Broadway cinema launches film investment fund

Broadway inherits the residual assets from the shuttered EM Media digital investment fund and also adds in its own funds for investment.

John Tobin, Broadway’s Development Director, who will head the fund, said, “We’re proud that EM Media has entrusted Broadway with its legacy and given us the opportunity to build on its contribution to the British film industry.

“As a producing cinema, an investment fund is a notable addition to our growing portfolio of support for UK talent, which includes Near Now, our commissioning and artist development programme and Projector, our creative business support programme, alongside being a delivery partner of the BFI’s Film Academy UK Network.

“Already, filmmakers based at Broadway have their work seen by audiences around the world; we hope this fund will be the incentive for more local films to reach production.”

He added: “We’re anticipating the fund will primarily be for the development of feature length fiction and documentary films intended for theatrical release, from seed investment for early research through to advanced stage investment for packaging.

“Investment is likely to be, where possible, in projects co-financed with other partners and recoupable in line with industry practice. To reflect the uniqueness of Broadway managing a film fund and being a cinema, I expect we’ll be looking to prioritise projects that actively engage audiences from the very start.”

Broadway is one of the leading indie cinemas in the UK, in its 24th year of operation and attracting more than 400,000 visitors annually. It is one of the Film Hub Lead Organisations, partnering with the Cambridge Film Trust, as part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network.