20/10/2010

UK Film Council (UKFC) Chair Tim Bevan has strongly opposed the impending closure of the body. The British government had announced the closure in July.

Bevan told a Parliamentary Select Committee, “The UKFC created joined-up thinking. The great danger of the UKFC being closed down is various activities being put out to disparate bodies, and that joined-up thinking goes away. That would be a majorly regressive step for film in Britain. The closing down of the UKFC is a very bad idea. I don't think any money is going to be saved by the closure of it and it's a regressive step for film.”

He was candid about his own future post closure, saying, “I'm out of here. If this is the public sector and the way you get treated, I'm done basically. I care passionately about film and I think you make a much bigger contribution to it through the private sector.”

He contrasted Wallace and Gromit [+see also:
trailer
film profile] creator Nick Park and Clint Eastwood, who have spoken in favour of the UKFC, with UK Culture Minister Ed Vaizey, saying, “Collectively, Clint, Nick and I probably have about 100 years’ experience in the film industry and Ed Vaizey has two.”