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Brexit could bring an unhappy ending for UK’s Oscar nomination bonanza Brexit could bring an unhappy ending for UK’s Oscar nomination bonanza
(6 months later)
At first glance, Carol and Get Blake! do not appear to have much in common. One is an Oscar-nominated period drama about sapphic romance set in the lush interiors of upper-middle-class 1950s Manhattan, the other a French science fiction cartoon about alien squirrels. And yet both might never have been made were it not for EU funding.At first glance, Carol and Get Blake! do not appear to have much in common. One is an Oscar-nominated period drama about sapphic romance set in the lush interiors of upper-middle-class 1950s Manhattan, the other a French science fiction cartoon about alien squirrels. And yet both might never have been made were it not for EU funding.
But while one can just about imagine surviving without Get Blake, which was the centrepiece of a tabloid row about dreadful Europeans wasting our hard-earned British money on pointless film and TV projects in August, it is doubtful whether many right-minded Brit cineastes would be willing to dispense with Todd Haynes’s treasured drama about a love affair between Cate Blanchett’s opulent housewife and Rooney Mara’s wide-eyed department store ingenue.But while one can just about imagine surviving without Get Blake, which was the centrepiece of a tabloid row about dreadful Europeans wasting our hard-earned British money on pointless film and TV projects in August, it is doubtful whether many right-minded Brit cineastes would be willing to dispense with Todd Haynes’s treasured drama about a love affair between Cate Blanchett’s opulent housewife and Rooney Mara’s wide-eyed department store ingenue.
Not only are Blanchett and Mara both up for acting awards at Sunday night’s Oscars, but Carol proudly self-identifies as one of ours. Despite its American director and international cast, it counts as one of around a dozen UK-based films to challenge at this year’s ceremony. Out of these, seven might never have existed without vital EU funding.Not only are Blanchett and Mara both up for acting awards at Sunday night’s Oscars, but Carol proudly self-identifies as one of ours. Despite its American director and international cast, it counts as one of around a dozen UK-based films to challenge at this year’s ceremony. Out of these, seven might never have existed without vital EU funding.
Related: Oscar nominations 2016: The Revenant leads field, Mad Max in second place
The British-produced Irish emigre romance Brooklyn, for which Ireland’s Saoirse Ronan is up for best actress, also benefited from early backing from the EU’s Creative Europe programme. It is joined by The Look of Silence, Joshua Oppenheimer’s follow-up to his Oscar-nominated 2012 film The Act of Killing about Indonesia’s bloody past, which is up for best documentary. Then there’s Paolo Sorrentino’s Youth, which is up for best song.The British-produced Irish emigre romance Brooklyn, for which Ireland’s Saoirse Ronan is up for best actress, also benefited from early backing from the EU’s Creative Europe programme. It is joined by The Look of Silence, Joshua Oppenheimer’s follow-up to his Oscar-nominated 2012 film The Act of Killing about Indonesia’s bloody past, which is up for best documentary. Then there’s Paolo Sorrentino’s Youth, which is up for best song.
Eurosceptics smelling a rat might point out that none of the above immediately strikes one as particularly British in character. But how about the acclaimed Andrew Haigh relationship drama 45 Years, for which Charlotte Rampling is nominated for the best actress Oscar? It’s yet another UK film to have benefited from Creative Europe funding. Then there’s Asif Kapadia’s intimate portrait of the troubled singer Amy Winehouse, Amy, which is nominated for best documentary.Eurosceptics smelling a rat might point out that none of the above immediately strikes one as particularly British in character. But how about the acclaimed Andrew Haigh relationship drama 45 Years, for which Charlotte Rampling is nominated for the best actress Oscar? It’s yet another UK film to have benefited from Creative Europe funding. Then there’s Asif Kapadia’s intimate portrait of the troubled singer Amy Winehouse, Amy, which is nominated for best documentary.
