Collective Acting Studio student film lines up fall festival run

Collective Acting Studio says its student-made feature film LINES THAT CROSS will begin an international festival run in fall 2026. The project is the largest production yet from the school’s Film and Television department and is meant to narrow the gap between training and professional screen work.

Why it matters: - LINES THAT CROSS is a test case for Collective Acting Studio’s model of blending actor training with full-scale film production. - The project gives students and recent graduates hands-on experience across acting, writing, directing and production. - The film’s festival launch could help open a path from classroom work to public screenings and industry exposure.

What happened: - Collective Acting Studio announced that LINES THAT CROSS, a feature film developed by students from its BA cohort, will begin its international festival run in fall 2026. - The London-based acting school said the film is the largest production its Film and Television department has undertaken to date. - The production was managed, crewed and performed by students and recent graduates. - The film is currently in post-production ahead of its festival launch later this year.

The details: - LINES THAT CROSS follows three interconnected stories set across contemporary London. - The story unfolds over several days. - The film explores survival, love, identity and grief as the characters’ lives intersect in unexpected ways. - The cast includes Skye Shotbolt, Yoel Afeworki, Louise Page, Sophie Grainger, Maria Monroe, Hannah Mendel, Botan Akgul, Aaliyah Akuffo-Offei, Michael Yates, Latoya Chida, Chloe Gilbert, Alessia Enescu, Nikiah Ferris, Jack Broughton, Halid Saidi and Jack “JP” Pritchard. - Anthony Vander, head of Film and Television at Collective Acting Studio, said the school’s goal is to reduce the gap between training and professional practice. - Vander said the studio wanted students to experience the realities of feature production while finding their own creative voice. - The school says its approach differs from traditional conservatoire training because it embeds screen production into the curriculum. - Completed student projects move on to public screenings and festival exhibitions.

Between the lines: - Collective Acting Studio is positioning film production as a core part of actor training, not an extra project. - The scale of LINES THAT CROSS suggests the school is using feature-length work to simulate professional conditions for students. - The festival run gives the project a public benchmark that can validate the school’s training model beyond the classroom.

What’s next: - LINES THAT CROSS is expected to complete post-production before its festival launch later in 2026. - The film will begin its international festival run in fall 2026. - The school may use the project’s reception to support future student-led productions.

The bottom line: - Collective Acting Studio is sending its biggest student production into the festival circuit as a showcase for training grounded in real-world screen experience.