The Film London Production Finance Market (PFM) is set to expand its scope by welcoming a broader range of creatives and early-stage intellectual property (IP) from next year onwards. The move was announced during the opening of the 19th edition of the two-day market, taking place from 7-8 October in Central London as part of the BFI London Film Festival.

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Film London CEO Adrian Wootton OBE outlined the new direction, which includes the launch of UPstream@PFM, a strand dedicated to early-stage projects encompassing film, television, games, podcasting, publishing and theatre. The initiative will make the PFM the first UK market to combine film projects and IP under one roof.

“As society changes and our ways of telling stories evolve, so must Film London’s offer,” said Wootton. “This decision to widen out the PFM to include a greater range of creators and filmmakers is overdue. It will offer a completely new opportunity for creators and investors to discover new content unavailable anywhere else.”

The PFM, supported by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), the Mayor of London and the BFI’s UK Global Screen Fund, connects filmmakers and financiers from across the world. Since its inception, it has introduced 708 projects to potential backers, with deals totalling over £254 million (€293,000). This year’s edition hosts 110 producers and filmmakers, alongside 74 financiers, for a packed schedule of one-to-one meetings.

Jordan McGarry, Film London’s head of Talent Development and Production, highlighted how UPstream will widen the pool of potential collaborators: “Great films and series don’t always start with a screenwriter; sometimes, they begin with a novelist, a playwright, a games studio or an online creator. UPstream allows us to support this wider range of forms and voices, keeping pace with what audiences want and what the industry needs.”

Originally launched as a subscription-based showcase on Substack, Film London’s UPstream curates adaptable IP and early-stage projects from the UK, Europe and the USA for producers and development executives. Its featured creators include a Frieze Prize winner, an Emmy-nominated journalist, a YouTube talent and BFI NETWORK alumni preparing for long-form work.

Helena Mackenzie, Film London’s head of Business Development and Inward Investment, added: “PFM has helped many projects find their ‘angels’ during difficult times. Listening to where the next generation of talent is coming from ensures that the market remains relevant and exciting for both industry and creators.”

Titles selected for this year’s Main Market include 1966 (1966 Productions, UK), Can I Call You Back? (Pembridge Film Productions, Ireland), Hacking America (Viva Films, UK), Should Mami Jane Die (Potboiler Productions, UK) and Some Day It May Be You (Borscht Films, USA).

Meanwhile, New Talent Strand participants include We’ve Been Here Before (2020 Films, UK), Rivermouth (Flumeri Films, UK), Owl Cat Goose Pig (Rapt Pictures, Wales), Touch Me (Pipedream Productions, Ireland) and The School of Hope (Impact House Studios, USA).

A keynote conversation with Will Clarke, of Altitude, also took place on the opening day.