Channel 4 announces major increase to Film4 funding

9 February 2016

 

*Film4 funding increased to record £25m in 2016*

*Major new deals announced with Fox Searchlight and FP Films*

*Film4 backing new work from Lenny Abrahamson, Yorgos Lanthimos, Andrew Haigh, Steve McQueen, Clio Barnard, Bart Layton, Mike Leigh, Chris Morris*

*Record BAFTA and Oscar nominations for Film4-backed films*

 

Channel 4 Chief Executive David Abraham and Director of Film4 David Kosse today announced a major boost to the corporation’s commitment to film, increasing the funding budget of Film4 from £15m to £25m in 2016 – with the ambition of maintaining similar increased levels of Film4 funding in future years.

The announcement was made at an event to celebrate the success of Film4-backed films in the Awards season, with a record 22 BAFTA and 15 Oscar nominations – for the likes of Room, Carol, Ex Machina, 45 Years, Amy, The Lobster and Second Coming.

The significant increase in funding across 2016 will include two major new partnerships that demonstrate the scale of Film4’s future ambitions: a new co-financing deal with Fox Searchlight for Martin McDonagh’s new film, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri; and a new two year partnership with Entertainment Film Distributors and FP Films, the production company set up by The Inbetweeners creators Iain Morris and Damon Beesley, for four new comedy feature films.

These deals sit alongside a hugely diverse range of upcoming Film4 projects which continue Film4’s established track record of working with the most distinctive and innovative talent in the UK and internationally. These include The Selfish Giant director, Clio Barnard’s next film, Dark River; Bart Layton’s heist movie, American Animals, which we will be partnering on with AI Films; the next film from 45 Years director Andrew Haigh, Lean on Pete; a new film about Mary Magdalene from Garth Davis; Danny Boyle’s long-awaited sequel to Trainspotting; and new films from first-time filmmakers – Michael Pearce’s Beast; Toby MacDonald’s Old Boys; Adam Smith’s Trespass Against Us and Benedict Andrews’ Una.

Film4 also has projects in development with some of the UK’s most acclaimed filmmakers such as Steve McQueen, Mike Leigh, Lenny Abrahamson, Yorgos Lanthimos and Chris Morris.

Channel 4 Chief Executive, David Abraham said: “Channel 4 has played a huge role in backing new and distinctive film talent for three decades and the record awards success this year is testament to the enormous impact Film4 has in the industry. We have the ambition for this impact to continue to grow and so I’m delighted that, under David Kosse’s leadership, Film4 will be substantially increasing its funding – which I hope will ensure that we are able to continue to nurture the next generation of filmmaking talent.”

Director of Film4, David Kosse said: “I’m tremendously proud of the diversity of the Film4-backed movies nominated for awards – and continuing to support such a wide range of voices is at the heart of my strategy for the future of Film4. In an increasingly global and competitive industry, building new and bolder partnerships across both production and distribution will ensure both that Film4 is able to operate as a more self-sufficient part of Channel 4 and that we continue to maintain high levels of funding into the film industry.”

Film4 is Channel 4 Television’s feature film division, which develops and co-finances films and has an established track record for working with the most distinctive and innovative talent in UK and international filmmaking. Film4 has developed and co-financed many of the most successful UK films of recent years - Academy Award-winners such as Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave, Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, Martin McDonagh’s In Bruges and Phyllida Lloyd’s The Iron Lady in addition to critically-acclaimed award-winners such as Mike Leigh’s Mr. Turner, Chris Morris’ Four Lions, Shane Meadows’ This is England, Yann Demange’s 71, Ben Wheatley’s Sightseers, Clio Barnard’s The Selfish Giant Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin and David Mackenzie’s Starred Up.