The BFI at a glance
Who we are and what we do
- The BFI was created in 2000 and is the Government-backed lead agency for film delivery in the UK;
- Since its creation the BFI has been the cornerstone of the British film industry and the funder of most of the big cultural film initiatives – we have backed more than 900 films, shorts and features, entertained more than 200 million people and helped to generate approximately £700 million at the box-office worldwide. For every £1 of Lottery money we have invested, £5 has been generated at the box office, allowing us to reinvest that recoupment straight back into new British films;
- Tim Bevan, co-founder and co-chairman of Working Title Films, is our Chairman, Tim Cagney our Managing Director;
- The BFI currently employs 73 people across film development and production, inward investment, certification, co-production, film exports, statistics, distribution and exhibition, MEDIA Desk UK, industry relations, film partnerships across the UK, etc;
- We fund and work with a number of different partners across the UK – including the regional and national screen agencies, the BFI, Skillset, First Light and FILMCLUB;
- Our goal is to help make the UK a global centre for film in the digital age, with the world's most imaginative, diverse and vibrant film culture, underpinned by a flourishing, competitive film industry;
- Our support develops new filmmakers, funds exciting new British films and gets a wider choice of films to audiences throughout the UK. We also invest in training, promoting Britain as an international filmmaking location and raising the profile of British films abroad;
- The Lottery money we distribute is key to keeping the engine of British film creativity running.
