Pitch Your Project at Aesthetica 2026
Meet leading UK film industry at Pitching and 1:1 Sessions at Aesthetica Film Festival 2026. They offer a valuable opportunity to present your project to a representative from a major production company. These meetings are designed to provide feedback, expert guidance, and industry insight to help refine your work and move it forward. Selected participants will be matched with a Development Executive for a 20-minute, one-to-one session. Applications are open to Unlimited Pass holders and the deadline to apply is 30 September. Explore the organisations taking part.

Ridley Scott Associates
Narrative Shorts
RSA Films is a global production company founded by directors Ridley and Tony Scott. Celebrated for its creative excellence and production expertise, RSA has delivered award-winning campaigns for leading brands and agencies for over 50 years. Its acclaimed short films include distinctive, Oscar winning work from bold voices across narrative, commercial and experimental film.

Film4
Narrative Features
Film4 is Channel 4 Television’s feature film division, developing and co-financing bold, original films from the UK and around the world. Their Academy Award-winners include Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin and Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest. Recent acclaimed releases include All of Us Strangers, Saltburn and The Kitchen.

Channel 5
Scripted Television Drama
Channel 5 Commissioning is the channel’s editorial team responsible for developing and commissioning distinctive, accessible programming. Working with a broad range of UK and international producers, the team champions popular, character-led storytelling with strong audience appeal. Their commissions include The Inheritance, The Feud, All Creatures Great and Small and Riches.

BFI Doc Society
Documentary Shorts
The BFI Doc Society Fund supports and develops storytellers from across the UK, backing feature and short documentaries with bold ambitions. It is committed to supporting fact-based films and connecting them to audiences. Recent projects include Kim Hopkins’ Still Pushing Pineapples, Shiori Itō’s Black Box Diaries, and the Berlinale-winning Dahomey by Mati Diop.

BBC Film
Narrative Shorts
BBC Film is at the forefront of independent filmmaking, shaping British cinema, developing and co-producing feature-length productions. Committed to developing emerging voices, it collaborates with key writers and directors, with releases like Sacha Polak’s Silver Haze and Joanna Hogg’s The Eternal Daughter. BBC Film holds a BAFTA for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema.

Goldfinch First Flights
Narrative Shorts
First Flights is an Oscar & BAFTA-recognised short film fund with a reputation for championing emerging talent. Its an incubator for debut feature directors and producers, empowering creatives to craft commercially viable films and build international careers. The team supports filmmakers, and has collaborated with Gary Oldman, Anjelica Huston, Bill Nighy, Sam Riley.

Guardian Docs
Documentary Shorts
Guardian Documentaries curate and commission independent filmmakers around the world. The strand champions contemporary stories told with bold artistic vision – films that provoke, surprise, and engage with our changing world. Critically acclaimed, the series has earned top honours, including a 2021 Oscar for Colette and a 2022 BAFTA for The Black Cop.

Neal Street Productions
Narrative Shorts
Neal Street Productions is one of the most respected British production companies, known for acclaimed film (Empire of Light, 1917), television (Informer, Britannia, The Third Day) and theatre. The company recently celebrated over 20 years of storytelling excellence. Neal Street continues to create distinctive, award-winning projects with strong international impact and critical acclaim.

ITV
Scripted Television Drama
ITV’s teams shape some of the UK’s most-watched programming, spanning drama, factual, entertainment and comedy. With a focus on emotionally resonant, high-profile storytelling, they work with producers to reach mass audiences across linear and streaming platforms. Recent commissions include Mr Bates vs The Post Office, The Tower, After the Flood, Liar and Trigger Point.

BBC Writers
Scripted Television Drama
Simon Nelson is a Development Executive at BBC Writers, overseeing writer development across TV, radio, and digital platforms. He leads UK-wide initiatives, programmes, and events to discover and nurture emerging screenwriting talent. Simon specialises in identifying and supporting new voices, helping to shape the future of storytelling across the BBC ecosystem.

Quay Street Productions
Scripted Television Drama
Quay Street Productions is a Manchester-based scripted drama label within ITV Studios. Focused on storytelling rooted in strong characters and accessible emotional worlds, they work with leading writers and emerging voices. Quay Street’s recent titles include Betrayal, After the Flood, The Long Shadow, and Red Eye, reflecting a commitment to high-end mainstream drama.

The Ink Factory
Scripted Television Drama
The Ink Factory is an independent studio founded by Stephen and Simon Cornwell. With a focus on high-end film and TV, they are known for adaptations of John le Carré, including The Night Manager, The Little Drummer Girl and The Pigeon Tunnel. Titles include Korean-language thriller The Plotters. They craft intelligent, cinematic storytelling with international impact.

Out of Orbit
Narrative Shorts
Out of Orbit is a production company behind distinctive, character-driven storytelling for television and film. Best known for Derry Girls, the company has helped bring sharply observed, irreverent comedy-drama to global audiences. It continues to develop bold scripted projects with writers across the UK and Ireland, focusing on stories with humour, heart and international reach.

The Pitch Film Fund
Narrative Shorts
The Pitch Film Fund champions fresh takes on timeless narratives, focusing on emerging filmmakers. The Pitch annually awards production grants up to £35,000 to shorts inspired by one of cinema’s richest sources – The Bible. Their commitment to innovative storytelling has led to successes including White Gold (Oscar longlisted) and Only Child (BAFTA Cymru nominated).

BBC Comedy
Scripted Television Comedy
BBC Comedy is the broadcast home of British humour. Every year, they commission shows across platforms for audiences worldwide. The team is dedicated to nurturing and developing new voices as well as collaborating with established household names. Recent releases include Death Valley with Timothy Spall, Smoggie Queens and the animated series The Golden Cobra.

Cinesite
VR & Immersive
Cinesite has been a cornerstone of visual effects and animation since 1991, bringing stories to life with stunning animation and award-winning visual effects. Its team combines creativity and innovation to craft visuals that captivate audiences, with recent credits including The Witcher, Warfare, Kaos, Michael, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Spiderman: No Way Home.

Dog Ears
Animation
Dog Ears Animation is a UK-based studio creating distinctive animated content. Best known for the internationally successful series Puffin Rock, they develop character-led storytelling with a warm, playful style. Working across original IP and commissions, Dog Ears focuses on strong design, humour and emotionally engaging narratives for family and younger audiences.

Ubisoft Reflections
Games
Ubisoft Reflections has over 40 years of experience making video games; it is the longest-lasting studio of its kind in the UK. Its team is a mix of talents from different career paths and backgrounds, with a shared passion for making games. It has contributed to many of Ubisoft’s iconic IPs, such as Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR, The Division, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and Grow Home.

Dartmouth Films
Documentary Features
Dartmouth Films is a pioneer of independent documentaries, championing socially engaged storytelling through innovative funding and distribution models. Recent releases include The Stimming Pool, Children of the Cult, From Roger Moore with Love, HYPER: The Stevie Hyper D Story, and The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru. Dartmouth amplifies underrepresented voices.
Pitch Your Project | Book Your Unlimited Festival Pass & Apply by 30 September.
Aesthetica Film Festival 2026 runs 4-8 November in York, UK.