New tax breaks for independent British films come into force from today. Under the scheme – announced by the Conservatives in March – the producers of films of budgets up to £15m will be able to claim back more than half of the money spent on production costs, including equipment, locations and actors.
The launch of the latest scheme to promote British film-making coincides with the start of this year’s London Film Festival, opening with the latest feature from one of the most acclaimed British director working today, Sir Steve McQueen – just the kind of film the tax breaks are created to encourage. Blitz tells the story of a young boy during the German bombing of London during the Second World War. The head of the festival, Kristy Matheson, says of Blitz, “It’s visually dazzling. It’s got incredible performances and he’s making a deep social commentary. It’s a wonderful film and when people and see it and they spill out into the night and they see the Thames, they’re in the film, almost.”
Over the following 12 days, film enthusiasts have more than 250 films to choose from, including high-profile galas and three competition strands – including for best first feature and best documentary.
Documentaries are particularly well represented this year, with the festival ending with Piece By Piece – about the singer Pharrell Williams – in which everyone is represented by animated Lego characters.
Many of the biggest films at the festival will receive a regular cinema release in the coming weeks and months, but among the glitz and glamour and the big stars gracing the red carpet are international gems that might otherwise get missed.
So if you’re wondering What’s Worth Seeing at this year’s London Film Festival, who better to hear from than the head of the festival herself? Kristy Matheson gave us her five top tips for what’s worth seeing this year:
CROCODILE TEARS (Indonesia), an atmospheric and eerie drama from writer-director Tumpal Tampubolon.
“It’s the story of a mother and son who live on a remote crocodile farm and things get a little mysterious.”
BLINK (Canada/US), a documentary by Edmund Stenson and Daniel Roher about how the Pelletier family deals with a devastating diagnosis.
“This is an incredible documentary about a family who discover their children are losing their sight. And rather than stay at home, they decide to travel the world for a year and home school their children to build their visual memory. It’s very moving and it’s very, very spectacular.”
FLOW (Latvia), a sea-faring animated adventure from Gints Zilbalodis.
“It’s a an incredible animation about a cat, a capybara, a dog and a bird, who need to band together and sort out their differences in order to survive, in a perilous, flooded world.”
TARIKA (Bulgaria), Milko Lazarov’s supernatural tale of the clash between a father’s support for his daughter and his town’s bigoted beliefs.
“It’s world premiering at the London Film Festival and it’s a touching story about a father and his daughter and their fight to stay together in a small village.”
ELLIS PARK (Australia), Justin Kurzels documentary about the Australian musician Warren Ellis and his wildlife sanctuary in Sumatra.
“This is a documentary, which is unusual for him. This is him spending time with the the great musician Warren Ellis, so it’s a very intimate portrait of Warren Ellis, as told by Justin Kurzel.”