Taking film around the UK
Giving everyone the opportunity to take part in and enjoy film
- We've stimulated creativity, film culture and education through our Regional Investment Fund for England;
- We've given local, diverse and often under-served or excluded communities access to public funding for film production, education, heritage, exhibition, training and location services;
- We've improved access to film and cinema for a range of communities and groups, including those living in rural and remote communities through funding for over 200 film societies and independent regional film venues – venues to have benefitted include Talla Shomhairle on the Isle of Skye, Clwyd Theatre in Wales, Regent Cinema in Christchurch and the Ipswich Film Theatre;
- We've also improved access to films and cinemas for people with hearing and sight disabilities, so encouraging audience diversity and opening films up to the largest possible audiences;
- We set up the world's first Digital Screen Network, investing £12 million in 240 screens in 210 cinemas, giving audiences across the UK the chance to see films that they might not have otherwise seen. Films include Brief Encounter, Casablanca, I've Loved You So Long, Slumdog Millionaire, This is England, La Vie en Rose and Waltz with Bashir;
- We've offered a greater choice for audiences. Industry data shows 351 specialised films were released in 2008, up from 220 in 2002 (an increase of 60%). The gross box office of specialised films has increased by around 46% in the same period, from £53 million to £77 million;
- Our £4.5 million National Lottery fund for UK film festivals gives people the chance to see more films, meet filmmakers, and get closer to film culture. Festivals cover a range of geographical areas and genres, including children's films, animation, documentaries, silent movies, avant-garde, and films for and about women. Examples include the Edinburgh International Film Festival, the BFI London Film Festival, Birds Eye View, Deaffest, Cinemagic and the Flatpack Film Festival;
- We created First Light Movies, which has given 12,000 children and young people aged 5-18 the chance to get involved in filmmaking and also acquire valuable skills which will stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives. First Light films are seen in venues and festivals in the UK and internationally;
- First Light Movies is also involved in MEDIABOX (backed with £6 million from the Department for Children, Schools and Families), designed to give disadvantaged young people the opportunity to produce creative projects using film, television, print, radio, or online platforms;
- We conducted a number of research projects, sharing the findings with the industry and promoting best practice. Recent projects include the first research on the cultural impact of British films, which shows how British films have articulated and challenged core British values, changing public perceptions and knocking down barriers.
