BFI Programme Unit cuts could harm European films
by Annika Pham
Programmers, distributors and film societies dedicated to art-house cinema raised their concerns this week following rumours that the British Film Institute (BFI) is on the verge of closing down its Exhibition Programme Unit.
The BFI Programme Unit offers programme advice, information and services to some 20 regional independent cinemas and many other venues across the UK (including commercial cinemas such as Odeon and UCI multiplexes) in order to help art-house films enjoy wider distribution and to make sure those venues are able to present the best and most diverse programme to their audiences. But due to lack of funds and a need to ‘rationalise’, the BFI plans to close down its Programme Unit probably by next June.
Stirring-up an ‘Anti-Programme Unit Closing Down’ campaign, launched last February by some 26 independent cinemas, the British Federation of Film Societies told BBC News Online Services this week that a “decline in commitment” to showing art-house films could force the closure of smaller independent cinemas and some of the 250 to 300 film societies around the UK.”
Lucia Hadgiconstanti, a spokesperson at the BFI told Cineuropa that an official announcement would be made by the BFI within a week on how to best provide services to the regions. “As far as I know, the audience will not be affected by these measures,” she said reassuringly.
The BFI’s parent body, the Film Council (FC), is supposed to take over the BFI’s exhibition and distribution responsibilities, and recently launched a £1m (Euros1.461m) specialised P&A initiative to support art-house and niche films. However Tony Jones, head of programming and Director of the UK’s leading specialist exhibition chain City Screen, is very sceptical about the FC’s plans: “The FC’s P&A (Print & Advertising - Editor’s note) initiative will be given only to films perceived as having a wide distribution, not for films like In this world or The Russian Ark [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (released on 4 April) seen as being too small,” he told Cineuropa. “Nobody knows what the FC will do after the BFI Programme Unit closes down, but I think it’s very regrettable as their services can’t be replaced.”
Did you enjoy reading this article? Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive more stories like this directly in your inbox.
