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BBC Films at BFI London Film Festival 2018

2018-10-08T09:00:00+00:00

This year's BFI London film festival runs from 10-21 October. An impressive eight BBC Films are featured:

First is Stan and Ollie, starring Steve Coogan and John C Reilly.

It's 1953, several years after the comic duo's last film and with their immense celebrity on the wane, Stan ‘Laurel’ and Ollie ‘Hardy’ embark on a gig tour of British seaside towns and music halls. Surprised by the modesty of the bookings and cramped little guesthouses, the tour starts off subdued.

They struggle for audiences and their booking agent seems disinterested. But a series of TV guest spots and celebrity appearances soon rekindle the country’s interest in their genius and the buzz grows as they head towards a big London finale.

As the attention builds, so too do old resentments, coming to a head as they’re joined by ‘the wives’, Lucille and Ida (Shirley Henderson and Nina Arianda, a hilarious double act in their own right).

Next is The White Crow: Capturing the raw physicality and brilliance of Rudolf Nureyev, whose escape to the West stunned the world at the height of the Cold War.

With his magnetic presence, Nureyev emerged as ballet’s most famous star, a wild and beautiful dancer limited by the world of Fifties Leningrad. His flirtation with Western artists and ideas leads him into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse with the KGB.

Also featured is Out of the Blue: Solitary recovering alcoholic Detective Mike Hoolihan (Patricia Clarkson) is called out to the scene of a possible homicide at an observatory. Jennifer, an expert on black holes and the beautiful daughter of wealthy veteran Colonel Tom Rockwell, has been shot at point-blank.

Some of the facts in the case bear remarkable similarity to unsolved murders from the past and every new piece of information seems to take Mike further away from understanding the crime. And yet, she finds herself strangely affected by the case, as old memories resurface.

Next up is Mari a drama with dance elements, which stars Phoebe Nicholls (The Elephant Man) and has original choreography from Maxine Doyle (choreographer at theatre company Punchdrunk).

The film tells the story of professional dancer and choreographer Charlotte (Bobbi Jene Smith), as she prepares for a new show. Charlotte’s world is turned upside down when she discovers that she is pregnant and that her grandmother Mari is coming to the end of life, forcing her to confront her past to choose the future she wants.

There's also VS. in which a withdrawn foster-teen teetering on the edge of self-destruction, finds his feet – and his voice - in the world of UK battle rap.

In addition, there's Orlando von Einsiedel's documentary film Evelyn.

When his brother, newly diagnosed as schizophrenic and suffering from intense depression, took his own life at 22, Orlando and his other two siblings buried the trauma, rarely talking about it. Over a decade later, the remaining family set out on a hiking tour, visiting landscapes Evelyn liked to walk, to reflect on his life and death.

Evelyn is an emotionally raw film that documents the difficult, yet rewarding, attempt to navigate the rocky highlands of collective trauma.

In Fabric also features. A ghost tale set against the backdrop of a busy winter sales period in a department store it stars Marianne Jean-Baptiste. The plot follows the life of a cursed dress as it passes from person to person with devastating consequences.

And last but not least is Happy New Year, Colin Burstead. The film centres around eponymous Colin (Neil Maskell) who hires a lavish country manor for his extended family to celebrate New Year. Unfortunately for Colin his position of power in the family is under serious threat from the arrival of his estranged brother David.

Full details of this year's BFI London Film Festival Programme are available on the website.

Find out more about BBC Films

BBC Films at the BFI London Film Festival 2017

2017-09-14T08:30:00+00:00

This year's BFI London film festival runs from 4-15 October. Three BBC films feature: first up is the Opening Night Gala: Breathe (pictured).

A moving true story of courage under profound difficulties, it stars Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy as a couple coping when he is paralysed by polio.

Breathe is by first-time director and acclaimed British actor Andy Serkis.

The second BBC film in festival is On Chesil Beach, adapted from the novel by Ian McEwan. Set in England in 1962, it is a touching tale of two young lovers Edward and Florence and how their unexpressed misunderstandings and fears shape the rest of their lives.

Directed by former Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre Dominic Cooke it stars Saoirse Ronan and Billy Howle.

The final BBC film is Apostsy: written and directed by a former Jehovah’s Witness, Daniel Kokotajlo in his debut film.

This gripping piece depicts a family struggling with a cruel choice: devotion to one another or to their faith. It stars Siobhan Finneran, Sacha Parkinson, Molly Wright, Robert Emms.

The BFI London film festival runs from 4-15 October 2017 find out more and book tickets at the LFF website.

