Introduction to the Film Summit
The second annual film summit, entitled "Structure on Great Britain’s global success", will take place on September 30th at the BFI Southbank. This event will feature a panel discussion with top industry professionals, including John Friedberg, President, International at Black Bear, Kezia Williams, Managing Director of Great Britain and Ireland at Universal Pictures International (UPI), and Zygi Kamasa, founder and CEO of True Brit Entertainment.
The Panel Discussion
The panel discussion, titled "The Big Picture", will focus on the developing market for British film, audience trends, and the creation of publications and campaigns for the success of the marketplace. The three top sales managers will share their insights and expertise on the current state of the British film industry and its global success.
John Friedberg’s Background
John Friedberg joined Black Bear in 2022 to lead the international business, with a focus on international sales, Great Britain, and international productions. He has monitored international sales and sales of titles such as Jason Statham’s "A working man", Guy Ritchie’s "The Ministry of Undenering Warfare", Michael Mann’s "Ferrari", and Osgood Perkins’ horror "Longleg". Since entering the British theater sales market in 2023, the company has published titles including "Longleg", "Sing singing", "Conclave", and "The salt path".
Kezia Williams’ Background
Kezia Williams joined UPI in February and oversees sales, marketing, advertising, and finance in Great Britain and Ireland. The latest UPI publications include "Bridget Jones: crazy about the boy", "Jurassic Park: rebirth", and "The ballad of Valais Island", while upcoming publications contain "Downton Abbey: The Great Finale", "Bugonia", and "Wicked: Forever". Before joining UPI, Williams was the managing director of Entertainment One UK, where she supervised campaigns for several Oscar and BAFTA winners, including "1917", "The BFG", and "The girl on the train".
Zygi Kamasa’s Background
Zygi Kamasa founded the British distributor and producer financier True Brit in 2023, with the aim of co-financing over $150 million independent UK projects in three years. The first projects were "The critic" and "March powder", with upcoming titles like Gurinder Chadha’s "Christmas karma", Craig Roberts’ "The shower", and Boxbiopic "Giant". Kamasa has been a leading personality in the British industry since 1993, when he founded the TV production company Scorpio Productions. He has been CEO of Lionsgate UK and Europe for over 15 years and took over the sales of "La La Land", "John Wick", and "The hunger games".
Other Speakers and Topics
The previously confirmed speakers for the Screen Summit 2025 include Ben Roberts, Managing Director of the British Film Institute, who will hold a keynote speech. Other speakers include Iain Canning, Alison Owen, and Ed Guiney, who will take part in a panel on prescribed producers, and BBC film director Eva Yates, Film4 Interim director Farhana Bhula, and Mia Bays of the BFI Filmmaking Fund, who will take part in a meeting on UK public donors. Other topics to be examined at this year’s screen summit include tightening international financing and partner for British film, the role of British talent on the international market, and "Ask the experts" with leading voices in the production sectors.
Event Details
To learn more about the event, visit the official website. The Early Bird ticket offering will soon end. The Screen Summit 2025 event partners are CentTrip, Film Soho, Garden Studios, and the British Global Screen Fund. For sponsoring options, please contact Scott Benfold.
