For filmmakers
LIFF is not only a screening programme. Every edition runs a parallel strand of panels, workshops, pitching and networking built to move independent careers forward.
Afternoon panels across the festival covering distribution, marketing, the relationships that get films made and positioning your film as a brand.
Practical training run by professionals who work in development, sales and acquisitions — aimed squarely at filmmakers moving from first film to second.
Opening and closing parties, filmmaker Q&As after every block, and ten days of directors, producers and crew in the same building.
In collaboration with SMASH
A speed-pitching mini-market created with SMASH, the platform dedicated to building pitch decks. Content creators submit a pitch deck and, if selected, pitch their project directly to industry professionals for feedback — free, to support independent filmmakers.
Projects are selected according to what the attending professionals are looking for.
The Jury
The filmmakers and industry professionals who serve on the London Independent Film Festival jury.
Anna-Elizabeth and Hillary Shakespeare are a writer-director duo from London, together known as the Shakespeare Sisters. Their focus is on feel-good coming-of-age stories, romance and comedy. Their latest film is Time Travel Is Dangerous, the sci-fi comedy narrated by Stephen Fry, and their upcoming project is The Upside of Unrequited, based on the bestselling novel by Becky Albertalli.
Andrea M. Catinella is a London-based director working across genres including horror, action and romantic comedy. In 2024, he won Best Short Film at LIFF. Over the past three years he has directed 10 feature films released on major platforms including Apple TV and Amazon Prime, with some receiving worldwide theatrical distribution, as well as more than 10 mini-series. In 2025, he was selected as a mentee for the Directors UK Inspire programme.
Aaron Truss is an award-winning director best known for (K)nox: The Rob Knox Story and Cult of VHS.
Zaki Solosho is a London-based filmmaker and creative director, and founder of Element Move, a studio specialising in cinematic, story-led content for brands. His award-winning documentary Desi: A Pub Story explores identity, belonging and the cultural legacy of Britain’s Desi pubs, earning recognition on the festival circuit. Alongside his commercial work, he develops bold narrative projects rooted in community, character and distinctly British stories.
Serkan Nihat is a multi-award-winning director and editor. His debut feature film, Exodus, won Best Drama Feature at the London Independent Film Festival.
Fenella Greenfield is an independent filmmaker who has written and directed two feature films, 2.0 Lucy (2022) and 10 Swords & The Moon, which won Best Romance Feature at LIFF. In 2026, she produced the thriller feature Newearth, directed by Ros Gihan Williams, and the short film Home, starring Tamzin Outhwaite, both currently in post-production. She is a founder member of Euroscript, runs its annual Screen Story Competition, lectures, and works with writers as a script editor.
Jazz Bhalla is an award-winning British filmmaker, director and producer. He directed and produced Never Had A Chance, which has received multiple awards, including Best UK Feature at the London Independent Film Festival. He has also worked as Executive Producer on Laser-Gato, winner of First Prize in La Cinef at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. Jazz brings experience across independent filmmaking, production and distribution to his role as a festival judge.
Mark Hampton is an award-winning actor, screenwriter and director. His short films Town vs Gown and Acceptance won numerous awards at film festivals around the world, and his debut feature Unlicensed won the Jury Award for Best Feature at LIFF in 2025. On screen he has recently appeared in The Runner for Amazon MGM Studios and Ghost Soldier for Columbia Pictures.