BFI chief: National Lottery money backed Tom Holland's early film role

BFI CEO Ben Roberts told the inaugural UK Film Conference in Edinburgh on 15 August 2026 that Tom Holland's second film, *How I Live Now* (dir. Kevin Macdonald), was backed by National Lottery funding through the BFI. Roberts cited it as an example of lottery money filling gaps the commercial market leaves open — in this case helping launch a future Spider-Man actor. (Deadline, 15 Aug 2026)