British government chops UK Film Council to reduce deficit

Did you see or love Man on Wire, Bend It Like Beckham, The Last King of Scotland, Gosford Park, The Constant Gardener, Vera Drake, or In the Loop?

All these films were backed by the UK Film Council, which is reportedly going to be abolished by the British government. British culture secretary Jeremy Hunt announced several cuts to the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport on Monday (July 26). The UK Film Council and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council are just two of the sixteen public bodies to be axed as part of cost-cutting measures.

The UK Film Council was established in 2000 by the previous Labour government. It had a staff of 75 people with a budget of £15 million ($24 million) to promote and invest in British film, and it has produced over 900 films.

The organization will be shut down by April 2012.

Comments

1 Comments

Matthew Burrows

Jul 26, 2010 at 4:51pm

chop chop...