BAFTA has announced the 21 creatives selected for its 2026 Breakthrough UK cohort, with seven emerging professionals from the film industry among this year’s participants. The selection recognises talent working across different areas of filmmaking, including directing, writing, producing, casting, and hair and make-up design. Supported by Netflix, the programme aims to help emerging creatives develop their careers through industry connections, professional guidance and access to BAFTA’s network.
The film participants represent a range of creative and technical roles, highlighting the contributions of professionals working both behind the camera and across different stages of production. The selected names include producer Hollie Bryan, writer-director Louis Paxton, casting directors Lucy Allen and Tom Payne, filmmaker Imran Perretta, hair and make-up designer Regina Meessen, and writer-director Ted Evans.
Producer Hollie Bryan has been recognised for her work on The Ceremony, while Louis Paxton joins the cohort as a writer and director for The Incomer. Casting directors Lucy Allen and Tom Payne have been selected together for their work on Sunny Dancer, bringing recognition to a department that plays an important role in shaping a film’s ensemble and bringing characters to life.
Imran Perretta, who worked as a co-writer and director on Ish, is also part of the film group. The selection further includes Regina Meessen, whose hair and make-up design work features in Dreamers, and Ted Evans, recognised as a writer and director for Retreat.
Together, the seven creatives represent different areas of filmmaking, from developing stories and directing performances to assembling casts and creating the visual details that contribute to a film’s identity. Their selection also highlights the range of professional roles that contribute to the filmmaking process beyond the performers and directors who are most visible to audiences.
The inclusion of two casting directors is particularly notable in a selection that spans several filmmaking disciplines. Casting helps determine the ensemble through which a story reaches audiences, while hair and make-up design contributes to the visual identity of characters and the world of a film. Similarly, producing, writing and directing involve different stages of developing and bringing a project to the screen. The seven selections collectively offer recognition to professionals working across these interconnected areas.
BAFTA Breakthrough is the organisation’s flagship talent development initiative, now in its 13th year. It supports emerging professionals across the screen industries by providing year-round career guidance, one-to-one meetings, networking opportunities, access to industry events and full BAFTA membership. Participants are selected by leading industry figures from BAFTA’s membership.
The programme is designed to help creatives build professional relationships, gain industry knowledge and take the next steps in their careers. Rather than recognising only established names, it focuses on people at an important stage of their professional development, giving them opportunities to connect with experienced figures and others working across the industry. Its support structure is intended to extend beyond the initial announcement, offering participants opportunities to develop their professional networks and gain access to the wider screen industry throughout the year.
Although the 2026 UK cohort also includes participants from television, documentary and games, the film selection brings attention to the different crafts and creative disciplines involved in British filmmaking. The overall cohort of 21 creatives reflects BAFTA’s wider approach to supporting emerging talent across multiple forms of screen-based work rather than limiting the programme to one sector.
The programme has built an alumni network of more than 330 creatives. According to BAFTA, former participants have collectively received more than 200 BAFTA nominations and over 80 wins. Its alumni include actors Florence Pugh, Tom Holland, Josh O’Connor, Jessie Buckley, Bella Ramsey, Letitia Wright and Paapa Essiedu, several of whom have gone on to build notable careers in film. The alumni record provides an indication of the programme’s reach, connecting its current participants with a network of professionals who have progressed to prominent positions across the screen industries.
Netflix is supporting the UK programme for the seventh consecutive year. BAFTA chief executive Jane Millichip highlighted the range of backgrounds and creative skills represented in this year’s cohort, while Netflix’s vice president of UK content, Anne Mensah, discussed the partnership as part of the company’s Generation N commitment to supporting emerging and mid-career talent in the UK.
The continued partnership places the 2026 selection within a longer-running effort to provide emerging professionals with access to industry support. For BAFTA, the programme forms part of its wider talent development work, while Netflix’s involvement continues its support for the initiative in the UK. The focus on both emerging and mid-career talent also recognises that professional development in the screen industries can require sustained opportunities beyond an individual’s first projects.
With seven film professionals included in this year’s selection, BAFTA’s 2026 Breakthrough cohort offers recognition to emerging creatives working across different parts of the filmmaking process. From producing and directing to casting and design, the selected participants represent a range of contributions that shape British cinema. The programme continues to provide a platform for new industry voices while supporting the next generation of talent working across the UK’s screen industries.