For our second ever industry panel and members’ networking event, we were joined by Christina Papasotiriou (Senior Film Programmer at Raindance Film Festival) and Philip Ilson (Co-Director of the London Short Film Festival) who spoke with our own Abla Kandalaft to discuss all things film festivals.

Having started film programming in community cinemas, Christina Papasotiriou was Genesis Cinema’s Alternative Programming Manager where she brought the best of independent film to the people of East London as well as showcased work from underrepresented filmmakers; this translated to her leading the programming of the first edition of Genesis Cinema’s own Fragments Festival, which focuses on championing inclusivity though film. Currently Christina is the Senior Programmer at Raindance Film Festival, as well as part of team EFN – Emerging Filmmaker’s Night short film festival – which similarly to Raindance showcases early work from emerging directors.

Philip Ilson is the Co-Director of the London Short Film Festival, which he co-founded in 2004. He was also the short film programmer for the BFI London Film Festival between 2006 and 2022, and has worked as a freelance programmer, including at the East End Film Festival (London), Cork Film Festival (Ireland), and the Branchage Festival (Jersey), Latitude music festival, and at Curzon Soho Cinema.