Lottery goes into the blockbuster business
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The first clutch of films to be given lottery funding by the Arts Council include a blockbuster called Crimetime starring two actors from The Usual Suspects, the Independent can reveal.
The Arts Council will announce on Thursday that it is financing five or six films, from Hollywood-style blockbusters to art-house 15-minute shorts, costing pounds 2.3m.
The move follows legal advice that films can be considered "capital expenditure" by the lottery distribution body. It is forbidden from giving money to any other kind of project.
A second constraint is that it can only fund films which are for the "public benefit". However, it has decided to take an extremely broad view of what defines public benefit.
The decision to fund Crimetime, which is understood to have won pounds 300,000 towards its pounds 4m cost, was made last week at a meeting of the Arts Council board where a total of 11 film projects were discussed.
The film is a psychological thriller about the way crime and violence, as portrayed on television, can affect the personality. It is presently being filmed in Britain and is directed by George Sluizer.
The successful film proposals have been expected to show some form of financial support, like distribution deals or funding, from other sources such as Channel Four. Another requirement is that they are mainly filmed in Britain, ideally with British leads.
Crimewatch meets this requirement because it stars the British actor Pete Postlethwaite, star of In The Name of the Father and of The Usual Suspects, and Charlotte Baldwin, who was in Four Weddings and a Funeral.
A second project which is understood to have won funding is a 15-minute film.
The Arts Council sees the 12 months to March 1996 as a pilot year during which it will assess its policy.
Selling the lottery, page 2
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments