Another great connection forged through the UNESCO Creative Cities Network! Earlier this month, Katherine Nash, The Bottle Yard’s Head of Studios, was invited to Bristol’s fellow UNESCO City of Film Busan to partake in the Busan Forum, part of Busan International Film Festival, presenting on the achievements of the Studios as a global sustainability case study, alongside Matt Scarff, Managing Director of BAFTA Albert.

Jane Coulter (All Set West Programme Manager) headed out to beautiful Galway UNESCO City of Film in Ireland last month, for this year’s annual meeting of the UNESCO Cities of Film Subnetwork. In this guest blog, Jane reflects on her experience of the trip – and reveals the exciting news that Bristol has been selected as host city for the next meeting in 2027, our tenth anniversary year!

A powerful new film bringing previously untold stories of Britain’s Windrush Second Generation to the big screen is set to premiere this month in Bristol UNESCO City of Film. First Born Second: Voices of the Children of the Windrush Era opens at Watershed on 29th October, bringing personal stories to light and exploring what it means to grow up Black and British during the turbulent 1970s and 80s.

Encounters Film Festival welcomed thousands of visitors to Bristol UNESCO City of Film for its 2026 edition last month (23-27 September), reinforcing its position as one of Europe’s leading showcases for film in all its forms. The Brief Encounters Grand Prix was awarded to Altay Ulan Yang’s Hyena, and other winners included Saoirse Ronan’s Paper Planes (Best of British – Live Action) and South West talent Tia Salisbury’s The Devil Is In Me (Audience Award).

BBC Studios has announced the launch of Landed, a new drama production label based in Bristol that will be dedicated to developing ambitious and enduring series that appeal both domestically and internationally. The label will be led by Jenny van der Lande (pictured), who joins following a decade shaping some of British television’s most successful and critically acclaimed dramas.

Award-winning indie production company Brinkworth (999: Critical Condition) is launching Brinkworth West from 5th October – its new Bristol unscripted production base, which will include a brand new three-year training and mentoring programme for unscripted TV.

The University of Bristol has officially opened its first international campus in Mumbai, our fellow UNESCO City of Film, welcoming its inaugural cohort of students.

Aardman fans around the world took time out to wish a Happy Big Birthday to Bristol’s iconic, multi-Academy Award® and BAFTA® award winning studio on 4th September 2026, as the company marked its official half century of operations. 

Bristol’s film sector has welcomed the news that Greenlight West, a £4.5 million production fund designed to increase the quantity, range and scale of film and TV productions made in Bristol and the West of England region, is now open for applications.

Bristol’s Encounters Film Festival (23-27 September) has unveiled its 2026 programme, led by the UK premiere of Paper Plane, the directorial and screenwriting debut of Academy Award‑nominated actor Saoirse Ronan, and the English premiere of Mission, directed by Paul Wright and produced by Bristol’s own Early Day Films, with Wright and stars George MacKay and Rosy McEwen set to attend. Amongst the packed programme’s many highlights is a special creative exchange with Bristol’s fellow UNESCO City of Film, Quezon City (the Philippines).

A new 16-minute documentary tells the story of the West of England’s Citizens’ Assembly for Culture through the people who took part – and invites more people to be part of what happens next. 

Bristol City Council and the University of Bristol have signed an official Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cement the strategic partnership between Bristol’s UNESCO City of Film designation and the University’s Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences.