When Anthony Vander talks about the Collective Film Festival London (CFFL), you quickly realize it’s much more than a date on the industry calendar. It’s a heart project born out of a desire to build the exact creative space he wished he’d had when starting out as an emerging filmmaker – one built for indie screenwriters and filmmakers like himself.
In July 2026, the festival wrapped up its second edition at the Collective Acting Studio in North London. Bringing together emerging directors, actors, producers, and seasoned industry figures — including Oscar nominees and Sundance winners — the day showcased over 20 films alongside masterclasses, Q&As, and live performances.
As a proud sponsor of the Best Screenplay award since day one, Celtx sat down with Festival Director Anthony Vander and Deputy Festival Director Bethany Taylor-Goh to chat about grassroots cinema, community, and why supporting writers at the script stage is essential for the future of indie film.
In many ways, this festival is a love letter to my younger self as a filmmaker.”
Anthony Vander, Festival Director
Interview with Anthony Vander, Director of Collective Film Festival London
Celtx: Seeing Collective hit its second year and grow so fast clearly means a lot to you. What was the moment during this year’s festival where you looked around and thought, ‘We really built something special here’?
Anthony Vander: There were a few moments, but the one that stayed with me was during SCREENSLAM [the festival’s new monologue competition]. I looked around and saw students, first-time filmmakers, established directors and an Oscar nominee all talking to each other as equals. That was exactly what we set out to create.
Two years ago it was an idea on paper; now it’s become a genuine community. Film festivals shouldn’t just be places where films are screened; they should be places where careers and creative relationships begin. That’s something we’ve always believed in, and seeing it happen in front of us was incredibly rewarding.
Celtx: The studio’s core mission is celebrating independent voices and nurturing grassroots talent. What does ‘independent cinema’ mean to you in London’s current landscape?
Anthony: For me, independent cinema isn’t defined by budget—it’s defined by freedom. It’s about giving people the opportunity to tell stories that might never make it through traditional commissioning routes.
London is one of the most exciting cities in the world creatively, but it can also feel inaccessible. Independent cinema gives those voices a chance to exist. It allows filmmakers to take risks, represent communities authentically, and explore subjects that larger productions might overlook. At CFFL, if you create an environment where emerging filmmakers feel welcome rather than judged, they produce remarkable work.
“If you invest in the script first, you’re investing in everything that follows.”
— Anthony Vander
Celtx: Celtx has been with you since launch sponsoring the Best Screenplay category. From your perspective, why is backing storytellers at the script stage so critical for the future of indie film?
Anthony: The script is everything. It’s the foundation that brings an entire filmmaking team together, from the director and producers to the cast and crew. The script stage is probably the most critical part of the creative process, no matter where you are in your career.
When I was starting out, funding often existed for production, but not for developing the screenplay itself, and I think that’s a missed opportunity. If you invest in the script first, you’re investing in everything that follows. That’s one of the reasons why our partnership with Celtx means so much. I love the way they genuinely champion storytellers and invest in the earliest stage of the filmmaking journey.
Celtx: This year’s Best Screenplay winner was Milly James for We’re All Black Down Here. What was it about that script that resonated so strongly with the judges?
Bethany Taylor-Goh: Above all, it reflected everything we believe independent filmmaking should be. It shines a light on the experience of Caribbean men who came to Britain in the 1950s and worked in the coal mines—a history that isn’t traditionally platformed. Because there is so little documentation across that sector, stories like this play an important role in recognizing their contribution and ensuring it isn’t erased from history.
What also really impressed us was the confidence of Milly’s creative vision. Shooting on film, underground, and in black and white completely served the story. At Collective, we’re always drawn to work that takes creative risks while saying something meaningful about the world.
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“The more authentic and rooted a story is in your own perspective, the more powerfully it can connect with an audience.”
— Bethany Taylor-Goh, Deputy Festival Director
Celtx: With keynotes from Oscar nominee Lee Knight and Sundance winner Olive Nwosu, what advice from this year’s festival do you hope emerging writers hold onto most?
Bethany: One of the biggest messages I hope our writers and actors hold onto is the importance of protecting your creative voice and vision throughout your career. As your career develops, there will always be more collaborators and opinions involved, but it’s so important to stay connected to why you wanted to tell that story in the first place.
Both Lee and Olive reinforced the idea that specificity is universality: the more authentic and rooted a story is in your own perspective, the more powerfully it can connect with an audience. I hope our filmmakers came away with the confidence to embrace what makes their voice unique, rather than trying to shape it into what they think the industry wants.
Celtx: Looking ahead to 2027 and beyond, what’s your ultimate vision for Collective Film Festival?
Anthony: The ambition has always been much bigger than creating a single annual festival. I want CFFL to become a year-round platform that genuinely supports filmmakers at every stage through workshops, networking, and screenplay development. Over the next few years, I’d love to see CFFL recognized as a BAFTA-qualifying festival, while keeping the same grassroots ethos we’ve had since day one.
If filmmakers look back in five or ten years and say, “I met my producer at Collective,” or “That’s where my career really began,” then I think we’ll have achieved exactly what we set out to do.
Keep reading on the Celtx blog:
- How to Sell a Screenplay Without an Agent – Tips & Free Checklist
- How to Get Film Funding in 2026: Tips for Indie Filmmakers
- How Big Does Your Film Crew Need to Be? (Indie vs Small vs Full Production)
Supporting Every Stage of the Story
At Celtx, we believe that every extraordinary film starts as words on a blank page. Partnering with the Collective Film Festival London aligns directly with our mission: providing writers, directors, and creators with intuitive, all-in-one scriptwriting and pre-production tools so their stories can transition seamlessly from initial idea to final screen.
Whether you’re outlining your first short film or polishing a feature screenplay, Celtx is built to support your vision every step of the way.
Connect with Collective Film Festival London
Interested in attending, submitting your project, or getting involved with future editions?
- Learn More: Visit the Collective Acting Studio to learn about the studio’s year-round training, events, and festival updates.
- Submit Your Film: Stay up to date on entry deadlines, categories, and submission details for upcoming editions on FilmFreeway.
Start writing the next great indie film.
Outline, format, and polish your next script for free with the Celtx studio.
