Place, Identity, and Building an International Festival Brand

For me, Kendal is about far more than a Festival — it’s a place where stories remind us why we seek out the outdoors in the first place. Not just for adventure, but for those purposeful moments of stillness, connection, and perspective that nature offers. Carrying the responsibility of leading the organisation is both a privilege and a challenge, but it is never mine alone. Everything we deliver is made possible by the creativity and commitment of our team, who bring these ideas to life with care and imagination. My favourite reminder of this shared purpose comes each year when 1,700 schoolchildren at 'Kendal for Schools' greet our guest speakers with a roar of joy — proof that these moments of connection can inspire a generation.

General Manager of the Sitges Film Festival of Catalonia since 2015, she has over two decades of experience in the film industry. She began her career in the festival sector in 2004 as Head of Communications at Sitges, where she contributed to positioning the festival as a key international benchmark in fantastic cinema. She later broadened her expertise in international audiovisual promotion, connecting filmmakers and productions to global markets, as well as in the evaluation of film festivals, providing strategic insight into their impact and positioning. At Sitges, she oversees the festival’s industry programme, fostering collaboration between creators, producers, distributors, and emerging talent. She has designed and led internationally oriented projects such as Sitges Cocoon, a platform exploring the convergence of technology and audiovisual production, and WomanInFan, a pioneering initiative dedicated to increasing the visibility and participation of women creators in fantastic cinema.

Imran Siddiquee (they/them) is the Chief Communications Officer at BlackStar Projects, home of the world-renowned BlackStar Film Festival and Seen, a journal of film and visual culture. They are also a writer and filmmaker challenging systems of domination, with essays published by The Atlantic, Seen, Buzzfeed, Literary Hub, Longreads, and others. Their latest short film, The Difference Between Us, premiered at the 2023 BlackStar Film Festival and went on to screen at festivals around the world.

Catharine started her career as a Film Exhibition Officer at the BFI and has worked with many venues over the last 30 years both as a funder, consultant and advisor as well as a period spent at Arts Council England in a similar role. She set up the ICO in 2003 and took it from a start-up with 3 members of staff and 10 months worth of funding to the present day, with a capital asset and a turnover of just under £2m. Over the years she has led on funding strategy and organisational development and has raised millions of pounds from organisations such as BFI, ACE, Esmee Fairbairn, Creative Europe, Screen Skills and numerous film institutes and other partners. She is an advisory board member for Be The Business (www.bethebusiness.com).