Find out more about BBC Films

History is written by the victors: The inspiration behind Viceroy's House

2017-03-01T08:15:59+00:00

This Friday (3 March) will see the cinema release of new BBC Films co-production 'Viceroy's House'. Here writer and director Gurinder Chadha, OBE (Bhaji On The Beach, Bend It Like Beckham and Bride & Prejudice) talks about how her upbringing and featuring in an episode of 'Who Do You Think You Are' influenced her approach to the film.

When I was growing up in Southall, West London, my family almost never spoke about Partition - the decision in 1947 to divide India into India & Pakistan. My grandmother was still scarred by the experience of being made a refugee overnight. It was a painful subject and the little I learned about it at school made me feel as if Partition was our fault - Sikhs, Muslims and Hindus could no longer live together and therefore Viceroy Mountbatten had no choice but to divide India.

After doing Development Studies at UEA, I became a journalist because I wanted to tell stories about people like me - to take characters who were often on the margins and put them at the centre of the frame. I started out working at BBC Radio West Midlands in Birmingham and soon realised that telling your own stories in the newsroom could be a battle in itself. I was fortunate to do a Directing scheme at the British Film Institute which led to me finding my cinematic voice with films like Bhaji On The Beach, Bend It Like Beckham and Bride And Prejudice.

In 2005, I was the subject of the BBC’s series, Who Do You Think You Are. I travelled back to my ancestral home near Jhelum, which is now part of Pakistan. I found my grandparent’s home where several Muslim families now reside. They greeted me in familiar Punjabi as their daughter returning home and their warmth and generosity touched me deeply. I realised that like my own family, these families were displaced and had fled the opposite direction across the border with nothing. This gave me the strength to make Viceroy's House - my own perspective on the human cost of Partition, the people’s Partition.

Gurinder directing scenes from 'Viceroy's House'

I had grown up loving British epics on the Raj and I knew if I was going to add my take on the genre, the first thing I would do was make certain that Indian characters who had been extras - seen as part of the furniture in most Raj movies - would have voices and dignity. It has been 35 years since Attenborough’s Gandhi hit our screens and it felt like Partition had vanished from our screens. It was a huge responsibility to tell the story with balance in a manner which wouldn’t point fingers at black and white villains and stoke up more violence between India and Pakistan.

Seven years ago when I was researching Viceroy's House I discovered Top Secret British documents in the British Library which tell a very different story about why India was divided. These government documents showed that Partition was not about communal violence between neighbours who had lived together for centuries. It was a political act by the British Government, a strategic geopolitical decision about the world map after World War II and the role Britain would play in global affairs.

Hugh Bonneville as Lord Mountbatten and Gillian Anderson as his wife Edwina in 'Viceroy's House'

Viceroy's House opens with the quote ‘History is written by the victors’, which is often attributed to Churchill. I did this because this film is my opportunity to tell my own history - a British Asian perspective which will be lost if we don’t document it. My film shows that the lives of ordinary workers downstairs at Viceroy’s House are just as important as the politicians upstairs. When I watch the film now in this current climate of building walls and creating new borders, it feels like a warning for what can happen when the politics of hate and division go unchallenged. My aim was to make a human, healing film so that all families can talk openly about Partition and hopefully future generations will never experience a tragedy like it again.

Gurinder Chadha, OBE is a writer and film director and BBC Alumni member.

Find out more about Viceroy's House on the BBC Films website.

BBC Films’ A United Kingdom opens the London Film Festival

2016-10-05T11:30:00+00:00

A United Kingdom

BBC Films’ A United Kingdom opens the 60th BFI London Film Festival tonight (Wednesday 5 October).

Director Amma Asante is the first black British director to open the Festival. Her film, with a screenplay by Guy Hibbert tells the inspiring true story of Seretse Khama, the King of Bechuanaland (modern Botswana), and Ruth Williams, the London office worker he married in 1948 in the face of fierce opposition from their families and the British and South African governments. Seretse and Ruth defied family, Apartheid and empire - their love triumphed over every obstacle flung in their path and in so doing they transformed their nation and inspired the world.

Other BBC Films in the festival include: The gala screening of WWII drama Their Finest starring Gemma Arterton and Bill Nighy; the documentary about Sergei Polunin, Dancer; Mark Cousins’ Stockholm My Love starring Neneh Cherry; Alex Taylor’s Spaceship; Pete Travis' crime thriller City of Tiny Lights; and Sean Foley’s comedy Mindhorn.

In addition there’s William Oldroyd’s Lady Macbeth and Hope Dickson Leach’s Somerset drama The Levelling which are both in the First Feature competition.

