UK Film Council Axed

I'm generally very proud of living in the UK. Our government doesn't like to pass laws about what scarves people can or cannot wear in public, the police actually make me feel safe, we are a society entitled to completely free speech and - until now - the government has actively promoted the arts in Britain.

Now I'm not naïve. I knew that the arts were going to be hit hard with the new budget cuts, but the news that the UK Film Council is to be abolished left me reeling.

The UK Film Council is (was *sniffle*) a government-backed funding body created 10 years ago to support and revitalise British film. Run by experienced industry staff, the Film Council not only funded new and upcoming film-makers, massive hits such as Bend it Like Beckham and The Last King of Scotland, but also funded the introduction of more digital screens in the UK and ensured that many foreign language films such as Let the Right One In were able to be screened widely throughout the UK.

They also funded the BFI London Film Festival and a fantastic programme called Skillset which provided training for many people wishing to enter the film industry. Diversity was also high on the list, and the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, National Schools Film Week and many other projects encouraging a diversity of people reflective of Britain's current population to both discover and create film came under the Council's umbrella.

The government has claimed that the funding provided by the Film Council will continue to be distributed by other bodies, but it is undeniable that in disassembling such a vital component of the UK film industry, the industry itself will suffer - in a year when it has grossed more than ever before. Such a diversity of projects and innovations will surely flounder when left without a single regulating body to administrate their funding and/or planning.

As stated by Tim Bevan, current Chairman of the Council:

"Abolishing the most successful film support organisation the UK has ever had is a bad decision, imposed without any consultation or evaluation. People will rightly look back on today's announcement and say it was a big mistake, driven by short-term thinking and political expediency. British film, which is one of the UK's more successful growth industries, deserves better.

"Our immediate priority now is to press the Government to confirm that the funding levels and core functions that are needed to underpin British film are locked-in, especially at a time when filmmakers and film companies need more support than ever as they make the challenging transition into the digital age. To that end, we will work with the DCMS over the summer to identify how they can guarantee both continuity and safe harbour for British film."

This is merely the latest in a stream of frantic and senseless government cuts that show a complete lack of measured thought and structured planning for the future. My regret lies not only as a film viewer and a UK resident, but as a voter. I cannot help but feel that we have ushered in an era of unprecedented lack of imagination, and the UK's thriving and beautiful arts industry is bound to continue to come under fire.