MetFilm School festival highlights 2025

MetFilm School students, graduates, and staff have had quite the year, attending festivals across the UK and Europe, including Cannes, Galway, Brighton, Sheffield, and beyond. These events have become a powerful platform for showcasing the creativity and passion of our filmmakers. They also reinforce our position as an integral part of the screen industries.

Cannes Film Festival: students work on The Phoenician Scheme

Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme premiered at Cannes Festival this year and was received very well. MetFilm School’s Director Jonny Persey was incredibly proud of the graduates involved in the film: Marta Baidek, who served as Visual Effects Producer, and Ana Gabriela Fernandez Walean, who worked as Second Assistant Editor.

Meanwhile, our industry partner Garden Studios won the Sustainability Initiative Prize at the Global Production Awards for their Re-Set Programme – an internal initiative focused on reusing and recycling production materials and props, aiming to reduce waste and promote circularity within the film industry.

At a beachside brunch event, Garden Studios and their parent company Arts Alliance (also owners of MetFilm Production) launched a new indie filmmaker fund – with MetFilm School graduates namechecked in the launch speech. In Jonny’s words: “It’s always a delight to bump into former students doing their thing on the Croisette or see their credits in the festival and the market.”

Galway Film Fleadh: The Captain

Lecturer Mark Tew and a team of Brighton-based students and alumni recently celebrated the screening of The Captain at the Galway Film Fleadh, one of Ireland’s most respected film festivals.

The film was co-produced by MetFilm School Brighton graduates Nico Augusto and Anniston Quinn, and although the production team couldn’t attend in person due to filming commitments, the screening was a proud moment for the entire Brighton campus.

Looking ahead, Mark also shared updates on their next production, Second Serve – an independent feature being filmed in Brighton and involving L6 students and alumni across multiple departments. Lecturers including April Pearson (Skins) are bringing their industry expertise to the project.

Brighton Rocks: student showcases and awards

The Brighton Rocks Film Festival 2025 was another landmark for our students and alumni, with around 12 MetFilm School projects screened and two winning awards: Landscaper and Cereal.

Brighton-based students Lucy Jackson, Wojtek Perales, Elliot Brunsdon, Rediet Deneke, Isaac Ivory, and Lacey Ann played key roles in helping to run the festival.

Lecturer Dr. James Rowlins, who was closely involved in coordinating parts of the festival, praised the “lively and well-attended” screenings. It was a resounding success, reinforcing Brighton’s identity as a city of filmmaking, learning, and opportunity.

SOS Film Festival: alumni-led festival to return in August

Founded by Brighton graduate Amaar Zafar and co-produced by Wojtek Perales, the Stories of Strength (SOS) Film Festival returns in August 2025 with an exclusive focus on documentary filmmaking.

This year’s festival will take place at The Brunswick, Hove, with proceeds going to Amnesty International and British Red Cross. Many of the featured films explore themes of social justice, identity, and marginalised voices.

Amaar and Wojtek both credit their time at MetFilm School with giving them the skills, confidence, and industry exposure needed to launch such an ambitious project. Wojtek said: “We started the festival during our second year, and I’ve applied everything that I’ve learned at MetFilm School to this year’s event.”

In addition to screening thought-provoking work, the festival offers free submissions for current MetFilm School students as well as opportunities to volunteer and network with industry guests.

Sheffield DocFest: providing early career inspiration

Students from Leeds and several other campuses also made their mark at Sheffield DocFest 2025, the UK’s premier documentary festival.

Katie Wyles, a recent graduate, attended screenings at the festival and made an unexpected career connection. After striking up conversation with a local organiser, she was invited to assist with research for an upcoming project in Bradford. “Even in just a few hours, the experience opened new doors for me,” Katie shared.

Fellow attendees Cerys O’Hagan and Emily Barnes praised the power of the documentaries they saw and the networking opportunities available. Cerys said, “The Q&A after the Pablo Milanés documentary gave me new motivation to keep working hard so that one day, my own films might be shown at festivals.”

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