Broadcast News

Bookmark and Share
30/07/2010

Loss Of Film Council 'Deplorable': Neeson

Just a day after the acclaimed film-maker Mike Leigh condemned "shocking" government plans to scrap the UK Film Council - the body which supports the British movie industry - Co Antrim actor Liam Neeson has called the decision to axe the organisation "deplorable".
Ballymena-born Neeson was speaking at the UK premiere of The A-Team in which he plays Hannibal in Joe Carnahan's big screen remake.
His comments came on foot of the announcement on Monday that the Council is to disappear as part of a cost-cutting drive by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Examples of the organisation's work include funding to Breakfast On Pluto and The Other Man, both of which starred Liam Neeson.
Speaking to BBC radio 5 live, Neeson said: "I think the decision is... the word 'deplorable' comes to mind. We have to do something about it.
"We need movies. It's a powerful industry that provides a credible entertainment for millions of people and I think it is wrong, I just thing it is wrong.
"I know we need to tighten our belts but not with our movie council. They can't, we need it. It is a lifeblood for any culture," the actor said.
Underling his comments, it has emerged this week that Northern Ireland Screen - a 'local' version of the UK Film Council - has been successfully injecting large amounts of money into the economy.
In its annual report NI Screen's main production investment fund returned £22 million to the local economy at a ratio of 5.5:1, on an investment of £3.9 million.
The report said that films like, Your Highness, a major feature film from Universal Pictures, which shot in Belfast's Paint Hall and various other locations around Northern Ireland, brought in £11.78 million of this.
Seemingly ignoring such statistics, the Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt wants to axe the UK's national equivalent organisation to ensure 'greater value for money'.
The proposal has already seen director Mike Leigh add: "It's very shocking indeed and it's from left of field in a very sudden and devastating way."
"It's remarkable and extremely worrying. It's very hard to know what they are actually going to sustain and what they will abandon...It really is no way to operate."
Leigh said the announcement had come 'out of the blue' as far as the film industry was concerned and said: "It's like 'We're abolishing the NHS'... It's totally out of order."
The Film Council was set up by the Labour government to develop and promote the British film industry.
Funded by the National Lottery, it channelled around £160m into more than 900 films over the last 10 years, including Bend It Like Beckham, The Last King of Scotland and Streetdance 3D.
See: NI Screen Returns £22m To Economy
See: Pact Focus On UK Film Future
See: Axe Falls On UK Film Council
(BMcC/KMcA)
Solidmate Ltd Memory Card Hire London

Top Related Stories
Click here for the latest broadcast news stories.

08/06/2023
Zero Density Announces Its Green Screen & XR Workshop
Zero Density has announced its Green Screen & XR Workshop, an upcoming virtual production event created in partnership with Vū Technologies. The
17/11/2009
Film Council 'To Steer Film Through Recession'
The UK Film Council has launched a three-month public consultation into the most significant revision of its activities since it was created in 2000.
17/06/2005
UK Film Council welcomes 'MOT' role for UK film production
The UK Film Council has welcomed the announcement of a ‘stocktake’ of film policy by Minister for Creative Industries, James Purnell, in a bid to see
02/11/2007
Film Festivals Receive Boost From UK Lottery
Film festivals across the UK will be part of a new £4.5 million drive to raise the profile of British film and give people of all ages and backgrounds
12/04/2010
British Film Gets Major Boost
The UK Film Council has launched a new £15m film fund to champion British filmmakers. As part of its three-year plan, launched at the beginning of Apr
08/06/2010
UK Film Industry Substantial, Report Says
The UK film industry contributes a total of over £4.5 billion a year to UK GDP and more than £1.2 billion to the Exchequer, according to an independen
01/04/2010
UK Film Council Launches New £15M Film Fund
The UK Film Council have today published a three year plan to launch a new £15m Film Fund. In developing the final plan, the Council spent three month
22/10/2007
UK film Council Awarded £25 Million To Safeguard Nation And Regional Film Archives
As the curtain opens on the Times BFI 51st London Film Festival, Culture Secretary James Purnell has announced that the UK Film Council (UKFC) has bee
22/02/2007
Film Trio Get Lottery Funding From UK Film Council
Animation, comedy and horror film scripts from first-time writers to established talent characterise new National Lottery awards made to new British f
01/09/2006
UK Film Council Supports Rembrandt Film 'Nightwatching'
Peter Greenaway, the prolific and critically acclaimed filmmaker is about to embark on a journey to explore how and why Rembrandt’s most famous painti
07/03/2006
UK Film Council to sponsor RIMA film category
The UK Film Council is sponsoring the film category for the Commission for Racial Equality's Race in the Media Awards (RIMA). Now in its second year,
22/02/2006
BBC and UK Film Council announce new film partnership
The BBC and the UK Film Council - two of the biggest stakeholders in British film - have joined forces to put film and broadcasting at the centre of a
24/02/2005
BBC joins forces with UK Film Council to showcase best of British short film
The BBC, in partnership with the UK Film Council, has launched the Film Network, a pilot website designed to showcase the best of British independent
30/11/2004
Sales companies to get UK Film Council support at international film markets
The UK Film Council has introduced a £70,000 International Festival Sales Support (IFSS) scheme, to run until 31 March 2005, to help boost the promoti
12/06/2003
UK Film Council report detailed take on film
A report released by the UK Film Council has revealed that almost 51,000 people are engaged in the film industry and that more than one in four people