Lottery millions to boost UK film industry

MILLIONS of pounds of lottery money will be used to boost the coffers of the film industry as part of a long-term plan to increase audiences and find fresh talent.

A network of “film hubs” linked to schools, clubs and cinemas will be set up across the country and digital equipment will be installed in 1,000 community centres and village halls so they can show the latest films, as part of a five-year plan.

The move also involves setting up an academy to train new talent, more money for production and development, and a proposal to digitise thousands of films from the archives of the British Film Institute (BFI).

The BFI plan, called New Horizons For UK Film, was unveiled today and is a response to former culture secretary Lord Smith’s government-commissioned review of the industry.

It states an expected £273 million of lottery money will be pumped into the industry between this year and 2017.

It also calls for financial support for cinemas “to access a wider range of films to broaden audience choice out of London”.

BFI director Amanda Nevill said: “The model we have in our heads is more like the National Youth Theatre, so we are really, really unashamedly going out there to try and find those talented people right at the start, giving them the opportunity to have a go at it for two reasons.”