Film distribution fund proves a winner at the box office

New figures released by the UK Film Council have revealed that a £1 million a year initiative, designed to give cinema-goers across the UK a greater choice of films, has helped give around two million cinema-goers the chance to see critically acclaimed films, bringing in almost £15 million at the UK box office in the process.
The UK Film Council’s Specialised Prints and Advertising (P&A) Fund was established in March 2003, to invest in the cost of increased spending on advertising and extra copies of critically acclaimed films which would otherwise receive only a limited release. The support ensures that a much wider choice of films can reach more audiences in more cinemas around the country than ever before.
The fund has so far backed a total of 20 films, helping to generate a total UK box office taking of £14,844,814. The total number of prints has increased from 601 to 941 enabling cinemagoers in regions that normally miss first run titles such as ‘Whale Rider’, ‘Goodbye Lenin!’ and ‘The Station Agent’ to enjoy them at the same time as audiences in major cities like London, Manchester, Bristol and Edinburgh.
UK Film Council Head of Distribution and Exhibition Pete Buckingham believes the P&A fund has demonstrated that there are audiences across the UK who demand a wider choice of cinema.
“Cinema is currently more popular in the UK than at any time in the past 30 years, but historically there has often been only a very limited choice of film available to film-goers at any one time, especially outside London. This initiative has helped to give audiences across the country access to a much wider choice of UK and international films,” he said.
He added: “Whether we are dealing with hits such as Goodbye Lenin! and ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ or smaller releases such as ‘The Return’ or ‘Respiro’, it is clear that increased support for the marketing and distribution of these films has brought benefits for film-makers, distributors, exhibitors and, most of all, audiences.”
(GB)