08/06/2007

The UK Film Council’s Prints and Advertising Fund has announced awards for several acclaimed films including Julien Temple’s documentary Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten [+see also:
trailer
film profile], thereby giving the films wider distribution. The May 18 release that won Temple plaudits for his unflinching look at iconic band The Clash’s frontman, received an award of ₤30,082, enabling Vertigo Films to add an additional 40 Digital Screen Network cinemas and increase the media campaign to support simultaneous UK premieres.

Revolver Entertainment received a timely pre-release fillip of ₤110,774 for Guillaume Canet’s multiple Cesar winning Tell No One [+see also:
trailer
film profile]. The serial killer thriller based on Harlan Coben’s bestselling novel is due for release June 15. The award will see the release expand from 35 to 70 35mm and digital venues and will see a wider media campaign including a new trailer and radio spot.

The June 8 release Black Gold – Marc Francis’ Sundance Grand Jury Prize-nominated documentary about the coffee industry – sees Dogwoof Pictures receive ₤20,700. Thanks to this, the number of prints has been expanded from 5 to 30, including 25 digital copies, additional trailers and a larger online media presence.

Classic films also receive a share of the awards with the BFI receiving ₤63,000 for Franz Osten’s restored 1929 black and white silent film A Throw of Dice. The award allows the BFI to enhance the August 30 re-release with an open-air screening at London’s Trafalgar Square accompanied by a live score from acclaimed musician Nitin Sawhney and the London Symphony Orchestra.

In addition, the Fund disbursed ₤40,960 for Gillo Pontecorvo’s 1967 BAFTA-winning The Battle of Algiers re-release and ₤5000 each for Rolf de Heer’s Cannes 2006 Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize winner Ten Canoes and Deepa Mehta’s 2007 Best Foreign Language Film Oscar nominee Water.