Colin Firth attended the Dubai International Film Festival last week for the Middle East premiere of his latest film, The King’s Speech. The Oscar-nominated actor also received Variety’s ‘International Star of the Year’ award, presented by Carey Mulligan, and candidly answered questions during a public Q&A session.
Arts & Cuts was at the event and asked the British A-lister whether he was worried about the closure of the UK Film Council and the BFI’s recently expanded role.
“I don’t understand how it’s going to work well enough to be worried or not worried at the moment. I just need to see where it’s going. Yes of course I was alarmed when the UK Film Council announced it would be closed. They were critical in the financing of The King’s Speech, which I think makes a rather good case for the existence of a body like that. It was clear that something would have to replace it…and the BFI may have the people to do that.
I think that…the individuals who work within the BFI…I think they’re fiercely bright people who care deeply about film. And so I am glad that the government has decided to connect itself to a body which does understand cinema. But I also don’t know where it’s going, I don’t know where the money is going to come from, but as I said, you know, I hope imaginative resources are as powerful as financial ones.”
Arts & Cuts 