More than 40 key figures in the film industry have written to UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak asking for more support for UK cinema, which they say is “on the brink” as a result of the pandemic.
Industry leaders, including Christopher Nolan, Steve McQueen, Ridley Scott, Jude Law and Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, are calling for “targeted financial support to ensure that future generations can enjoy the magic of cinema” .
“We recognize the support that the government has already managed to offer”, says the group. “But we fear that this will not be enough, with the challenges being more serious for the big cinema operators that were unable to access any personalized financing.
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“These companies represent more than 80 percent of the market, in many ways constituting their ‘critical mass’ and helping to boost the success of associated sectors, such as distribution and film production. Without them, the future of the entire UK film industry would look extremely precarious. “
The letter continues: “We sincerely hope that the Government will respond to this call. UK cinema is on the brink of an abyss. We urgently need targeted financial support to ensure that future generations can enjoy the magic of cinema. “
The UK box office, like much of the global box office, was wiped out by the Covid-19 closings. The local market experienced a 76% drop in revenue, to $ 454 million last year, and most plexes and individual cinemas remain closed with dozens of tents on the ice.
The UK government has injected additional support for cinema, but, as industry figures note, this funding has been directed to single and / or independent screening rooms.
The full signatories: Andrea Arnold OBE, Amma Asante MBE, Simon Beaufoy, Tim Bevan CBE, Danny Boyle, Graham Broadbent, Barbara Broccoli OBE, Iain Canning, Gurinder Chadha OBE, Noel Clarke, Richard Curtis CBE, Stephen Daldry CBE, Gareth Edwards, Eric Fellner CBE, Stephen Frears, Stephen Fry, Sarah Gavron, Jane Goldman, Paul Greengrass, David Heyman, Armando Iannucci OBE, Asif Kapadia, Elizabeth Karlsen, Duncan Kenworthy OBE, Paul King, Jude Law, Philippa Lowthorpe, Andrew Macdonald, Kevin Macdonald , Steve McQueen CBE, Sam Mendes CBE, Peter Morgan CBE, Christopher Nolan, Nira Park, David Puttnam CBE, Lynne Ramsay, Guy Ritchie, Ridley Scott, Emma Thomas, Matthew Vaughn, Ben Wheatley, Michael G. Wilson OBE, Stephen Woolley, Edgar Wright, Joe Wright.