Channel 4 today announced the appointment of Farhana Bhula as permanent director of Film4, the broadcaster’s feature film division.
Bhula was appointed interim director of Film4 in July following the news of Ollie Madden’s surprise departure to Netflix. Madden had only recently taken up a joint role running Film4 and TV drama for Channel 4 but will join the streamer next month as its director of UK Film. His role at Film4/Channel 4 has now been split back into two, with the permanent TV drama boss yet to be unveiled. Gwawr Lloyd is currently in the TV post on an interim basis.
Bhula will take up the role immediately, following what C4 described as “an extensive external recruitment process.”
Bhula joined Film4 in January 2022 and has overseen several notable feature film projects for the division since, including Molly Manning Walker’s debut film How To Have Sex, Andrew Haigh’s All of Us Strangers, plus hotly anticipated upcoming films including Mark Jenkin’s Rose of Nevada, Oliver Hermanus’ The History of Sound and Philippa Lowthorpe’s H is for Hawk.
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She launched Future Takes in partnership with the BFI, currently in its second iteration, to support and nurture emerging talent. Following the success of How to Have Sex, Molly Manning Walker has reunited with the channel on her upcoming TV series Major Players with A24, which Bhula will work on alongside the Channel 4 drama team.
Bhula will remain on Channel 4’s executive team and senior leadership team, reporting to Martin Baker, chief commercial affairs officer, who has assumed interim responsibility for Film4 under Interim CEO Jonathan Allan, and led the external recruitment process.
Jonathan Allan, Interim CEO at Channel 4 said: “Farhana has been a key part of Film4’s success for the last three years, working closely with Ollie Madden. I am delighted that Farhana will take on this hugely important role, after a rigorous and competitive external recruitment process. Farhana’s experience within Film4, dedication to emerging talent and her established industry relationships will deliver a new exciting era and success for our filmmakers and the Film4 brand on the world stage.”
Bhula, new director of Film4 added: “Film4 has long been the home of original, daring filmmaking that truly cuts through. Under the dynamic and inspiring leadership of Ollie Madden, and alongside the passionate Film4 team, I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the most exciting writers, directors, and producers in the world. It’s an honour to now lead Film4 into its next chapter. With a mandate to take creative risks, an ambition to connect British filmmakers with global audiences, and the support of Jonathan Allan, Martin Baker, and the exceptional Channel 4 Executive Team, there really is no place like Film4.”
Farhana initially joined Film4 in 2022 as senior commissioning executive, later becoming head of creative & deputy director. A prominent British film exec, she was previously a senior development and production executive at the BFI, where she supported emerging talent and worked on a number of debuts including Charlotte Regan’s Scrapper, Dionne Edwards’ Pretty Red Dress, and Ben Sharrock’s Limbo. She has also held positions at Wildgaze Films and Endor Productions.
Film4 is currently co-curating a summer film season as part of the Bradford City of Culture celebrations.
