It’s been a big year for British films, it seems.
But just how British are they?
How indeed is the British film industry?
was a joint French/Canadian venture.
The only other film to watch then, wasDunkirk.
Well, lets not make any logic leaps here.
The problem lies in the industry structure in this country.
Remember George Osbourne, our former chancellor, getting a namecheck onThe Force Awakens credits?
Well, it wasnt for mo-capping Supreme Leader Snoke, believe it or not.
I hear you cry.
Foreign investment is still investment, right?
It creates jobs and means the industry can continue to grow!
Some middle-to-low budget films are going to find themselves without crew because all the American films are shooting here.
To this end of course, they have all of that lovely funding with which to support British filmmakers.
Historically though, this in itself has posed something of a problem.
So where does this leave us then?
A precariously-balanced industry, that is hugely reliant on foreign investment.
British films falling in number year on year.
And then theres Brexit.
British films received some 75 million worth of funding via the European Union between 2007 and 2013.
Access to that funding in the future is by no means guaranteed.
A bad day at the negotiating table and the ability to do that becomes infinitely more difficult.
So interesting days ahead for the British film industry.
Not online at least.
Perhaps theyre all happening in hushed, urgent conversations in the corridors of power, somewhere.
Or perhaps they simply arent happening at all.
Heres something of a ray of sunshine then, to conclude with.
The ray of sunshine?
A typically British self-deprecating lesson, one would suppose.
We can change this.
Theres anotherRobin Hoodout there, a homegrown one, and it needs your help.
So the next time youre planning a visit to the movies, think about seeing a British film.
If you’ve got the option to find one, that is.
