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The GREAT 8 showcase, which presents new UK feature films from some of the UK’s most exciting first-time and early career filmmakers to international distributors and festival programmers, has announced eight new projects for this year’s edition, taking place throughout this year’s Cannes Marché.

Now in its eighth year, the 2025 Great 8 showcase is funded and produced by the BFI and the British Council, with thanks to BBC Film and Film4. In preparation for the Marché, unseen footage from all of the titles will be introduced by their filmmakers and screened online exclusively to buyers and festival programmers from Thursday 8 May and throughout the festival across five different time zones. All of the features will be available to buyers during the Cannes Marché (13 to 24 May).

The films and filmmakers in this year’s GREAT 8 are:

• Animol – director Ashley Walters, writer Nick Love
• Ish – director Imran Perretta, writers Imran Perretta, Enda Walsh
• Learning to Breathe Under Water – director Rebekah Fortune, writer Richard Brabin
• Madfabulous – director Celyn Jones, writer Lisa Baker
• Mission – director/writer Paul Wright
• On the Sea – director/writer Helen Walsh
• Retreat – director/writer Ted Evans
• The Son and the Sea – director Stroma Cairns, writers Imogen West, Stroma Cairns

Full press release - Great 8 showcase 2025