Founded in 1982 as the film division of UK private broadcaster Channel 4 to sell and promote its features, Film Four International (FFI) has evolved into one of the UK's most prolific and consistent suppliers of innovative, eclectic, high quality British films. A prime example of this is Danny Boyle's Trainspotting, just released in the UK and breaking domestic records - some of them previously held by Boyle's debut feature, Shallow Grave. On its opening weekend, Trainspotting took over £500,000.
But it's not the only one breaking records. Last year, Film Four's annual turnover reached £13.5 million - a far cry from the £500,000 it took back in 1982. And with this growth comes increased productivity: “We've set a much larger target for 1996 and David [Aukin, head of production at Channel 4], is now putting through more movies with an increased budget,” confirms head of sales Bill Stephens. Much of this success last year was down to Shallow Grave, which has taken over $27 million worldwide (with some territories still to go) and Nicholas Hytner's The Madness of King George which, says Stephens “has been a fabulous success both theatrically and critically.”
For Stephens, however, the biggest highlight last year was the launch of a domestic distribution company - Film Four Distributors (FFD) thus consolidating Film Four's product control in the UK. “It gives us that earlier opportunity to get ourselves into cinemas and get releases kicking,” he says. Not all films will be released through FFD, however - Trainspotting is handled by PolyGram in the UK due to a special request put in by producer Andrew Macdonald, in recognition of PolyGram's efforts with Shallow Grave. But “95% of our product will be released through FFD,” confirm Stephens.
Film Four is launching only one film at the AFM - Hettie MacDonald's Berlin-pleaser Beautiful Thing. Based on the Jonathon Harvey play which took London's West End by storm last year, Beautiful Thing stars Glen Barry, Scott Neal and Tameka Empson as three teenagers experiencing their first pain, insecurity and sexual confusion of adulthood. Also completed and on Film Four's slate is Christopher Ashley's Jeffrey about a gay New Yorker who decides to become celibate but then meets Mr. Right; Thaddeus O'Sullivan's searing Belfast drama Nothing Personal, which stars Ian Hart and finally Rhythm Thief, Matthew Harrison's story of a downwardly-mobile white guy hustling bootleg music on NYC's Lower East Side.
Titles being prepared for delivery at Cannes include Peter Greenaway's Pillow Book and Mark (Blame it on the Bellboy) Herman's comedy Brassed Off - both of which star Ewan MacGregor (Trainspotting, Shallow Grave) - Nancy Meckler's Indian Summer, Gillies MacKinnon's Trojan Eddie which stars Stephen Rea, and Sue Clayton's The Disappearance of Finbar. As for his films competing at Cannes, Stephens has hopes for Trainspotting, but admits “they've turned down so many of my films in the past which I thought were naturals: Shallow Grave, The Crying Game, Four Weddings and a Funeral... It's really difficult to guess what on earth they go for. I don't want to second guess anybody.”
Meanwhile, titles on Film Four's slate also include the latest projects from two outstanding UK directors: Ken Loach's Carla's Song and Mike Leigh's Secrets and Lies are expected to deliver after Cannes. Still in post-production are Robert Dornhelm's contemporary thriller set in Ireland and New York, A Further Gesture which also stars Stephen Rea, and a version of the Oxford University boat race mutiny in 1987, True Blue. In pre-production are Nick Hurran's Remember Me, David Evan's Fever Pitch, adapted from Nick Hornby's best selling novel about a soccer fanatic, Michael Winterbottom's Sarajevo and Sean Matthias' Bent.
With this record number of projects on it's slate and buoyant from Trainspotting, Film Four is setting a precedent which the BBC, with plans afoot to merge its drama and films division, seems keen to follow. “Personally, I just think it's a good thing for British cinema,” is Stephens' comment. “I don't worry about the competition. I think it's healthy. If they're going to do it, more power to them. We did it, why shouldn't they?”
Monika Maurer
