Channel 4 and the British Film Industry, 1982-1998

In addition to its role as a broadcaster and curator of feature film programming, since its inception in 1982 Channel 4 has funded or co-funded over 500 feature films through its film commissioning arm, Film4. Film4's commitment to financing films helped form the backbone of the ailing British film sector throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, while Film4 funding has also been instrumental to the success of independent companies which have become vital to the British film industry, some of which (most notably Working Title) are still operating today. Film4-backed productions have helped to define the identity of British national cinema, while the transatlantic popularity of films like Four Weddings and a Funeral, Slumdog Millionaire and 12 Years a Slave have helped forge an identity for British cinema on the international stage. This book is the first comprehensive study of Channel 4's film production, distribution and broadcasting activities from 1982 to 1998, and as such represents a significant contribution to British film and television history. Laura Mayne is a Lecturer in Film and Media at the University of Hull.

Laura Mayne is a Lecturer in Film and Media at the University of Hull