What is the Government doing to promote British film?

Film Council
The Government set up the Film Council in April 2000 to provide public funding to assist the British film industry in making better, more popular and more profitable films in partnership with the private sector. They aim to bring about structural change and, in the longer term, to create a sustainable industry.

The Film Council has recently backed some commercial and critical successes including:

Gosford Park won a host of awards, including Best Screenplay- Oscar, Best British Film and Best Costume at the BAFTAs and Best Director at the Golden Globe.
Bloody Sunday, The Magdalene Sisters and L'Homme du train also won international awards.
Bend it Like Beckham, with £1 million from the lottery, took over £2 million at the UK box office in its first weekend making it one of the most successful British films. It went on to take £7.55 million in its first month at UK cinemas alone.

More details about the Film Council, including the range of funds it administers can be found at http://www.filmcouncil.org.uk/

National Films and Television School
DCMS is the major funder of the National Film and Television School. The School offers a two-year MA course in 10 disciplines (animation direction, cinematography, documentary direction, editing, fiction direction, producing, screen design, screen music, screen sound and screenwriting). The School has a first-class record of producing high calibre graduates who progress to making quality, award-winning film and TV productions.

Tax Relief
The Government also provides tax relief for film, designed to encourage film production in the UK. Companies which produce films shot wholly or partly in the UK can write off the full 100% of the production expenditure against tax liabilities. The tax relief is in place until 2005.