British Film Institute Report & Financial Statements 2007 BFI Annual
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BritishBFI Film Institute ReportAnnual & Review Financial Statements2006/2007 2007 There’s more to discover about film and television through the BFI. Our world-renowned archive, cinemas, festivals, films, publications and learning resources are here to inspire you. Cover Picture: The Passenger (Professione: reporter) (1975) BFI Annual Review 2006/2007 Contents About the BFI 3 Director’s Report 5 Key objectives 9 Key Targets 13 Cultural programme 15 BFI National Archive 23 BFI Southbank 25 BFI Digital Strategy 27 Education & Research 31 National Reach 35 Financial Statements 38 Appendices 41 In This World We promote access to and appreciation of the widest possible range of British and world cinema We have created greater access to the BFI online and improved support for Picture:Picture: Open AllIn This Hours World (1973) (2002) members2 / 3 2 / 2 1 ABOUT THE BFI The BFI (British Film Institute) was established in 1933 to promote greater understanding, appreciation and access to film and television culture in Britain. In 1983 the BFI was incorporated by Royal Charter, a copy of which is available on request or from our website www.bfi.org.uk. Our mission is ‘to champion moving image culture in all its richness and diversity, across the UK, for the benefit of as wide an audience as possible, to create and encourage debate.’ We aim to grow the value of diverse cinema and television in Britain. By this we mean British and international works of artistic and historic significance that, without intervention, might not otherwise be available to the public. SUMMARY OF ROYAL CHARTER OBJECTIVES — To establish, care for and develop collections reflecting the moving image history and heritage of the United Kingdom — To encourage the development of the art of film, television and the moving image throughout the United Kingdom — To promote the use of film and television culture as a record of contemporary life and manners — To promote access to and appreciation of the widest possible range of British and world cinema — To promote education about film, television and the moving image generally, and their impact on society. The BFI’s main funder is the UK Film Council (UKFC) using resources delegated by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). It is a registered charity, number 287780. PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS Much of what the BFI has achieved could not have happened without the support and generosity of a number of individuals, organisations, companies, charitable trusts and foundations, to whom we are extremely grateful. The BFI has also received a number of legacies for which we are also very thankful. top to bottom: Evergreen (1934); Young Frankenstein (1974); Comrades (1987); Va Savoir (2001) BFI ANNUAL REVIEW 2006/2007 Bigger Than Life No-one can afford to ignore film or television. Such disregard would be to deny the power of storytelling itself Picture: Bigger Than Life (1956) 4 / 5 2 DIRECTOR’S REPORT Film and television are a source of immense pleasure and fulfilment. They offer shared experiences which can crystallise views and inspire creativity and self-knowledge. Film and television bring greater understanding of other people and places, even working, on occasion, as a call to action for the public good. No-one seeking to influence or understand society can afford to ignore either medium. Such disregard would be to deny the power of storytelling itself. However, the social value of film is directly proportional to its availability. In other words, the richer the spectrum on offer, the Thousands of films greater is our understanding not just or the moving image but the from the BFI are world itself. This is why the BFI exists – to champion work which seen in over 600 might not be accessible otherwise, and to provide the widest venues across possible choice of environment and opportunity for its exploration. Britain every year Our role as a UK-wide organisation has evolved in recent years following the establishment of agencies dedicated to serving the regions and the nations. The BFI’s remit now has an emphasis on national strategies, the care and distribution of our national and international collections, and the provision of online education and research resources. Along with other national cultural organisations, we strive constantly to create programmes of international significance. We believe that this is what our audiences expect of us. It would be impossible to achieve such an aim without the BFI National Archive. The collections we hold on behalf of the nation are an asset of global cultural significance. Arguably the greatest archive of film in the world, it is certainly the biggest and the busiest. Thousands of prints are shown internationally every year. In this country alone, in a single year, we expect to promote and distribute prints to more than 800 different venues. Millions