BFI & DCMS continue support for UK companies with awards from UK Global Screen Fund

The BFI has made a further 12 awards through its UK Global Screen Fund, supporting UK screen content businesses to enhance their international activities and boost the success of their content globally.

Financed through the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the awards see a further £502,882 being allocated through the £7m fund’s International Distribution and International Business Development strands.

Since its launch as a pilot scheme in April 2021, the UK Global Screen Fund has now made 66 awards totalling almost £5m across its three funding strands, stimulating new international partnerships, boosting co-production, distribution and development opportunities to drive growth and export. To date the fund has supported 11 international co-productions, with partners including China, South Africa, Chile, Argentina, France and Germany, and has supported a wide range of international growth strategies from companies based throughout the UK and working across film, TV, distribution, animation and interactive narrative games.

Earlier this month, DCMS announced a further investment of £21m over three years (2022-25) into the UK Global Screen Fund, administered by the BFI, to further boost the international success of the UK screen sector.

The International Distribution funding strand is now open for a third and final round in the fund’s pilot year, giving UK sales agents a further opportunity to apply for support to increase their international promotion and sales of live action, animation and documentary UK feature film projects at international markets, festivals and events including the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. Applications will close on 6 April 2022.

Creative Industries minister Julia Lopez said: “Our UK Global Screen Fund has made a huge difference to companies across the UK wanting to showcase their content on the world stage. This round of funding will help even more fantastic screen businesses strike new global partnerships and expand their international reach.”

Denitsa Yordanova, BFI head of the UK Global Screen Fund, said: “I am delighted that these awards reflect such an exciting mix of upcoming UK films for international release, across a range of subject matters and genres, and a breadth of impressive international growth strategies of companies looking to build new international business partnerships and enhance their reach in the international marketplace. It is fantastic to be extended beyond the pilot year and we look forward to continuing to support our world-class independent screen sector, building on its global impact and driving further growth through the UK Global Screen Fund over the next three years.”

Martin Pope, joint managing director. Magic Light Pictures said: “We are delighted that the UKGSF has chosen to award Magic Light Pictures with this grant. There is a real opportunity in Germany to develop the Gruffalo into a known and loved evergreen brand, similar to the UK. The funding from the international business development support will provide a significant contribution to our plans, as we look to develop and launch best in class social media activations, as well as many other exciting brand building projects.”

Mounia Wissinger, head of marketing, distribution and publicity at Protagonist Pictures said: “Having the support of the UK Global Screen Fund to elevate the exciting works from the UK independent industry is incredibly important and welcomed by Protagonist and our partners. This backing will ensure that our extensive network of international distributors has the greatest opportunity to bring the best of UK cinema to audiences globally. This support helps our filmmakers, helps our distributors and helps the film industry thrive.”

International Distribution funding, which aims to grow exports and global demand for UK independent film, is awarded to sales companies in the form of non-repayable grants. It supports the international sales, marketing and promotion of the films to increase international audiences, the number and value of international sales, and the resulting commercial returns for UK screen companies, rights holders and financiers.

International Business Development funding supports business strategies to create, acquire and/or exploit Intellectual Property (IP) for increased international revenue, activities and profile. The awards come in the form of non-repayable grants for strategies spanning a three-year period.

Productions to receive UK Global Screen Fund International Distribution awards are: 

End to End, directed by Adam Scarborough and Christy Tattershall. The documentary, which follows British musician George Ezra as he travels the country discovering more about British musical tradition, is produced by Richard Yee (Me + You), Fiona Neilson (Mint Pictures) and Catherine Miller, and is represented by Protagonist Pictures.

Enys Men, written and directed by Mark Jenkin. The horror film is produced by Denzil Monk of Bosena, an ecosophically-minded independent film production company rooted in Cornwall, and is represented by Protagonist Pictures.

Living, directed by Oliver Hermanus from Kazuo Ishiguro’s adaptation of Akira Kurosawa’s 1952 drama Ikiru. The film, produced by Stephen Woolley and Elizabeth Karlsen for Number 9 Films, stars Bill Nighy, Aimee Lou Wood, Alex Sharp and Tom Burke, and is represented by Rocket Science.

Pretty Red Dress, written and directed by Dionne Edwards. The film, which seeks to subvert typical representations of Black masculinity, is produced by Georgia Goggin and is represented by Protagonist Pictures.

The Last Bus, directed by Gillies MacKinnon, written by Joe Ainsworth and starring Timothy Spall as an elderly gentleman who travels the length of the United Kingdom just using local buses after his wife’s death. Produced by Roy Boulter and Sol Papadopoulos for Liverpool-based Hurricane Films, the feature is represented and executive produced by Celsius Entertainment. The film has already grossed over $1m from the first theatrical releases in the UK, Spain, Switzerland [German Speaking] and its run at the British Film Festival in Australia.

The Score, written and directed by Malachi Smyth and starring Will Poulter, Naomi Ackie and Johnny Flynn. The crime/romance film is produced by Matthew James Wilkinson and Ben Pullen for Stigma Films and Sentinel Entertainment, and is represented by WestEnd Films.

Typist Artist Pirate King, written and directed by Carol Morley and starring Monica Dolan, Kelly Macdonald and Gina McKee. The road movie based on the real life of artist Audrey Amiss is produced by Cairo Cannon and Ammenah Ayub Allen. Represented by Metro International Entertainment.

Companies to receive UK Global Screen Fund International Business Development awards are: 

Live Cinema UK 

Contribution towards further commercialising the company’s business model and increasing the international distribution of its innovative IP across feature film and interactive content, including upcoming feature film Dust & Metal. Live Cinema, a small, female-led company based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, curates and produces innovative programmes and new interactive works utilising creative media.

Magic Light Pictures 

Support to increase the brand awareness of The Gruffalo in Germany, via increased Marketing, Licensing and Distribution, with a focus on social media. The company, whose animated specials have become a centrepiece of BBC1’s Christmas Day schedule since 2009, produces and distributes high quality family entertainment and is best known for growing and developing The Gruffalo franchise.

Park Circus

Contribution towards exploring market entry into China, to capitalise on audience appetite for the company’s extensive classic film catalogue including titles from Powell and Pressburger, ITV and Film4. The Glasgow-based global film distributor and sales agent, formed to make it easier to access and see classic cinema, represents 25,000+ titles from all the major British and Hollywood studios, plus many specialist catalogues.

Quiddity Films 

Contribution towards staffing and development of a TV slate with international sales potential, following the company’s successful film track record with titles such as I Am Not A Witch, Supernova and Make Up. Quiddity’s unique slate brings together a range of fiction projects, with a strong focus on new talent, diverse voices and international productions.

Three Tables Productions

Contribution towards staffing and content development to further build out the company’s drama slate with international sales potential. Three Tables Productions was established to produce scripted television drama. The team embraces difference, drawing on their distinct perspectives and diverse backgrounds to tell compelling stories. The company has a slate of 18 scripted projects in development. It believes strongly in international partnerships and is working with partners in the US, Korea, Australia, Belgium and Germany.