Briony Hanson
London
Summary
Creative and visionary professional with robust background in storytelling and visual arts, demonstrating strong leadership and collaboration skills. Expertise in project management and in-depth understanding of film production processes. Committed to bringing compelling narratives to life and driving success in [Desired Position] role.
Overview
39
39
years of professional experience
10
10
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Director of Film
British Council
01.2011 - 08.2025
- Responsible for providing a link between UK films and filmmakers and international audiences and finding opportunities for cultural exchange. Part of British Council’s Senior Management Team, this role is to lead a team of nine in using film, and newly, games & XR, as a tool for cultural relations. It involves:
- Defining, maintaining and developing strategy for British Council film/broader screen activity;
- Managing department’s core budget, accessing significant additional internal project funds via bidding process, and attracting external partnership funding;
- Developing network of key external partnerships with both UK and international organisations;
- Overseeing programme of relationships with leading international festivals and markets;
- Acting as ‘cultural commentator’ and spokesperson for the Council and its work in film and in other fields;
- Driving development of cross-British Council programmes with other artforms, other business units (eg Education/English) and other UK and international sections (eg Digital team, individual country teams);
- Maintaining significant relationships with government (eg GREAT, FCDO)
- Significant achievements:
- Re-booted struggling department to command respect and invite partnership within the organisation;
- Recruited team of driven, well-respected film professionals and led them through two re-positioning exercises;
- Developed and cemented key UK and international industry partnerships (including with BFI, BAFTA, Film London, Film Export UK, European Film Promotion etc);
- Secured Delegate Status from BFI to act as Lottery distributor for international travel funds with 750k rolling fund;
- Initiated numerous high impact programmes including achieving the biggest traditional media story ever attained by British Council (launch for British Council Film Collection) and biggest digital impact programme (FiveFilmsForFreedom in partnership with BFI);
- Conceived of number of standout international programmes including leading the 2021 International Collaboration Programme (£5m grants programme), securing global Hitchcock and Shakespeare tours, re-launching annual Film Festival Selector programme, numerous commissioning programmes.
Co-Director
The Script Factory
01.2000 - 01.2011
- Initially appointed as Producer for this UK-based filmmakers’ organisation before being invited to become its Co-Director, with responsibilities including:
- Developing screenings & events programme in London, and at profile international Film Festivals incl Cannes and Berlin
- Programming, hosting & presenting on-stage interview events with profile filmmakers
- Devising, writing & managing company website/s
- Leading company marketing & public profile
- Fundraising & sponsorship initiatives (Incl to MEDIA Programme, UK Film Council, Skillset)
- Designing training programmes
- Financial & staff management
- Selecting screenplays for performed readings
Head of Programme Unit
British Film Institute
01.1998 - 01.2000
- Responsible for managing a team of five Programme Officers offering film programme assistance and print booking services to over thirty regional independent cinemas across the UK, and curating touring film programme initiatives to showcase the best of classic and specialised cinema.
Co-Programmer, BFI Flare (fka London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival)
British Film Institute
01.1997 - 01.2000
- Jointly responsible for curating, staging and presenting the UK’s 3rd largest Film Festival; an annual two week programme of queer film and events, then staged over five London venues, touring to over twenty venues nationwide. My tenure increased annual audience from 12k to 22k per year and laid the groundwork to transform small scale event to become BFI Flare.
Funding Officer, Regional Development Unit
British Film Institute
01.1997 - 01.1998
- Responsible for assisting regional partners (including independent cinemas, regional arts boards, media training organisations) in their funding relationships with the BFI, and advising and assessing capital and project lottery applications (for cinemas, arts centres, film archives, festivals, youth media projects etc).
Director/Programmer
Tyneside Cinema
01.1995 - 01.1997
- Responsible for leading the North-East’s premier arthouse cinema, including fund-raising, sponsorship, staff management, film and event programming and artistic direction.
Film Studies lecturer
Newcastle Polytechnic
01.1987 - 01.1997
- Part time tutor for various courses at undergraduate level for Film Studies, Media, and Fashion Design students.
Head of Programme & Education
Tyneside Cinema
01.1993 - 01.1995
- Responsible for producing film and education programme, writing monthly brochure and programme notes, and hosting on-stage filmmaker interviews.
Bookshop manager
Tyneside Cinema
01.1990 - 01.1993
- Responsible for stocking and managing specialist cinema bookshop.