The BFI London Film Festival 2016 runs from 5-16 October and you can explore the full programme on the BFI website.

Ken Loach at 80

2016-06-08T11:00:00+00:00

Director Ken Loach

I’m sure most people who grew up and studied in the UK will have come across Ken Loach’s work.

My first Ken Loach experience was when I studied the novel A Kestrel for A Knave in secondary school. Barry Hines’ story tells of a northern mining village decimated by the closure of its pit, where a boy finds comfort in his relationship with a bird of prey. It’s a critical examination of how the demise of the British mining industry affected the communities that relied on it, and social realism at its best. As such, the book was perfect fodder for filmmaker Ken Loach who reimagined it on screen as Kes; a 13-year-old me watched it fascinated in an English lesson one Friday afternoon. My love of Loach was born that day and has endured.

Ken Loach's Cathy Come Home

Loach turns 80 this month and has strong ties to the BBC which were formed in the Sixties when he directed a number of ‘Wednesday Plays’ for BBC One. The most notable of these was Cathy Come Home, "The most important piece of dramatised documentary ever screened" according to The Sunday Times. Cathy Come Home tells the story of one family who have a ‘normal’ life, until Reg loses his job – then they are evicted from their home and have to fight to stay together. In it Loach assaulted the viewer with a style of filmmaking so gritty and realistic it was hard to tell it was fiction at all, challenging the accepted conventions of television drama.

Cathy Come Home was watched by an astonishing 12 million people – a quarter of the British population at the time – when it was broadcast 16 November 1966. A defining moment in British television history, it proved a state of the nation work and caused much discussion and debate; some say was instrumental in the charity Shelter being founded.

Ken Loach's Three Clear Sundays

Loach’s other BBC Wednesday plays also broached tough subjects, a few examples here: Three Clear Sundays (1965) a drama about capital punishment, In Two Minds (1967) explored the experience of a woman with schizophrenia, The Big Flame (1969) about a group of Liverpool dock workers who occupy the docks in a form of direct action against threats to their livelihood, Days of Hope (1975) explored the First World War from a working class family’s perspective and The Price of Coal (1977), another Hines collaboration, looked at safety in the mines.

Ken Loach's The Price of Coal

Politics and social commentary have remained at the heart of Loach’s work, as he went on to make films for the big screen that are no less hard hitting: The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006), Looking For Eric (2008), Route Irish (2009), My Name is Joe (1998), Carla's Song (1996), Land and Freedom (1995), Bread and Roses (2000), Jimmy's Hall (2014) - the list goes on.

Ken Loach's In Two Minds

Last month Loach’s I, Daniel Blake was at Cannes Film Festival, backed by BBC Films. It’s a project that was a relief to those of us who are fans, after it was suggested Jimmy’s Hall might be his last film. I, Daniel Blake won the coveted Palme d'Or - Loach’s second win in the history of the competition and 13th nomination.

Ken Loach pictured in 1966

Loach aficionados can also enjoy Versus a new documentary about Loach’s life and work which is on release this month, a fitting tribute to the 80-year-old father of British social realist cinema.

Happy birthday Mr Loach, here’s to many more movies.

Find out more about Loach's award-winning film I, Daniel Blake
Learn more about Loach documentary Versus
Watch a clip of Cathy Come Home on BBC Bitesize
Listen to Loach on Desert Island Discs in 1999
Find out more about Loach's films at his production company Sixteen Films website

BBC Films: London Road

2015-06-17T11:44:47+00:00

BBC Films’ London Road is the film adaptation of the National Theatre stage musical. Directed by Rufus Norris, it tells the true story of the murder of five women in Ipswich in 2006, and how this affected a community. The film was released in the UK on 12 June to critical acclaim. Here is a quick selection of film reviews.

Peter Bradshaw selected London Road as his film of the week in the Guardian and said: “London Road was a mighty success on stage. Now it is a unique triumph on the movie screen.”

“London Road is shot in fluid and inventive fashion. There is something ghoulish about using song and dance to depict such grim recent events but the film is vivid and insightful in a way that yet another True Crimes-style drama-doc simply wouldn't have been,” says Geoffrey Macnab in his review in the Independent.

The Telegraph’s Tim Robey calls it “bold and diverting”, while Time Out’s 5-star review says, “Three things make London Road extraordinary. First are Cork’s verbatim songs. .. Second is the outstanding ensemble… But the real brilliance of Blythe and Cork’s musical is its troubling portrayal of community as an entity.”

