Mayor announces plan to increase funding for London Film Festival
As The Times bfi London Film Festival gets underway, Mayor Ken Livingstone has announced that he is working with the London Development Agency to provide extra funding for the festival, now in its 47th year.
The new funding, to begin in 2004, will be channelled through Film London, which provides dedicated support, promotion and development for the film industry in the capital.
The Mayor, who has played a key role in the establishment of Film London, said: 'Film is a key contributor to the economy, generating around £700m each year, with 85 per cent of film production based in the capital and 70 per cent of the workforce in London and the South East. Film in London must be able to thrive as a cultural asset and key creative industry. I am working with the London Development Agency, Film London and the British Film Institute to help the London Film Festival develop its international reputation and to ensure that the capital's film industry continues to grow.
This weekend (Saturday 25 October), as part of his ongoing commitment to The Times bfi London Film Festival, the Mayor will also host the British Gala screening of Roger Michell's new film The Mother, which received support from Film London and was shot and produced in the capital.
The Mayor continued: 'The Times bfi London Film Festival has an unrivalled reputation for bringing inspirational cinema from around the world to the capital and I am delighted to be supporting it for the third year running.
'The British Gala is a particularly important way to celebrate the wealth of talent we have here. This year's British Gala film, The Mother, is a great example of a film produced and shot on location in London and directly assisted by Film London, which has been established to help our film industry grow and to promote London as a filmmaking capital.'
Adrian Wootton, CEO Film London, added: 'Film London exists to promote our city as an accessible, world recognised 'film capital'. The recognition of our role by the Mayor of London marks a major milestone for the agency and we are fortunate in gaining the support of a range of other influential bodies, including the UK Film Council. As our co-sponsorship of this year's British Gala, The Mother, demonstrates, Film London, the Mayor and the LDA appreciate the importance of the Times bfi London Film Festival, not only to the capital’s cultural life, but also a means of showcasing our city to the world’s film industry. Today's announcement means that Film London will now be able to offer even more support to the Festival in years to come.'
Sandra Hebron, Artistic Director for The Times bfi London Film Festival, said: 'This additional funding from the Mayor of London marks a welcome and significant investment in the future of The Times bfi London Film Festival. It ensures that the Festival will continue to develop as a world-class event, which engages with the widest possible audience in the capital.'