Even Shaun the Sheep, which currently boasts a 99% “fresh” rating on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes and was created by Aardman Animation, is Creative Europe-funded. Compared favourably by some critics with Hollywood silent era gems, it’s up for best animated feature. (For the record, the Taxpayers’ Alliance also complained, picking up coverage in the Daily Express, Mail, Sun and Times, about poor old Shaun’s TV iteration blowing European cash on “fanciful animated adventures”.)Even Shaun the Sheep, which currently boasts a 99% “fresh” rating on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes and was created by Aardman Animation, is Creative Europe-funded. Compared favourably by some critics with Hollywood silent era gems, it’s up for best animated feature. (For the record, the Taxpayers’ Alliance also complained, picking up coverage in the Daily Express, Mail, Sun and Times, about poor old Shaun’s TV iteration blowing European cash on “fanciful animated adventures”.)
The picture of EU help for cherished celluloid paeans to plucky British values becomes even more palpable when one considers some of the more famous Oscar-winning UK films from years gone past. The Iron Lady, for instance, received €1.5m in funding from the EU’s Media programme (the precursor to Creative Europe). The King’s Speech got €1m, and Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire €1.3m. So that’s Maggie Thatcher, King George VI and some very cute Indian street children who might never have received their moment in the big screen spotlight had Britain not been in the EU at the time of their inception.The picture of EU help for cherished celluloid paeans to plucky British values becomes even more palpable when one considers some of the more famous Oscar-winning UK films from years gone past. The Iron Lady, for instance, received €1.5m in funding from the EU’s Media programme (the precursor to Creative Europe). The King’s Speech got €1m, and Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire €1.3m. So that’s Maggie Thatcher, King George VI and some very cute Indian street children who might never have received their moment in the big screen spotlight had Britain not been in the EU at the time of their inception.
“Britain’s world-class film industry thrives on raw talent and nurturing ideas to produce hit after hit. Often overlooked is the vital EU funding, which fuels the process from development through to global promotion, ensuring films like Brooklyn and 45 Years get the recognition they deserve,” says Lucy Thomas, deputy director of Britain Stronger In Europe. “This is further demonstration of how Britain is stronger in Europe – it would be a huge loss for us to walk away from funding that so tangibly benefits our creative industries.”“Britain’s world-class film industry thrives on raw talent and nurturing ideas to produce hit after hit. Often overlooked is the vital EU funding, which fuels the process from development through to global promotion, ensuring films like Brooklyn and 45 Years get the recognition they deserve,” says Lucy Thomas, deputy director of Britain Stronger In Europe. “This is further demonstration of how Britain is stronger in Europe – it would be a huge loss for us to walk away from funding that so tangibly benefits our creative industries.”
Cynics might point out that new, UK-only structures would be likely to replace EU funding in the event of Brexit. But according to the BFI, British films benefited from €100m under the Media programme, which boasted a total fund of €755m between 2007 and 2013. Based on those figures, it seems British film has rather punched above its weight when it comes to picking up EU cash over the past decade.Cynics might point out that new, UK-only structures would be likely to replace EU funding in the event of Brexit. But according to the BFI, British films benefited from €100m under the Media programme, which boasted a total fund of €755m between 2007 and 2013. Based on those figures, it seems British film has rather punched above its weight when it comes to picking up EU cash over the past decade.
The current torrent of Oscar nominations for projects that were given life, in part, due to European funding, should not be dismissed out of hand. It is not too much of an exaggeration to suggest that a Brexit might leave us – at least in the short term – culturally worse off than we have been in this country for the past decade. And despite what the Eurosceptic press might tell you, we’re not just talking about a few alien squirrels.The current torrent of Oscar nominations for projects that were given life, in part, due to European funding, should not be dismissed out of hand. It is not too much of an exaggeration to suggest that a Brexit might leave us – at least in the short term – culturally worse off than we have been in this country for the past decade. And despite what the Eurosceptic press might tell you, we’re not just talking about a few alien squirrels.