Charlotte O’Sullivan from the Evening Standard says “London Road is flawlessly acted by Olivia Colman and Tom Hardy, among others.”

“But does it work?” asks the Radio Times’ Damon Wise, he concludes: “the answer is, overwhelmingly, yes.”

You can see for yourself at cinemas nationwide as London Road is currently on general release.

Hannah Khalil is Digital Content Producer, About the BBC website and blog

Find out more about London Road on the BBC Films website

BBC Two's week of BBC Films

2015-05-15T10:00:12+00:00

Helena Bonham Carter in Great Expectations

From tomorrow (Saturday 16 May) BBC Two is hosting a week of BBC Films. This year BBC Films celebrates 25 years, and Christine Langham (Director BBC Films) spoke to Kate Muir at the Radio Times in an article titled “The Hit Factory” about the season, she said:

“It’s a huge vote of confidence if you’ve got our backing for a film in development… things that might not get made, get made, because we develop the story and help films gain credibility.

“If there is any profit coming from our investments it goes into funding development and future film projects. But we are very beady about spending money. If we were just interested in profits, if we existed independently outside the public-service remit of the BBC we could not take the risks we do with new talent and tough subjects.”

The TV premieres of Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa and Great Expectations bookend the week's programme. Here’s the full list:

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa , BBC Two, 9.15pm, Saturday 16 May
In The Loop, BBC Two, 11.45pm, Saturday 16 May
Made in Dagenham, BBC Two, 10.00pm, Sunday 17 May
Hideous Kinky, BBC Two, 11.45pm, Sunday 17 May
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, BBC Two, 11.15pm, Monday 18 May
Starter for Ten, BBC Two, 11.15pm, Tuesday 19 May
The Other Boleyn Girl, BBC Four, 9pm Tuesday 19 May
Mrs Henderson Presents, BBC Two, 11.20pm, Wednesday 20 May
Death Defying Acts, BBC Two, 11.20pm, Thursday 21 May
The History Boys, BBC Two, 12.05am, Friday 22 May
Great Expectations, BBC Two, 9pm, Saturday 23 May

And if that's whet your appetite you can find out which BBC Films are coming to cinemas soon and are showing in cinemas now.

Hannah Khalil is Digital Content Producer, About the BBC Website and Blog.

Watch films from the season after they have been broadcast on BBC iPlayer.
Read Commissioning Executive Joe Oppenheimer's blog: BBC Films at 25
See also Remember these 25 BBC Films?

BBC Films at 25

2015-03-25T11:28:44+00:00

Suite Francaise

BBC Films is 25 years old this year. What began in 1990 as tentative steps for the BBC into UK cinematic territory is today an award-winning, internationally recognised department at the forefront of the British independent film industry, with over 250 films to our name, hundreds of awards, and a very special recognition this year from BAFTA for the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema.

But let’s look forward as well. I can’t think of any better way to illustrate the richness and range of BBC Films’ output and ambition than to tell you what’s coming up over the next year. From old hands to new faces, telling stories ancient and modern which span the globe, we’re privileged to present a slate for 2015 that is such a tribute to the amazing talent working in the UK today.

We started the year marking the centenary of the First World War with Testament of Youth, Vera Brittain’s searing memoir adapted for the screen by Juliette Towhidi and directed by James Kent, one of the many directors who has made their first foray into feature film directing with BBC Films. In cinemas now you can find Suite Francaise (pictured), the adaptation of the worldwide publishing sensation, starring Michelle Williams; and the critically acclaimed X+Y, another feature debut from director Morgan Matthews and writer James Hawes, which depicts the fractured, tender relationship between Asa Butterfield’s maths genius Nathan and his mother who struggles to connect with him, played by Sally Hawkins.

This very weekend, Soda Pictures are releasing Face of an Angel, from the ever mercurial Michael Winterbottom. Hot on its heels is Woman in Gold, the powerful true story of Maria Altmann’s fight to recover the Gustav Klimt painting stolen from her family by the Nazis in Vienna. Helen Mirren plays Maria, with Ryan Reynolds as the lawyer who took on her case. Woman In Gold took its inspiration from the Imagine film Stealing Klimt, a great example of the way that BBC Films will work with material and talent from across the corporation. Coproduction and collaboration with all departments of the BBC is a key part of our activity.

