Film Agency for Wales invests $3.6m in Welsh film sector

The Film Agency for Wales invested $3.6m (£2.25m) in the Welsh film sector in 2009/2010, according to figures released by the agency today.

In 2009/2010, the agency, which is funded by the Arts Council for Wales, the UK Film Council and the Welsh Assembly Government via Creative Business Wales, invested $2.7m (£1.7m) of production funding across 15 feature films, including Marc Evan’s Patagonia, Gabriel Range’s I Am Slave and Richard Ayoade’s Submarine.

The agency had a remit to invest in 3-4 projects, but was able to fund more thanks to, “efficient recycling of revenues received, lapsed awards, and careful consideration of the level of funding needed to realise the potential of projects,” said a spokesperson.

It also invested development funding totalling $310K (£194K) for 12 new feature films.Other areas of investment included $334K (£208K) in 13 film festivals including the Soundtrack Festival and six exhibition events. This area in particular is likely to be impacted by the UKFC cuts in regional funding next year.

Chief Executive, Pauline Burt described 2009/2010 as the agency’s “most productive year to-date with seven highly diverse feature films in production or post during the year, a plethora of Welsh talent coming to the fore, and the provision of a wide range of interventions aimed at supporting the creative businesses that underpin this sector.”

She added that in the light of the UKFC abolition and budget cuts, the agency had been “working very closely with our colleagues in Welsh Assembly Government and the Arts Council of Wales to make the case to the Department of Culture Media and Sport to protect that funding and, crucially, to maintain and improve Wales’ access to central funding for film through the mechanisms that will replace the UK Film Council.”

The Welsh Assembly Government is due to announce it’s funding budget for 2011/2012 in the new year, whilst the Arts Council of Wales is due to announce before Christmas.