09/05/2008

The UK Film Council (UKFC) will honour the cream of Britain’s Black and Asian talent under the aegis of its Breakthrough Brits programme. Honourees will be presented to some of Hollywood’s most influential figures at a special event in Los Angeles on June 4.

The honourees will also be guests of the Hollywood Black Film Festival and have already had access to masterclasses, networking events and business workshops in London.

The programme is designed to celebrate new British filmmaking talent on the cusp of breakthrough international success.

The 2008 honourees are: directors John Giwa Amu and Osbert Parker, actor/playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah, documentary writer/director Florence Ayisi, actor/writer/director Noel Clarke, writer/director Kara Miller, producers Esther Douglas, Rita Osei, Karlene Page, Barrington Robinson, Zoe Stewart and co-producer/directors Sunandan and Yugesh Walia.

Meanwhile, British Film Commissioner Colin Brown has appointed Andy Weltman as Production Executive. Weltman has worked with Peter Weir, Wolfgang Petersen and Steven Spielberg on films such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Green Card and The Perfect Storm. He will be based in the UKFC’s US office.

Brown said, “I’m delighted that Andy has joined our team. Together with Claire Chapman our Executive Director in the US, Andy will look at maximising the opportunities for US filmmakers to make their films in the UK.”

Weltman added, “Outside of Hollywood, there is no place that matches the UK in terms of quality of filmmaking, depth of crew and variety of locations. I’m excited to be in a position to help US filmmakers shoot their films on the other side of the pond.”