We’ve also renewed one of the oldest relationships in BBC Films’ history. Having starred in Truly, Madly, Deeply, the film which helped kick off the department’s existence, Alan Rickman returns to direct A Little Chaos, a sumptuous drama about the construction of the gardens of Versailles, which hits cinemas on 17th April, with Kate Winslet and Matthias Schoenaerts starring alongside their director. And in fact this marks the central film in a Schoenaerts triple bill. Having also appeared opposite Michelle Williams in Suite Francaise, he will round out the trifecta by taking on the iconic role of Gabriel Oak in the new adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s classic Far From The Madding Crowd. Directed by Tomas Vinterberg and starring Carey Mulligan as Bathsheba Everdene, this glorious romance demonstrates the way film can reach across borders and that a great story transcends nationality. A Danish director and Belgian star provide a fresh but utterly convincing angle on a much loved English title.

But new British talent will always be at the heart of what we do. April and May will see the releases of two exciting new films, both debuts in their own way. First is The Falling, an exquisite drama from Carol Morley, which follows her highly acclaimed documentary Dreams Of A Life. And in May you can see The Goob from Guy Myhill, a microbudget success story from the iFeatures scheme in partnership with Creative England and the BFi, which has been tearing up the festival circuit ever since its premiere at Venice last summer.

There’s a real treat in store for fans of comedy and romance in May when Man Up hits the screens. Written by Tess Morris, directed by Ben Palmer and starring Simon Pegg and Lake Bell, Man Up is, if you ask me, the best romantic comedy we’ve seen in years, managing that vital but almost impossible-to-achieve triple feat of being truthful and real, incredibly funny and extremely romantic. The trailer launched last weekend, and I urge you all to see it.

June sees one of the most remarkable releases of the year in the shape of London Road, the film version of the National Theatre’s acclaimed hit. As on stage, it’s a piece which defies description or categorisation, and in its use of singing, verbatim writing and the ensemble depiction of a real community struggling to heal itself, it’s a film like no other. As a collaboration with the National Theatre, it’s also breaking new ground in our partnerships with other cornerstones of the creative industries. Later that month there’s also a chance to see Ian McKellen portray Sherlock in Mr Holmes, an adaptation of the novel A Slight Trick of The Mind, which sees the legendary detective near the end of his life striving to solve a case that has long haunted him.

Come the summer, it’s the turn of the family audience. The cast and writers of the Horrible Histories TV series and Yonderland are bringing us Bill, a sparkling comedy that promises to show us what might really have happened when hopeless lute player Bill Shakespeare leaves Stratford to follow his dreams of London success. And finally, we round out the year with another British icon. The Lady In The Van, starring Maggie Smith, tells the true story of Alan Bennett’s relationship with the singular Miss Shepherd, a woman of uncertain origins who ‘temporarily’ parked her van in Bennett’s London driveway and proceeded to live there for 15 years.

Proud as we are of this collection of films, we can never rest on our laurels or sit back and relax. We’re going to continue to reach for a wider range of ideas, a richer mix of voices, and to serve up stories that captivate audiences here and abroad. At an event tonight, we will be announcing some very special new projects and with what we’ve got bubbling on the slate, I'm looking forward to seeing the results for many more years to come.

Joe Oppenheimer is Commissioning Executive, BBC Films

Read also Remember these 25 BBC Films?

Remember these 25 BBC Films?

2015-03-24T13:13:34+00:00

BBC Films turns 25 this week. So I had a browse through their online catalogue and picked 25 films that I especially remember – but its only a small selection of the 181 films listed in their online catalogue.

1. Truly Madly Deeply 1990

Truly Madly Deeply

“Anthony Minghella's unashamedly sentimental love story and a quirky ghost story,” starring Alan Rickman and Juliet Stevenson; this film started my love affair (imagined obviously) with Alan Rickman.

2. The Snapper 1993

“Sharon Curley is 20, works in a Dublin supermarket and is pregnant - by her best friend's father. She refuses to tell who's responsible, but how long will she keep her secret?” Stephen Frears brilliant direction of Roddy Doyle’s hilarious and painfully realistic script (adapted from his novel of the same title) kept my teenage self and my ma revisiting this classic.

3. Mrs Brown 1997

Mrs Brown

“A love affair which broke all the rules: the passionate relationship between Queen Victoria and her loyal Highland servant, John Brown.” Billy Connelly acting – alongside Judi Dench – and being rather wonderful (not to be confused with Mrs Brown’s Boys D’Movie)

4. My Son the Fanatic 1998

“A Pakistani taxi driver, Parvez, loves all things English - especially Bettina, a local prostitute. But his son discovers Islam and commits himself to cleaning up the community, starting with Dad and the family.” I haven’t seen this film, written by Hanif Kureshi , but intended to when it first came out. It’s firmly back on my ‘to do’ list.

