straight 8

anna smith is one of the uk’s best-known film critics, broadcasters and moderators. former president of the uk critics’ circle, she is host and co-founder of girls on film, the world’s leading podcast about women in film, which has welcomed 25 oscar-winners and launched its own annual awards. a regular contributor to time out, the guardian and rolling stone uk, anna is also a familiar film expert across bbc tv and radio, sky news and times radio, and an experienced awards judge and event host.

asif kapadia is an academy award-winning director, screenwriter and producer, with four bafta film awards, a grammy award, and a european film award. he is considered one of the most influential filmmakers of his generation, best known for his acclaimed trilogy; amy, senna, and diego maradona. his latest film is 70up, the final chapter of the epic documentary series which began in 1964, considered by many to be “the greatest documentary series of all time."

hedda archbold produces the mark kermode live in 3d show at bfi southbank and the kermode on film podcast. she is co-founder and executive producer of girls on film, the world’s leading podcast about women in film, which champions women and non-binary filmmakers and promotes gender parity, diversity and inclusion on and off screen. hedda is also strategic lead for mental health and wellbeing at workwise for screen, a bfi-funded initiative promoting better working practices across the screen industries.

jo duncombe is a film and cultural relations specialist and senior film consultant for the british council, where she leads talent development programmes and manages the film travel grant scheme in collaboration with the bfi. a film festival expert, she consults for short and early-career filmmakers. previously, she worked as a programmer for the independent cinema office and programme director at london short film festival. at birds eye view, she was creative producer and programmer, helping develop and launch the highly successful reclaim the frame programme with mia bays.

john maclaean is founding member of the beta band and the aliens, directed the band’s music videos before making his filmmaking debut with man on a motorcycle (2009), starring michael fassbender. his second short, pitch black heist, starring fassbender and liam cunningham, was commissioned by film4 and won the 2012 bafta for best short film. his debut feature, slow west, funded by film4, the bfi and nz film commission, won the world cinema grand jury prize at sundance in 2015. in 2025 his second feature tornado was released, starring tim roth.

madeleine mullett is bfi imax programme manager and friend of straight 8 for yonks.

madeleine has over 20 years film programming experience across film festivals and cinemas such as cinecity, birds eye view, karlovy vary film festivals and multiple consultancies for uk festivals well as cinema curating for picturehouse cinemas, tyneside newcastle, the lexi as well as many others, and now the bfi imax.

mark jenkin is an award-winning filmmaker based in west cornwall, working as a writer, director, cinematographer and editor. he is synonymous with analogue filmmaking today: shooting on film and hand-processing his own footage. his feature bait premiered at the berlinale in 2019 and won the 2020 bafta for outstanding debut by a british writer, director or producer. his follow-up, enys men, premiered at cannes directors’ fortnight in 2022. his latest feature work is rose of nevada starring george mackay and callum turner premiered at the venice international film festival.

photo: morgan ansell

mark kermode is one of britain’s best-known film critics. for more than two decades he reviewed films on bbc radio 5 live with simon mayo, a partnership that carries on in their podcast kermode & mayo’s take. he presented mark kermode’s secrets of cinema for bbc four, has written several books on film, including it’s only a movie and the good, the bad and the multiplex, and plays double bass in skiffle band the dodge brothers.

image credit: julie edwards

rachel clark is a cinematographer from the north east of england. after many years working as a camera assistant and operator, she now works as a director of photography. her credits as an operator include rocks, dune, the batman and men. her debut feature, pirates, premiered at sxsw in 2021. she shot the single drama i am ruth, earning a 2023 bafta nomination. a regular participant in straight 8, she reached the 2019 top 25 with casey hennessy’s the perception of time.

stuart brown is director of programmes and distribution at the british film institute, where he has worked since 2000. he has played a key role in shaping the bfi’s cinema programme, distribution strategy and audience development. previously head of events at bfi southbank, he developed major film seasons, festivals and live events, including bug: the evolution of music video and sonic cinema. his work spans film programming, acquisitions and distribution, championing international cinema and bringing distinctive films and events to uk audiences.