A couple of possibly interesting things coming up at the Cannes Film festival:
The Disappearance of Joseph Mengele from Russian director Kirill Serebrennikov; and the new documentary from the always-brilliant Raoul Peck, Orwell – about the life and legacy of George Orwell.
And this stark warning on the UK industry:
MPs warn that the UK’s film and TV industry is in crisis, with independent production collapsing under the weight of streaming giants - and call for urgent government action to protect British stories, jobs, and talent. A new parliamentary report warns that Britain’s film and high-end television (HETV) industry is battling a serious crisis, and unless urgent action is taken, the UK risks losing its cultural voice and a generation of creative talent. "The independent film sector is almost dead, and the UK studio sector is hostage to the fortunes of (mainly) US based entities," veteran producer Michael Kuhn told MPs.And the numbers back him up. In 2024, UK independent films accounted for just 9% of total production spending and a mere 6.9% of the box office - a stark drop in a sector long seen as a training ground for British talent.