5. Love is the Devil 1998

Love is the devil

Set in Sixties’ Soho and starring Derek Jacobi and a pre Bond Daniel Craig, “John Maybury's dazzling debut feature is an extraordinarily powerful study of the passions that drove one of Britain's greatest and most controversial painters, Francis Bacon.”

6. Hideous Kinky 1999

Hideous Kinky

“Early 1970s - escaping grey London and a failed relationship, a beautiful young woman, Julia, and her two daughters take off for Morocco in search of peace, love and happiness.” I saw this one when I was at university and found Kate Winslett’s strong performance mesmerising and inspiring.

7. Billy Elliott 2000

Billy Elliot

“Northern England, 1974. Billy's mam is dead, his brother beats him up for nicking his Marc Bolan records, his dad's worried about the strike, his granny's lost her marbles, the streets are full of riot police. And Billy wants to be a ballet dancer.” Theatre veteran Stephen Daldry’s film directing debut is the stuff of legend – not least because it was subsequently adapted into an award-winning, long-running West End musical.

8. Dirty Pretty Things 2002

“Illegal immigrant Okwe fights to put an end to the gruesome trade in human organs in this award-winning urban thriller which exposes a dark side of London that most people never see.” With a team of Stephen Frears, Steven Knight, Audrey Tautou, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Sophie Okonedo this was a sure fire winner.

9. Iris 2002

Iris

“The award-winning story of the enduring love between the novelist and philosopher Iris Murdoch and her husband, John Bayley. From the romance of their early days at Oxford in the 1950s, to her tragic death from Alzheimer's disease in 1999. Based on John Bayley's Books 'Iris: A Memoir' and 'Elegy for Iris'.” Moving and powerful – watch with tissues close to hand.

10. I Capture the Castle 2003

I Capture the Castle

“Cassandra and her beautiful sister Rose live in a crumbling castle with their penniless father and eccentric stepmother. When two wealthy young Americans arrive on the scene, both girls find themselves caught up in a world of tangled affections, love and betrayal in this adaptation of Dodie Smith's timeless classic.” Another for my ‘to do’ list, I love the original novel so will be revisiting it in celluloid form soon.

11. Life and Death of Peter Sellars 2004

The Life and Death of Peter Sellers

“The feature adaptation of Roger Lewis' book about the legendary comic actor,” it stars Geoffrey Rush and I was genuinely shocked that at times I forgot he wasn’t actually Sellars himself.

12. The History Boys 2006

The History Boys

“The story of a group of bright, funny history students in pursuit of an undergraduate place at Oxford or Cambridge.” The History Boys started life as a stage play by Alan Bennett and the film retained most of the original cast and helped launch the careers of James Corden, Dominic Cooper, Russell Tovey and Samuel Barnett.

13. Notes on a Scandal 2007

Notes on a Scandal

“Based on Zoë Heller's award-winning novel, Notes On A Scandal is a story of loneliness, loyalty, envy and love.” It starred Cate Blanchett, Judi Dench and Bill Nighy and is one of those rare things; a film that lives up to the book on which it was based.

14. The Other Boleyn Girl 2008

The Other Boleyn Girl

“All the intrigue, passion and drama of Henry VIII's court. Philippa Gregory's best-seller adapted for the big screen.” If you loved Wolf Hall and The White Queen on BBC television – this is for you.

15. An Education 2009

An Education

“Written by Nick Hornby, this is the story of a young girl's choice between Oxford and the university of life.” It was my first encounter with the wonderful Carey Mulligan and set in Fifties with beautiful costumes (that I wanted) designed by Odile Dicks-Mireaux.

16. Easy Virtue 2009

Easy Virtue

“A young English aristocrat falls madly in love with a sexy and glamorous American woman and they impetuously get married. When the couple arrive at his new family home, his mother has an instant allergic reaction to everything about her new daughter in law.” More beautiful costumes and fun performances in this film adaptation of a Noel Coward stage play.

17. In the Loop 2009

In the Loop

“Peter Capaldi and James Gandolfini star in Armando Ianucci's political satire.” Have to confess to being a bit worried when I went to see this one as it is based on BBC Two comedy The Thick of It which I love – but I wasn’t disappointed: sharp satire at its best.

18. Africa United 2010

Africa United

“The extraordinary story of three Rwandan children and their journey to the 2010 World Cup opening ceremony.” I watched this one recently and was struck by how deftly the film deals with huge, difficult topics of poverty, child soldiers, HIV/AIDS and child sex workers with an incredible lightness of touch. You’ll also learn how to make a football out of a condom.