Education
Maynard School
01.1976 - 01.1982
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Exeter College
01.1982 - 01.1983
BA Hons - History of Modern Art, Design & Film
University of Northumbria (Newcastle Polytechnic)
01.1983 - 01.1986
Skills
Throughout my career I have demonstrated strong leadership, particularly in times of transformation with experience from small scale organisations through to the national UK film policy organisation and most recently as a member of the Arts leadership team of the British Council
Affiliations
I have been a Trustee of The Grierson Trust (2014-2019), a BAFTA Member (2014-present), Board Member, Birds Eye View (2012-14), European Film Promotion Trustee (EFP) (207-present), NFTS Programme Course Advisory Board (2017-present)
Publications
Occasional publishing has included co-editing Filmmaker’s Yearbook 2008 (A&C Black); Film Editor DIVA Magazine (2006-2011); Author of 15 Years on 4 - programme support booklet (C4 TV 1997); Co-author of Celluloid Icons programme support booklet (pub. C4 TV) – 1996; alongside numerous contributions to sleeve notes/DVD extras.
Selected Media appearances
- Regular Film Critic / on-air Contributor for BBC Radio 4 Front Row. Selected previous media appearances as a critic/commentator have included:
- Gateways Grind - BBC3
- Life In Pictures host - Hugh Grant, Kate Winslett, Sam Mendes etc - Bafta/Sky Arts
- BBC 2 The Culture Show
- The Studio Channel - Universal
- Movie News Show - Sky Movies
- Hitchcock ‘Bonus’ Sky Movies
- 100 Greatest War Movies - Granada for C4
- Annual Oscar / Golden Globes Predictions Show - Sky Movies
- Greatest Celebrity Moments - Shine for Channel five
- Rona Cameron’s TV Favourites - Dogtooth for C4
- BBC Radio 4 Women’s Hour
- BBC Radio 4 The Film Programme
- BBC Radio 4 Front Row
- BBC London guest spots on various shows
- For the British Council I frequently act as a spokesperson with numerous appearances on The Today Programme, C4 News, ITN News, C5 News, BBC Breakfast, BBC 6 O Clock News etc etc.
- Regular on-stage interviewer/host for industry and public events including for BAFTA, Netflix, Picturehouse Cinemas, London Film Festival, BFI Southbank, and many others with subjects ranging from Guillermo Arriaga, Clio Barnard, Helena Bonham Carter, Danny Boyle, Nick Broomfield, Steve Buscemi, John Cameron Mitchell, and Alfonso Cuaron, to Catherine Deneuve, Julian Fellowes, Dustin Hoffman, Todd Haynes, Joanna Hogg, Hou Hsiao-Hsien, John Hurt, Jim Jarmusch, Mike Leigh, Julianne Moore, Christopher Nolan, François Ozon, Alexander Payne, Charlotte Rampling, Mark Ruffalo, Kristen Scott Thomas, Imelda Staunton, Hilary Swank, Emma Thompson, Christine Vachon, and Andrej Wajda.
Juries
I have participated in numerous Juries incl. Chairing BAFTA Original Debut Award for a three year term (2018-21). Previously jury member and/or chair for BAFTA (Best Original Screenplay Award; Best Children’s Feature; Best British Film; Breakthrough Brits; London Int Short Film Fest; Screen Awards; British Animation Awards; WFTV Awards; Athens Film Festival; Sheffield Doc/Fest; Open City DocFest etc.
Timeline
Director of Film
British Council
01.2011 - 08.2025
Co-Director
The Script Factory
01.2000 - 01.2011
Head of Programme Unit
British Film Institute
01.1998 - 01.2000
Co-Programmer, BFI Flare (fka London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival)
British Film Institute
01.1997 - 01.2000
Funding Officer, Regional Development Unit
British Film Institute
01.1997 - 01.1998
Director/Programmer
Tyneside Cinema
01.1995 - 01.1997
Head of Programme & Education
Tyneside Cinema
01.1993 - 01.1995
Bookshop manager
Tyneside Cinema
01.1990 - 01.1993
Film Studies lecturer
Newcastle Polytechnic
01.1987 - 01.1997
BA Hons - History of Modern Art, Design & Film
University of Northumbria (Newcastle Polytechnic)
01.1983 - 01.1986
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Exeter College
01.1982 - 01.1983
Maynard School
01.1976 - 01.1982
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