Out, Sight & Sound, Empire, Screen International, Little White Lies and BFI website.
Successful applicants will be invited to experience the BFI London Film Festival as an accredited Press delegate plus participate in an Induction Day at the BFI, where they will meet the BFI LFF teams, their mentors and be taken through the mentorship programme. Film critic, journalist and screenwriter Kate Muir will be an overall mentor to each of the participants who will also individually be paired with a mentor from each media partner who will support them to produce up to three pieces of film journalism (reviews, interviews, articles) for publication on their websites and bfi.org.uk
The mentorship will be intensive for five days during the Festival, with full access to press screenings and press conferences, writing reviews and features plus additional interview opportunities and an array of networking opportunities. The mentees will have full press accreditation for the duration of the LFF and will be encouraged to and pitch editorial ideas to bfi.org.uk
This is an unpaid mentorship, however successful applicants will be supported to participate with bursaries for those that need childcare, accessibility support, travel or accommodation and have access to pastoral support.
By the end of the programme, participants will have improved their film journalism skills and understanding of the industry and will have gained professional work experience, new work for their portfolio and industry contacts.
Applicants must be over 18, current UK residents and have not had any written work published in/on a national print publication/platform before. We particularly welcome applications from BAME candidates, those with disabilities and any candidates from under-represented communities.
Applications close on Sunday 18 August.
Full details can be found by searching the BFI Jobs and Opportunities site.
