PATHE PASSES FILM COUNCIL REVIEW

THE FILM Council have announced that after an intensive review they have agreed the continuation of Pathe’s film franchise.
Originally awarded in 1997 by the Arts Council of England, the franchise is set to run for three more years.
Pathe Pictures have so far produced nine British films under the Lottery franchise: Oliver Parker’s award-winning ‘An Ideal Husband’; Lynne Ramsey’s critically-acclaimed feature debut, ‘Ratcatcher’, which was selected for the 1999 Cannes Film Festival; Simon Beaufoy and Bille Eltringham’s ‘The Darkest Light’; Kenneth Branagh’s musical comedy ‘Love’s Labour’s Lost’ which was premiered at the Berlin Film Festival; John Hay’s comedy ‘There’s Only One Jimmy Grimble’; and feature film directorial debut ‘It Was An Accident’ which starred Thandie Newton and Max Beesley.
Upcoming Pathe Picture titles include ‘The Claim’ from director Michael Winterbottom; ‘The Hole’, a dramatic thriller from director Nick Hamm; and Stefan Schwartz’s ‘The Abduction Club’, a romantic adventure comedy which recently completed principal photography in Ireland.
The mid-term review in which all aspects of the three film franchise companies’ operations are examined was part of the agreement under which The Film Consortium, Pathe and DNA received their franchise contracts from the Arts Council of England.
While The Film Consortium passed their review in October, DNA’s review is currently underway.
Pathe were awarded £33.12 million by the Arts Council of England to make 35 films in a six year period.
(CD)