Universal handed £6m of taxpayer cash to film Hamnet despite raking in profits of £810m Media American filmmaking giant Universal was handed a £5.7 million government subsidy to make period drama Hamnet even though the studio generated £810 million in profit last year. The blockbuster’s cost to taxpayers is revealed in filings for the film which won the coveted honour of Outstanding British Film at the Baftas on Sunday. The heartbreaking [...]
BfI Flare festival turns 40: everything we know as LGBTQ film event returns Life&Style London was one of the first cities in the world to host an LGBTQ film festival. The London Gay & Lesbian Film Festival first took place in 1986 at the National Film Theatre, which has since been renamed as the BFI Southbank. The event provided vital representation and helped legitimise queer storytelling as a genre. [...]
UK-India film: Nandy’s cultural agreement starts to show green shoots Media While the UK and India have a strong history of collaborating on film productions, the 2020s has seen a boom in co-operation between the two countries. Helped since 2008 by a series of film co-production deals, a new cultural deal this May promised to “open the door” more for UK creative exports to India. “The [...]
Cinemas warn tax hikes may cause credits to roll November 15, 2024 The UK cinema industry has warned that higher taxes on employees’ wages announced in the Budget will be the final straw for some venues in what has become a core cultural industry. Chancellor Rachel Reeves increased the amount employers have to pay in NICs by 1.2 per cent, and lowered the wage threshold employers must start paying [...]
London Film Festival cancels far-right documentary screening over safety concern October 19, 2024 The BFI London Film Festival (LFF) has cancelled a screening of a documentary about the far-right over “safety” concerns. Undercover: Exposing The Far Right, which uses hidden cameras to cover far-right figures across the UK and Europe, was to be part of the 68th festival over the weekend, but has been withdrawn. Kristy Matheson, director [...]