Youth culture in the UK has a wide and varied history, from the defiant rebellion of Teddy Boys, mods and rockers to the many activist movements that have shaped our society, from the hedonistic self-expression in our music and fashion scenes, to the emotional rollercoaster that is simply being a teenager. All of this has been portrayed on screen in a multitude of ways.
With the Southbank Centre marking the 75th anniversary of the Festival of Britain — a landmark moment of post-war cultural renewal — and the 50th anniversary of punk being celebrated in 2026, BFI FAN members are invited to join in these UK-wide celebrations and explore how youth scenes and counterculture have impacted and continue to resonate to this day, inspiring new generations and beyond.
Rip It Up has two core elements, both of which must include big-screen moments and offer audiences opportunities to reflect on the evolution of generational rebellion from the 1950s through to today here in the UK:
- Activity involving young programmers and creatives focussing on youth scenes or counterculture that they themselves are part of or can relate to with clear potential to engage their peers.
- Activity celebrating the transformative energy and evolution of youth culture over the past 75 years tapping into a selection of key titles with potential to engage a range of audiences across generations.
If you are interested in taking part in this UK-wide season, please review the Creative Brief and Funding Guidelines. Alongside the standard ways of engaging with the programme, FHSE has selected three titles to form a regionally-specific menu option, of which there are additional details below.
You must be a member of Film Hub South East as part of BFI Film Audience Network to access support from this programme.
What funding is available?
There are three ways you can engage with the programme and access support:
Menu awards
Access up to £500 (£125 per film) for programme enhancement, wraparound activity and audience development when you book one or more of the key titles. The titles are:
Pride, Prejudice & Protest
- Quadrophenia (1979)
- Babylon (1980)
- This Is England (1996)
- Pride (2014)
Coming of Age
- Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
- East Is East (1999)
- Rocks (2021)
- Ish (2026)
Clubs, Drugs, Pubs & Parties
- Human Traffic (1999)
- Young Soul Rebels (1991)
- Trainspotting (1996)
Bespoke awards
Apply for up to £15,000 (average awards likely to be circa £5,000) to develop a more bespoke season of films within the parameters of the Creative Brief. There is also scope for site-specific, immersive and ‘event cinema’ project activity. If your bespoke activity includes Menu titles, please include costs associated with those screenings within your activity budget rather than applying separately for the menu.
Regionally-specific titles
This year, FHSE has selected three titles with links to the South East to form an easy way for our members to navigate participating in the season and find films that can connect with audiences in the region. As with the above menu awards, you can access £125 per film for programme enhancement, wraparound activity and audience development, but for this option, you should apply for a Bespoke Award using the special instructions below.
- Ish (2025)
- Angus, Thongs & Perfect Snogging (2008)
- A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Ish (2025) has been selected as it is an award winning new film shot in Luton, offering a strong contemporary story with a distinctive, stylistically rich perspective; Gurinder Chadha’s cult classic Angus, Thongs & Perfect Snogging (2008) was filmed in coastal areas of Brighton and Eastbourne, and provides early 2000s nostalgia for audiences; while the once-banned A Clockwork Orange (1971) has connections to locations across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Hertfordshire, and will be a strong draw for audiences to experience on the big screen. Format and booking information are available here.
Please submit this type of proposal by selecting the ‘Bespoke’ option on the application form, entering ‘FHSE Regional Menu’ as your Project Title. For this type of proposal only, you do not need to complete the usual sections. You can simply mark the following sections as N/A: Project Description, Activity Outline, Marketing & Audience Development, Experience, Legacy & Evaluation, and Budget.
Cross-FAN awards
Apply for up to £15,000 to support programme, marketing, and outreach activity with the potential to scale or tour across the UK, as well as projects involving multiple site-specific events in more than one region or nation. If your Cross-FAN activity includes Menu titles, please include the costs associated with those screenings within your activity budget rather than applying separately for the menu.
Please note that fewer Cross-FAN projects will be supported this year than in previous years, so proposals will need to have a clear audience development and outreach plan, as well as confirmation from five or more venues of their participation, to be considered. If you are interested in submitting an application, you should contact BFI FAN season producer Ti Singh before applying.
How do I apply?
In the first instance, please download and read the Creative Brief and Funding Guidelines for more information about the programme scope and to get some inspiration. You can also review the list of contextual titles that are available to book.
After reading the guidelines, please complete the online application. As the online form cannot be saved part-way through we have provided a Word template for you to plan your Bespoke or Cross-FAN proposal before online submission, if required, as well as a budget template, but the application is only to be completed online.
Timelines
The bulk of the season takes place between May and October 2026 across the FAN membership.
- Film Hub South East Online Information Session takes place on Tuesday 31 March 2026, 1pm
- The first deadline for Bespoke and Cross-FAN Proposals is Monday 13 April 2026
- The final deadline for Bespoke applications is Wednesday 1 July 2026
- Menu applications are open until Monday 7 September 2026 (subject to funds remaining)
- Menu expressions of interest can be submitted until Monday 7 September 2026 (bookings must be confirmed by the end of April for activity to be included in the listings announcement)
Am I eligible?
You must be a member of Film Hub South East as part of BFI Film Audience Network to access support from this programme. Find out more about joining Film Hub South East.
Access Support
If you have particular access requirements (e.g. easy read documents) or would like to submit your application in another way, please email us and we’ll be happy to discuss options.
If you have access requirements that mean you need assistance when seeking funds, you may be able to request this through the BFI Access Support scheme.
Contact us
If you have any questions about Rip It Up, please get in touch with us. We’re happy to discuss your proposal before you submit. Email us at: filmhubse@independentcinemaoffice.org.uk