Barbara Broccoli and Ted Sarandos Visit the NFTS

The National Film and Television School (NFTS) today announced a landmark moment in its history, welcoming producer Barbara Broccoli and Co-CEO of Netflix, Ted Sarandos to Beaconsfield to mark a series of major developments for the School.

During the visit, acclaimed producer and NFTS Fellow Barbara Broccoli officially named The School’s newest addition The Cubby Broccoli Building, in honour of her late father, Albert R ‘Cubby’ Broccoli. One of cinema’s most celebrated figures, the legendary producer is best known for bringing the James Bond franchise to the screen – with more than 100 NFTS alumni having worked across the iconic films, many in senior and leading roles.

Construction is now officially underway on the newly named The Cubby Broccoli Building, which is due to open to students in January 2027. The building plays a central role in the School’s expansion, supporting world-class training for future generations of film and television makers and games creators and for the first time, will provide on-site accommodation for disabled students.

Linking past, present and future talent, Barbara Broccoli contributed to a specially commissioned time capsule to be placed within the foundations of the new building, including a letter co-written with producer Michael G.Wilson and addressed to future NFTS Producing students. The capsule will be re-opened in 2071, to celebrate the School’s centenary, and also contains a document from the NFTS archives, detailing Cubby Broccoli’s gift of its Production and Facilities department in 1986, a generous donation that reflected his enduring belief in the importance of creative infrastructure and the filmmakers it continues to support.

This afternoon, Ted Sarandos, Co-CEO of Netflix delivered a Masterclass to NFTS students, sharing insights from his career and discussing the global screen landscape, the importance of creative risk-taking and the value of nurturing new voices. Netflix also confirmed a new investment in the NFTS, reinforcing its long-standing commitment to skills development, creative training and the next generation of screen talent. The funding will see the creation of The Netflix Lounge, a dynamic creative hub at the heart of the new The Cubby Broccoli Building – designed as a central meeting point where students can work, collaborate and connect. The space builds on Netflix’s wider Generation N skills initiative in the UK, supporting the development of future industry talent.

Later today, Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, will host a private reception at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in London, bringing together supporters, industry partners and alumni of the School. The event will underscore the Government’s continued commitment to the UK’s creative industries and its Creative Industries Sector Plan, which places investment in skills and training at the heart of future growth. The event will also highlight the vital role institutions such as the NFTS play in delivering the next generation of world-class creatives.

Other new donors to the School were also announced today, with All3Media, Garfield Weston Foundation, Prime Video, Rolex, and Wolfson Foundation joining the School’s growing community of supporters.

The Cubby Broccoli Building will house brand new courses in Costume Design, Hair and Make-Up and Virtual Production and, for the first time in the NFTS’s history, enable students to live on site. It will include nine fully accessible, purpose-built bedrooms at the heart of the School’s Buckinghamshire campus, removing a major barrier for disabled students and ensuring they can fully participate in both training for the screen industries and NFTS life. All accommodation costs will be will be fully covered by the Accessible Living Bursary, launched and supported by screenwriter Jack Thorne in June 2025.

Speaking at the event, Jon Wardle, NFTS Director said: “The School’s expansion has been made possible through vital Government investment and the generosity of our supporters –including All3Media, Garfield Weston Foundation, Prime Video, Rolex, and Wolfson Foundation who we are proud to announce today. Their belief in the NFTS and its students has been instrumental in reaching this milestone. Honouring Cubby Broccoli’s legacy through this new building reflects values that sit at the heart of the NFTS, while this collective investment ensures we are preparing students for a truly global industry. We are immensely grateful to DCMS, Michael G.Wilson, Barbara Broccoli and Netflix and all of our new and existing supporters for helping shape the School’s future.”

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy commented: “Britain’s film and television industry is the envy of the world but it isn’t built on red carpets and premieres. It’s built on people. The camera operators, the set designers, the editors, the writers, the extraordinary talent, on screen and off, who turn ideas into stories that travel the globe.

Talent is everywhere in this country. Opportunity is not. If we want the UK to remain a creative powerhouse, we have to back the next generation from every town, every city, every background with the skills, confidence and pathways they need to thrive.

That’s why we’ve invested £10 million to expand the National Film and Television School.

Because backing working people and opening doors to world-class training isn’t just good for culture, it’s how we secure Britain’s place as the best country in the world to make film and television.”

Michael G.Wilson and Barbara Broccoli added: “Our father, Cubby Broccoli, deeply believed in craftsmanship, collaboration and the art of storytelling. It is so meaningful to see his name indelibly linked with the NFTS, an institution that shares those values and is dedicated to nurturing future talent. The School plays a vital role in the industry and we are honoured to mark this moment in its history.”

Ted Sarandos, Co-Chief Executive Officer at Netflix commented: “We’re proud to have been part of the UK’s creative community for more than 12 years, and we remain deeply committed to supporting the next generation of storytellers. The Netflix Lounge at NFTS is a long-term investment in people, skills and ideas, and it builds on the wider work we’re doing across the UK through Generation N to help strengthen the talent pipeline that underpins one of the world’s great creative industries.”

The development of The Cubby Broccoli Building forms a key part of the NFTS’s wider investment in facilities and infrastructure, to aid the School’s expansion and future-proof its offer for generations to come. It was supported by £10 million in government funding, announced in line with the Government’s Creative Sector Vision. Combined with on-going industry investment and support, the NFTS remains firmly positioned at the forefront of global screen education.

Previously announced supporters of the NFTS expansion include Banijay, Buckinghamshire Council, Channel 4, Dana and Albert R. Broccoli Foundation, The Gareth Neame Foundation, ITV, John Gore Studios, Peppa Pig co-creator Mark Baker, Sky, Sony Pictures Television and the Walt Disney Company.