BFI launch internal strategic review

Chairman of the British Film Institute (BFI), Anthony Minghella, has launched a wide-ranging internal review of the film body to develop a blueprint for the future of the organisation.
The strategic review may well lead to an overhaul or even a scaling back at the National Film and Television Archive, seen by many as central to the body's work.
With the BFI stretched financially, the review will consider the scale of the collections, currently seven million items, and any future acquisitions against the BFI's ability to manage, preserve and make the material accessible.
"The BFI is a public service which broadens opportunities for access, knowledge and inspiration about film and television," Minghella said. "In a period where there is increasing difficulty for audiences to enjoy world cinema and important films from the past in an informed context, the BFI's advocacy is a critical one. We want this review to help us formulate a plan to deliver our full potential, reaching out to the widest audiences across the UK."
Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell highlighted the BFI's assets and expertise but said that "this invaluable national resource could be enjoyed by many more".
"I welcome this review," she said. "I am confident that, following it, Anthony Minghella's impassioned leadership will enable the Institute to reach its full potential."
Other core areas of investigation include the role of the BFI as a UK-wide agency and how its role compared to the Film Council and the Government.
(GB)