UK Film Council chairman condemns closure

The chairman of the UK Film Council told MPs the decision to scrap the body was a "regressive" one that would not save money yesterday. Giving evidence to a parliamentary select committee, Tim Bevan – who produced Notting Hill and Love Actually – said the move threatened the future of British film . "The UK Film Council created joined-up thinking," said Bevan. "The great danger of the Film Council being closed down is various activities being put out to disparate bodies, and that [this] joined-up thinking goes away. "That would be a majorly regressive step for film in Britain. The closing down of the Film Council is a very bad idea. I don't think any money is going to be saved by the closure of it." Jeremy Hunt, the culture secretary, announced in July that the council, which supports the British film industry, would be scrapped as part of the coalition government's austerity measures to cut down on bureaucracy. Bevan, whose Working Title is Britain's largest independent film company, said the decision had convinced him to exit the public sector for good. "I'm out of here," he said. "If this is the public sector and the way you get treated, I'm done basically. I care passionately about film and I think you make a much bigger contribution to it through the private sector." He recalled that animator Nick Park, of Wallace and Gromit fame, and Oscar-winning film-maker Clint Eastwood had both spoken in defence of the council since news emerged of its fate, comparing their level of experience to that of Ed Vaizey, the culture minister. "Collectively, Clint, Nick and and I probably have about 100 years' experience in the film industry. And Ed Vaizey has two."