19. We Need to Talk about Kevin 2011

We need to talk about Kevin

Starring Tilda Swinton this is another cracking adaptation, this time by Lynne Ramsay of the Orange Prize for Fiction best-selling novel from Lionel Shriver.

20. Flying Blind 2013

Flying Blind

“The passionate love story of an older woman and a young Muslim man, in a world where security is paramount and nothing is quite what it seems.” This features a stunning central performance from Helen McCrory, edge-of-the-seat stuff.

21. Philomena 2013

Philomena

“The true story of one mother's search for her lost son.” This starred Judi Dench and Steve Coogan and raked in the awards – justifiably so.

22. Pride 2014

Pride

“A rich comedy based on a true story of a group of gay and lesbian activists who decided to support a Welsh mining community during the strike of 1984.” Another awards’ magnet, this has led us to pen quite a number of blogs detailing how ‘proud’ we are in the title.

23. X + Y 2015

X + Y

“A young maths genius has his logic thwarted by the one thing he can’t make sense of - love.” Although it’s just been released I was lucky enough to see this film at the London Film Festival where I found its direct, non-judgemental depiction of autism touching.

24. Suite Francaise 2015

Suite Francaise

“Sparks fly when a married woman is forced to house a German officer during the occupation of her town.” I caught this new release at the weekend – a beautiful score and excellent performances, I couldn’t take my eyes off Matthias Schoenaerts, phenomenal.

25. Woman in Gold 2015

Woman in Gold

“Maria Altmann, a Jewish refugee, takes on the government to recover artwork she believes rightfully belongs to her family.” Another film about the effects of teh Second World War, this isn’t released until next month (10 April 2015) but looks promising thanks to a cast including Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds.

So there you are – just a selection of BBC Films. They’ve made great movies, stunning adaptations and launched the careers of some incredible writers, directors and actors, over its quarter century. Do let me know which were your favourites in the comments below.

Hannah Khalil is Producer, About the BBC Website and Blog

BBC Films outstanding at BAFTAs

2015-02-09T10:11:32+00:00

Imelda Staunton and Dominic West in BBC Films' Pride

Last night's BAFTAs (Sunday 8 February) were particularly special for BBC Films. That's because this year the British Academy chose to award BBC Films the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema award, which has been given in the past to luminaries like Peter Greenaway and John Hurt and organisations like Pinewood and Shepperton Studios.

Head of BBC Films Christine Langan accepted the award on behalf of the team: "What could go wrong? I'm going to really badly cry... because so many of the films have so much heart - are so emotional..." You can watch Christine's interview with Zoe Ball after accepting the prize on the BAFTA website.

BBC Films' Pride continues to make us swell with the stuff: The film which tells of a group of gay and lesbian activists who decide to raise money to support the families of the striking Welsh miners was awarded the Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director or Producer award for Stephen Beresford (writer) and David Livingstone (producer).

For a full list of all this year's BAFTA winners visit the BAFTA website.

Hannah Khalil is Digital Content Producer, About the BBC Website and Blog

Read more blogs about BBC Films on About the BBC

Pride for BBC at BAFTA 2015 nominations

2015-01-09T15:46:24+00:00

Imelda Staunton (far right) in Pride

Earlier today Stephen Fry and Sam Clafin announced the nominations for the BAFTA film awards for 2015.

The BBC Films production Pride has received three nominations. Based on the true story of a group of gay and lesbian activists who decide to raise money for families of striking miners, Pride is nominated for Outstanding British Film, Supporting actress – Imelda Staunton and Outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer – Stephen Beresford (writer) & David Livingstone (director). Also nominated in the latter category is Hong Khaou writer/director of Lilting, another BBC Films production which stars Ben Wishaw.

Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel has gained the most nominations, a total of 11, with its lead, Ralph Fiennes up against Sherlock’s Benedict Cumberbatch amongst others in the best actor category.

The BAFTA film awards will be held on Sunday 8 February.

BBC Pride at British Independent Film Awards

2014-12-08T14:26:21+00:00

The British Independent Film Awards took place last night (Sunday 7 December) at a ceremony in London, where BBC Films' Pride was the biggest winner of the evening.

The film, which is set in 1984 and tells the story of a group of gay and lesbian activists who decide to raise money to support the families of the striking miners, took home three awards. These were for Best Film, and Best Supporting Actor and Actress for Andrew Scott and Imelda Staunton.

Another BBC film, The Goob was awarded Best Acheievement in Production. Elsewhere Sherlock's Benedict Cumberbatch won the Variety Award and Emma Thompson the Richard Harris Award for outstanding contribution by an actor to British Film.

