Anna Bogutskaya

Head of Screen SXSW London | Creative Director | Author | Film & TV Programming

London, England, United Kingdom

About

Senior creative leader with 10+ years of experience conceiving, building and delivering ambitious public programmes across film and screen culture. I specialise in developing projects from the ground up: defining a vision, assembling teams, and translating bold ideas into reality. My practice sits at the intersection of strategy, curation and public engagement. I bring deep knowledge of global screen culture, a substantial UK and international network, and a track record of delivering high-level programming that balances artistic ambition with budgetary realities. Alongside my curatorial work, I am the author of two books on film, Unlikeable Female Characters (2023) and Feeding the Monster (2024), and am an in-demand critic, cultural commentator and host. My writing has appeared in BBC Culture, The Guardian, Time Out, MUBI, New Statesman, Little White Lies, NME, Huck and others.

Experience

  • Head of Screen at SXSW London
    Sep 2024 - Present · 1 yr 11 mos

    • Overall strategic lead for the Screen Festival, spanning features, series, shorts, talks and immersive content. • Set artistic vision and long-term direction while delivering a high-volume, high-profile public programme within a complex festival infrastructure. • Built, led and managed a core team, alongside multiple external agencies and partners. • Built and maintained senior relationships with filmmakers, studios, distributors, press and stakeholders. • Oversaw end-to-end delivery: tracking, sourcing, curation, negotiation, scheduling, talent, production, and Q&As. • Used audience data, attendance metrics and press analysis to evaluate performance and inform future strategy. • Delivered the most successful SXSW London vertical in its inaugural edition, with 20,000+ attendees and the highest press, audience and social engagement across the festival.

  • Freelance Writer at Freelance
    Jan 2020 - Present · 6 yrs 7 mos

    Bylines include BBC Culture, Sight & Sound, Time Out, The Face, Huck, Little White Lies, The Guardian, Tortoise Media, NME, amongst others.

  • Event Host & Moderator at Various
    Feb 2016 - Present · 10 yrs 6 mos

    • A highly requested moderator for panel discussions, Q&As and events, and often give talks on film, TV and culture. • Moderator of panels and Q&As for BAFTA, BFI, Netflix, Amazon, MUBI, amongst many others. • I’ve appeared on panels for many film festivals, including the BFI London Film Festival, Rotterdam, Cannes, LSFF, Aesthetica, and many more. • Onstage, I've interviewed everyone from Julia Ducournau to Jamie Lee Curtis, Florence Pugh to Jane Fonda, Remi Weeks to Gaspar Noé, Amy Poehler to Rosamund Pike.

  • Co-Founder & Director at The Final Girls
    May 2016 - Present · 10 yrs 3 mos

    • Co-founded The Final Girls, a London-based screening series exploring the intersections between horror film and feminism. • Curated, produced and hosted screenings and events around the UK and internationally, including a sold-out touring programmes and UK-wide event cinema campaigns. • Developed events in partnership with BFI, Barbican, HOME, • Press coverage on The Telegraph, Broadly (Vice), GQ Spain, BBC Newsnight, Radio4 Women's Hour, Little White Lies, Film4 and more.

  • Film Programmer at Fantastic Fest
    2022 - Dec 2023 · 2 yrs

    Fantastic Fest is the largest genre film festival in the U.S., specializing in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action and just plain fantastic movies from all around the world. • Scouted, programmed and secured film films for the festival programme. • Hosting Q&As and filmmaking talent.