of people will see a film from the BFI National Archive thanks to the growing number of television co-productions, DVDs, cinema releases and our rapidly- emerging online initiatives. It’s a common misconception that archives are only about the past. In fact, the best archives are busy acquiring, interpreting, conserving and releasing films on a daily basis, serving a range of needs from large audience cinema exhibition to specialised individual access. top to bottom: My Son the Fanatic (1997); Fast Food Nation (2006); A Year Without Love (2005) BFI ANNUAL REVIEW 2006/2007 The BFI National Archive is at the heart of our organisation. It’s dynamic. It’s in touch with living, contemporary film-making. Through BFI Festivals and BFI Southbank, with their international archival and contemporary programmes, the relationship is symbiotic and enduring. A THREE-PART VISION Three years ago we set out on an ambitious path towards a long-term future. This future aspires to: — care for the world’s greatest collection of film and film information, The collections cared making sure it is safe and more widely available than ever before for by the BFI on behalf of the nation — sustain an international focus for film in the UK through the creation of a national Film Centre, nurturing and providing are an asset of global a permanent home for the London Film Festival cultural significance — ensure that everyone in Britain, no matter where they are, has access to the widest diversity of films and knowledge about film – a digital distribution strategy Our achievements this year demonstrate the great strides we have already made along our chosen path. BFI Southbank, for example, opened to resounding industry and popular acclaim. We made crucial investments in storage facilities at the BFI National Archive and launched innovative digital access systems to the Archive. We have developed a programme to exhibit Archive titles alongside contemporary releases in mainstream cinemas and over the Digital Screen Network. Not least we celebrated, triumphantly, the 50th birthday of The Times BFI London Film Festival. top to bottom: Jude Law and Robin Wright Penn at the Times BFI 50th London Film Festival; Amores Perros (2000); The Man Who Would Be King (1975) 6 / 7 BFI ANNUAL REVIEW 2006/2007 A CALL TO ACTION We’ve made great strides in most areas, but we haven’t achieved everything we had hoped for. Supported by the UKFC and DCMS with modernisation funding, we’ve reduced and held down the size of the organisation, significantly increased income from fundraising, introduced efficiencies and achieved most of our customer-facing initiatives. However, we’ve not yet met the ambitious growth target we set ourselves for trading income. And we’ve had to absorb significant, unexpected, additional pension and utilities costs, as well as a one-off over-run on the capital build cost of BFI Southbank. This means we have a very challenging year ahead, made more difficult by the indication of little, if any, future increase in our Government funding. After a four-year standstill revenue grant, without an improvement in our financial outlook the BFI cannot be sustained as it currently exists. The BFI is an institution emulated across the globe, admired for the founding of the NFT, the custodianship of the London Film Festival and the promotion of cultural film. The BFI is respected for the work of its Archive, and for being the home of special first films and film- makers. The BFI has tenaciously and joyously nurtured a love of film, and sought to reach everyone, everywhere. Now this internationally recognised legacy is part of global cinema history itself. I believe, as this institution’s director, we must fulfil the responsibility of ensuring that this extraordinary work survives, thrives and continues to inspire generations to come. This is our collective challenge. Amanda Nevill, Director top to bottom: Woman of the Dunes (1964); Pressure (1975); The African Queen (1951); Another Country (1984) BFI ANNUAL REVIEW 2006/2007 Opening Night During the London Film Festival over 1,000 people crowded into London’s Trafalgar Square to watch a specially commissioned programme of short films We have created greater access to the BFI online and improved support for Picture:Picture: Open AllOpening Hours Night (1973) (1977) members8 / 9 8 / 8 3 HIGHLIGHTS IN 2006/07 — OBJECTIVES WHAT WE SAID WE WOULD DO EXAMPLES OF HOW WE DID Open BFI Southbank Our most dramatic transformation: During its first week of opening thousands of visitors streamed to BFI Southbank, with its pioneering and unprecedented access to digitised material from the Archive, great new and improved education initiatives and an adventurous contemporary programme Make critical investment in the Archive Making safe for the future: Archive material at immediate risk from deterioration was moved into upgraded, environmentally controlled storage. Existing acetate vaults have also been made airtight but further urgent investment is needed.