Congratulations to all the winners - full details are available on the BIFA website.

Hannah Khalil is Digital Content Producer, About the BBC Website and Blog.

Read also BBC Films full of Pride
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BBC Films: Full of Pride

2014-10-13T13:29:09+00:00

BBC Films’ Pride is a true story of a group of gay and lesbian activists who decided to support a Welsh mining community during the strike of 1984. It was released in September and stars Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West and Paddy Considine. Here is a quick selection of film reviews.

Mark Kermode in the Guardian says: “this boisterous tale of the unlikely union between striking Welsh miners and out-and-proud gay Londoners is one of the most irresistibly uplifting films of the year – for any audience.”

While the Independent review says: “It rightly and joyously gets to celebrate things that are rarely found in films set in modern-day Britain, such as political idealism and activism, community spirit, political bookshops, and sympathetic trade-unionists.”

The Express awards the film 5 stars: “The desire to know about them all [the characters] is a testament to Stephen Beresford’s screenplay and Warchus’ superlative direction of a story that not only marks the 30th anniversary of the strike with respect, but honours the efforts of the late Mark Ashton with enormous pride.”

The Gay Times says: "Pride doesn't shy away from the realities of the hard-won fight for equality: the vigilante attacks on gay people and their families; the scorn of passers-by in the early pride marches; the brutality of Thatcher's army of police. They all rear their ugly head in this illuminatingly truthful film.”

And from Twitter:

This external content is available at its source: https://twitter.com/IanMcKellen/status/505219877854908417

Hannah Khalil is Digital Producer, About the BBC Website and Blog.

Read also BBC Films at London Film Festival

Philomena takes home a BAFTA

2014-02-17T12:25:09+00:00

Last night the annual British Academy Film and Television Awards were held at a ceremony in London. BBC Films’ Philomena, directed by Stephen Frears and starring Dame Judi Dench and Steve Coogan, was awarded the gong for Best Adapted Screen play for writers Jeff Pope and Steve Coogan.

Judi Dench and Steve Coogan in BBC Films' Philomena

For full list of winners visit BAFTA online.

You can watch the awards, which were broadcast live on BBC One last night, on iPlayer until next Sunday.

Hannah Khalil is Digital Producer, About the BBC Website and Blog.

BBC Films celebrate award nominations

2014-01-17T16:49:21+00:00

BBC Films Philomena starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan

The nominations for this year’s Academy Awards have been announced, and BBC Films are celebrating their six nominations.

Stephen Frears’ film Philomena, (pictured above] starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan based on the Martin Sixsmith book, has been nominated in four categories: Best Picture, Actress in a leading role (Judi Dench), Writing – Adapted Screenplay (Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope) and Music – Original Score (Alexandre Desplat).

BBC Films Saving Mr Banks with Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks

The story of the making of Mary Poppins, Saving Mr Banks, (pictured) also receives a nod in the Music – Original score category (Thomas Newman). While The Invisible Woman, about Dickens’ mistress and directed by and starring Ralph Fiennes is nominated for Costume Design (Michael O’Connor).

What’s more, earlier this month it was revealed that BBC Films have received 11 nominations in the British Academy Film and Television Awards. Again Philomena has a good showing with nominations for Best Film; Outstanding British Film; Adapted Screenplay and Leading Actress.

While Saving Mr Banks has five nominations for Outstanding British Film; Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer (Kelly Marcel); Leading Actress (Emma Thompson); Original Music: (Thomas Newman); and Costume Design (Daniel Orlandi). Good Vibrations receives one nomination for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer (Colin Carberry, Glenn Patterson). And again the Costume Design is recognised in The Invisible Woman.

Thomas M Wright and Elisabeth Moss (pic: BBC/See Saw Films/Parisa Taghizadeh)

Elsewhere congratulations must go to Golden Globe winners, actresses Elisabeth Moss (pictured above) and Jacqueline Bisset who won Best Actress in a Mini-Series or TV Movie and Best Supporting Actress in a Mini-Series or TV Movie respectively for BBC Two’s Top of the Lake (by Jane Campion) and Dancing on the Edge (by Stephen Poliakoff).

The Oscar nominees will need to wait until Sunday 2 March 2014 to find out whether they’ve scooped the coveted statuette. While the BAFTAs are announced on

For a full list of Oscar nominees see the Academy Award website. You can also see all the Golden Globe winners on their website.

Hannah Khalil is Digital Content Producer, About the BBC Website and Blog.