12/04/2013 - New film education programme announced

The British Film Institute’s (BFI) research shows that children who go to the cinema are three times more likely to be frequent cinema goers as adults. In a shrewd bid to capture the box office of tomorrow by investing today, the BFI is spending £26 million over four years (2013-2017) to launch Film Nation UK, a new film education programme that will be available to every 5-19 year old and the 26,700 schools in the UK from September 2013. Partners include Pearson, National Union of Teachers, LOVEFiLM, National Schools Partnership, Creative Scotland, Creative Skillset, Film Agency Wales and Northern Ireland Screen.

Ed Vaizey, Minster for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries said, “We tasked the BFI with developing a strategy that would not only boost audiences, but would cultivate and nurture the next generation of film talent, and I’m confident that the wealth of industry knowledge and expertise that Film Nation UK brings together will do exactly that.”

BFI CEO Amanda Nevill said, “Film is one of the industries with the greatest opportunity for sustained future growth so investing in the future is vital, whether growing tomorrow’s audiences or inspiring future filmmakers who will ensure Britain remains one of the most important places on the planet for film. Today takes us one step further towards this.”

Eric Fellner, co-chairman of Working Title films and chair of Film Nation UK said, “We are incredibly excited that we have been awarded the funding to deliver an ambitious and inspiring programme which is of scale, reach and quality. It is a substantial commitment by the BFI to film education and to future generations of young people.”