Film Council News

For up to the minute information on all UK Film Council news & announcements visit www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk



NEWS RELEASE: 17/04/08

£18 MILLION FUNDING BOOST FOR FILM IN
THE REGIONS FROM UK FILM COUNCIL

The UK Film Council recently announced it will be investing a total of £18 million over the next two years in the English regions to help them boost their local film industries and open up access for the public to our screen heritage.

This support will come from two pots of funding:

1. £15.4 million will be allocated to the regions over the next two years, (£7.7 million per year to the nine Regional Screen Agencies) known as the Regional Investment Fund for England (RIFE), the money is a mixture of National Lottery and grant-in-aid funding.

2. £2.7 million Digital Archive Fund from Lottery cash to help unlock the nation’s rich screen heritage. Each region will receive £300,000 over the next two years.

To read all about it click here



NEWS RELEASE: 17/04/08

MAJOR £1.88 MILLION LOTTERY CASH INJECTION FOR EDINBURGH FILM FESTIVAL FROM UK FILM COUNCIL

Investment will support the UK’s longest-running film festival’s growth plan
Ambition is to be the world’s leading film festival of discovery

Edinburgh - Monday 17 March 2008: The UK Film Council today announced £1.88 million Lottery funding for the Edinburgh International Film Festival over the next three years.

It’s the single biggest investment by the UK Film Council in a film festival to date and will help Edinburgh achieve its ambition of becoming the world’s leading festival of discovery, showcasing new films and talent.

The UK is currently the third largest market in the world for filmed entertainment and the UK Film Council believes that with extra support our festivals can reach out to a wider audience and increase their standing on the world stage.

Today’s announcement is part of an overall package of funding that will see the UK Film Council make £4.5 million of National Lottery money available over three years to help fund UK film festivals of international and national significance. Announcements on the remaining funding will be made over the coming months.

Edinburgh already has a great track record in identifying, showcasing and promoting talent but this investment boost will enable the Festival to bring about some radical new changes and work towards its goal of becoming the “must attend” festival of discovery. The festival also wants to play a leading role in the debate on the development of film in the digital age.

The Edinburgh International Film Festival is the longest continually running film festival in the world. It started in 1947 as a documentary-based festival in the wake of World War II and has expanded over the last 60 years.

This year, it will move from its traditional August slot and run from 18- 29 June as part of its strategy to grow its global creative reputation and widen its audience appeal.

John Woodward, Chief Executive Officer of the UK Film Council said: “The UK Film Council is absolutely delighted to be supporting Edinburgh, our longest- running film festival, to help it massively expand its activities and profile on the world stage. Edinburgh’s ambition is a great one – to make their film festival the world’s leading festival of discovery. This £1.88 million injection of Lottery cash over the next three years will put them well on the way to achieving it. This funding will ultimately benefit all members of the UK film community from production through to distribution.”

Ginnie Atkinson, Managing Director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival said: “This Lottery funding is a huge endorsement of the Edinburgh International Film Festival and its potential for growth. It is an investment in the future of film both for audiences and for the film industry, centred in the UK. The funding is attached to specific activities planned to make EIFF even more effective as a meeting place in the broadest sense of the word; a place where culture, ideas and business can be progressed – and in the unique setting of one of the world’s most amazing cities.”



NEWS RELEASE: 12/03/08

MURDOCH AND EGAN JOIN UK FILM COUNCIL BOARD

Elisabeth Murdoch, Chairman and CEO of the Shine Group, and Gail Egan, producer and founder of Potboiler Productions, have joined the UK Film Council Board of Directors. The appointments were made by Margaret Hodge MP, Minister for Culture and will run for four years with immediate effect.

Stewart Till CBE, Chairman of the UK Film Council said: “It's fantastic news that Elisabeth and Gail have agreed to join the UK Film Council board.  They bring with them a phenomenal amount of experience and success. Our aim has always been to have the highest calibre of board members and that maxim is very much behind the appointment of these two producers with enviable track records.

“I know that Gail and Elisabeth will be a huge asset to the UK Film Council and I look forward to working with them as we build on the first seven years of work and face the significant challenges and opportunities of film in the digital age.”
Read all about it here



NEWS RELEASE: 02/02/08

HARRY POTTER, HIPPIE HIPPIE SHAKE AND ST TRINIAN’S TAKE FILM PRODUCTION SPENDING IN THE UK TO £723 MILLION IN 2007

The amount of money spent on making films in the UK in 2007 including Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Sweeney Todd, Brideshead Revisited and How to Lose Friends and Alienate People totalled £723 million.  British cinemas enjoyed a strong year with £904 million taken at the box office, 8% higher than 2006.  British films performed well accounting for 28% of cinema takings, up from 19% in 2006 and the third highest since records began in 1996, according to new figures published today by the UK Film Council. Read more