BFI CEO Ben Roberts and Picturehouse creative director Clare Binns took the stage at the Edinburgh International Film Festival on August 15 for a wide-ranging keynote conversation about the state of British independent cinema. The pair covered everything from Gen Z’s return to movie theaters to AI’s role in filmmaking, while also addressing the struggles facing the UK’s indie film sector.
Roberts, who leads the British Film Institute, and Binns, who runs the creative direction for Picturehouse Cinemas, spoke for over an hour at the festival’s Central Hall. Their discussion marked the inaugural UK Film Conference, a new addition to Edinburgh’s industry program.
The conversation kicked off with Binns asking Roberts about how the BFI spends its money. The organization has £150 million ($203 million) to give out over three years, with much of it coming from government grants and National Lottery revenue.
BFI Funding and Star Discoveries
Roberts highlighted how public funding has helped launch major acting careers. He pointed to Tom Holland as a prime example.
“Tom Holland, his second film was called How I Live Now [released in 2013] with the great Kevin Macdonald and funded with lottery money, [and] that [put] him on a particular path.”
He also mentioned Olivia Colman, noting that her first standout dramatic role came in Paddy Considine’s 2011 film Tyrannosaur, which moved her from sketch comedy to serious acting.
Roberts pushed back against the idea that you need big budgets to create valuable films. He said there’s a “misconception that a lot of money needs to be spent in order to create something that’s got value”.
British Comedy and Horror Gaps
When Binns asked where the UK independent sector needs to improve, Roberts gave a blunt answer.
“I don’t think we’re great at comedy… Obviously, [the BFI is] working with really strong comedies like this year, [like Edinburgh’s opening night film] The Incomer. I’m not saying we don’t do it, but it’s also really a skill to do it well. And we know audiences love horror, and I think we can pull our punches in horror and comedy in independent film.”
Roberts acknowledged that while the UK produces some comedies, the sector could do better in both genres.
The Success of ‘Obsession’
The discussion turned to Obsession, a horror film that has performed remarkably well at the box office. Roberts praised the producers behind it.
“The number of original films [this year]… It’s been less IP-heavy, and should be [sending] a signal to everybody that you can get out there. It’s easy for me to say, sitting and running an organization: ‘Get out there and do it.’ I mean, the guys that made Obsession, two producers who own Tea Shop who never really had support from the BFI.”
Roberts revealed the film’s impressive financial numbers. Obsession has grossed £20 million in the UK on a $750,000 budget. The producers, Tea Shop Productions, gained experience by making shark movies before tackling this project.
Binns also mentioned Obsession alongside other successful films. She said The Odyssey, Backrooms, and Spider-Man have all drawn audiences back to theaters.
“Certainly with Obsession and Backrooms and Spider-Man and The Odyssey, what we’ve always needed is just good content. If you’ve got good content week in, week out… [Right now] there’s three really good films [in cinemas] and people are coming back.”
Gen Z’s Cinema Renaissance
An audience member asked whether cinemas have become a “sanctuary away from the AI slop on people’s phones”. Binns responded with data from Picturehouse.
“Definitely, we’re seeing a lot more young people,” Binns said. “But I think one of the most interesting things I found is that we’re working with the likes of Netflix and Amazon, Sky, and Disney, and they talk very much about fan events — fan events are where you get people who are watching something at home, and they all want to be together. And when we’ve done those events, it tends to be very young people coming in who want to be in the cinema because they don’t want to be at home on their own.”
Binns expressed optimism about the trend, noting that younger audiences have a strong appetite for watching films together in theaters.
AI in Filmmaking
Roberts addressed artificial intelligence when another audience member raised the topic. He made it clear that the BFI is not using AI for decision-making.
“I don’t think we’re anywhere near using AI for decision-making. I think there might be some productivity tools that we can use to make the application processes easier… We actually ask filmmakers on our application forms: ‘Have you used AI in this application?’”
However, he added that the BFI is “not keen to have a conversation that frames AI entirely as a negative space”.
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BFI’s Distribution Model and Regional Focus
Roberts also spoke about the challenges of running the BFI as a charity with limited government funding.
“It’s a really complex model running a charity that’s got all these very big, expensive elements, but a relatively flat amount of funding from the government, and we’re the one organization that can’t apply for lottery money because we give it out. We support lots of other distributors with lottery funds as well.”
Binns asked Roberts about the new UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his push to move political power out of London. Roberts acknowledged that the BFI is London-centric in some ways but noted that lottery money helps them work across the UK.
“Lottery money is brilliant because we are able to work at a UK-wide level, [and] we’ve got very clear and specific targets on how that money should be distributed.”
Festival Details
The Edinburgh International Film Festival runs from August 13 to 19, 2026. Other industry talks at the festival have featured Christine Vachon, Ken Burns, and Ewan McGregor.
The UK Film Conference, which hosted the Roberts-Binns conversation, is a new addition to the festival’s industry program this year.
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