Mike Leigh and Francine Stock

Mike Leigh was born in Salford, Manchester, in 1943, and developed a unique method of creating films through controlled improvisations. After his debut feature film, Bleak Moments (1971), he made a succession of admired TV plays, then returned to feature films. Secrets and Lies won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 1996. Topsy-Turvy (1999) won two Oscars, and Vera Drake (2004), won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. He also wrote and directed the play Two Thousand Years for the National Theatre in 2005. The BFI will be celebrating Leigh’s work with a complete film season at BFI Southbank from 18 October-30 November plus UK-wide re-releases and Blu-rays.

Francine Stock has been the long-time presenter of BBC The Film Programme. Francine joined the BBC in 1983 as a producer on The World at One, PM and the World This Weekend. Various reporting and presenting jobs followed in News for Radio 4, as well as documentaries and the late night discussion programme, No Illusions. Television includes reporting and presenting The Money Programme and Newsnight.