The BFI London Film Festival 2022 – which opens in two days – will lose its director.
Tricia Tuttle, who has led the festival for the past 5 years in her role as BFI Festival Director (which also includes BFI Flare LGBTQUIA+ festival supervisor), has announced that she will be stepping down from her role after 10 years working at British Film Institute.
Tuttle will deliver this year’s edition – launching on October 5 with the world premiere of The musical Matilda by Roald Dahl – and remains in her post until early 2023 while the BFI looks for a replacement.
“I love everything about my time at BFI and as our Festival Director. It is a profound and genuine privilege to lead the BFI London Film Festival and the BFI Flare Film Festival: London LGBTQIA+, and to be a senior leader in an organization that has shaped me as a fan avid cinematographer and a professional in the film industry,” said Tuttle. “I took on the role knowing that I believe in cultural innovation. I came to make a quick impact, with the aim of expanding our festival to more people and then passing it on victoriously. And I couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve achieved in these 5 years, especially given the absolutely wild challenges we’ve faced! I am leaving with so much love for the people and work of the organization. “
Under Tuttle’s leadership, in which she outlined a five-year strategy for the London Film Festival, audience numbers have grown by 76% since 2019, while the event has expanded across the UK, with 39 % of the audience coming from outside London in 2021 compared to 10 per cent two years earlier. The festival has also moved from Leicester Square to the new Gala venue at the Royal Festival Hall of the Southbank Centre.
Major new developments as part of Tuttle’s strategy also include expanding the festival program to offer TV series (LFF Series), role-playing and XR productions (LFF Extended) alongside movies. ; an enhanced industry program designed to bring international innovators to the event to discover and connect with UK talent; and a broad audience reach of free, extended physical and digital programming across the UK through BFI Player.
“Tricia has been the driving force behind change at the BFI London Film Festival for the past five years and it couldn’t be more important and important now,” said BFI CEO Ben Roberts. “I want to thank her for her innovative leadership in aligning the LFF and BFI Flare in the face of enormous external challenges, creating real UK reach. physically and digitally, bringing us to the international stage and, of course, giving audiences incredible film experiences. Most importantly Tricia is a super smart, generous and cooperative leader and colleague. She leaves an incredible team behind and we will celebrate her success at her last festival this year. ”
As Festival Director, Tuttle has helped guide the BFI festival program through the COVID pandemic. In March 2020, BFI Flare was one of the first festivals in the world to pivot to an online model, a feat that lasted less than a week. She then went on to tailor an innovative and distinctive model for the LFF in 2020, which included social distancing screenings at 10 satellite locations across the UK along with a program of 60 features. online, with LFF in 2020 reaching a record audience of over 300,000 people through visual and digital programming.
In addition, Tuttle has continuously pushed to make BFI festivals more inclusive, with the 2022 LFF program featuring 41% female and non-binary directors/creators of co-directors/ creator. She also introduced the BFI Flare Mentorship program, which was first offered with Screen Skills (then Skillset), and since its second year it has evolved into a partnership with BAFTA, which is now leading program under the banner BFI Flare x BAFTA Mentoring. Home to very few quirky movies in the UK in 2013, the mentorship program has seen the emergence of a new generation of prominent filmmakers identified as LGBTQIA+, with those who The consultant went on to feature feature films at the BFI London Film Festival including Georgia Oakley (Blue jeans), Dionne Edwards (Lovely red dress), Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor (black, white) – Joy also produces Blue story – and Aleem Khan (After falling in love).
