Culture 2 min read By Trevor Kendall
Barbara Broccoli Named First Woman President of UK's National Film and Television School
The producer becomes the first woman to lead the NFTS, succeeding David Puttnam, and her appointment coincides with the opening of a building named after her father.
Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has been appointed President of the National Film and Television School (NFTS) in the UK. She will be the first woman to lead the institution. The appointment was announced in November 2026.
Broccoli takes up the post roughly a few weeks before the opening of the school's new building, which is named after her father, Cubby Broccoli, the renowned producer of the James Bond film series. Her arrival at the NFTS thus coincides with one of the notable events in the school's history, and the opening of the building will be the first major event under her leadership.
She succeeds David Puttnam, the Oscar-winning producer of Chariots of Fire, The Killing Fields and Midnight Express. Puttnam led the school for several years and left a notable mark on its development as a training ground for filmmakers. His films are among the most celebrated British pictures of their time, and his succession at the school is seen as a move from one internationally renowned producer to another.
Broccoli's connection to the NFTS is long-standing and enduring, making her appointment a logical continuation of the existing relationship between the producer and the institution. The school is based in the UK and is known for training specialists for the film and television industries, covering both cinema and television production.
The appointment also draws attention to the fact that no woman has previously headed the school. In noting this, the news itself emphasises the significance of the choice for an institution with a long history and for the British industry, where the role of women in leadership positions remains a subject of discussion.
The opening of the building named after Cubby Broccoli will be a symbolic moment for the producer's family and for the school, as it links the memory of the filmmaker with a new stage in the institution's development under his daughter's leadership.
Source: deadline.com
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