BFI explores New Horizons

by Naman Ramachandran

14/05/2012 - The British Film Institute (BFI) has outlined plans for how it intends to invest £57m (71.2M euros) per annum over the next five years, an amount totalling £285m (356.1M euros). This equates to an average annual investment of £17m (21.2M euros) for Education and Audiences; £28.2m (35.2M euros) for supporting British film; £3m (3.7M euros) for Film Heritage and £1m (1.2M euros) for Research and Statistics, a £3m (3.7M euros) contingency and an 8% cost of delivery.

As part of the BFI’s three-pronged strategy, 8.5 million children will benefit from film education; 1000 community centres will be equipped to show films digitally, with 10,0000 British films being digitised; and production and development funds for British films is set to increase by 30% over the next five years, with new voices being actively encouraged through various grassroots schemes. A four week consultation opens today around the BFI’s proposals outlined in its five-year ‘Future Plan for Film 2012-17 New Horizons for UK Film’ document.

Greg Dyke, Chairman BFI said, “We have set out a bold, long term vision for film that will genuinely make a difference to education, audiences and filmmakers and support the UK’s growth agenda by boosting jobs and the economy and stimulating inward investment and export.”

Amanda Nevill, Chief BFI said, “British creativity and talent is world class and our plan capitalises on that to help drive economic growth in the UK, support jobs and skills and incentivise new thinking and new ideas. But this plan is also about creating a new deal for audiences. This isn’t just about the next five years; long term the BFI wants people to have a lifelong relationship with film, both the next generation of audiences and filmmakers.”