Film Nation will introduce young people to film, support them in developing social and film making skills, and provide opportunities to discover new and non-mainstream film. Young people across the UK will have the potential to take part in Film Nation through use of cutting edge digital technology and Film Nation will bring together the exciting new film talent which will emerge across the UK with outstanding international film makers.

UK FILM COUNCIL (www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk)
The UK Film Council is the Government and Lottery-backed lead agency for film in the UK, supporting the UK film industry, celebrating UK film culture and nurturing UK film talent at home and abroad.
• Since its creation in 2000 the UK Film Council has backed more than 900 films, shorts and features, which have won over 300 awards and entertained more than 200 million people around the world. The UK Film Council generates £5 for every £1 of Lottery money it invests.
• Its support develops new filmmakers, funds exciting new British films and gets a wider choice of films to audiences throughout the UK. It also invests in training British talent, promoting Britain as an international filmmaking location and raising the profile of British films abroad. In addition, it funds the British Film Institute.
• Films backed by the UK Film Council include Bend it like Beckham, Bright Star, The Constant Gardener, Fish Tank, Gosford Park, Happy-Go-Lucky, In the Loop, The Last King of Scotland, Man on Wire, Nowhere Boy, Red Road, St Trinian’s, This is England, Touching the Void, Vera Drake and The Wind That Shakes the Barley.
• Current UK Film Council funding initiatives include:

o Working with LOCOG and other partners to roll out a nationwide short film competition, a nationwide programme of workshops and masterclasses as part of the Cultural Olympiad’s Film Nation: Shorts
o the world’s first Digital Screen Network, which has invested in 240 digital screens in cinemas across the country, increasing film choice, bringing the 3D experience to a wider audience, and ensuring the UK has more digital screens than any other European country;
o over 200 film societies and independent regional film venues;
o UK film festivals, including the Edinburgh International Film Festival, the BFI London Film Festival and the Sheffield International Documentary Film Festival;
o working with Skillset, the UK skills and training industry body for the creative industries, to enable almost 7000 people to further their filmmaking careers;
o giving over 20,000 young people the opportunity to get involved in filmmaking through First Light Movies and Mediabox;
o sponsoring the pilot and now the current rollout of FILMCLUB to thousands of schools, introducing new generations of children to the best of British and international cinema.

First Light

FIRST LIGHT is a unique organisation that provides funding and expertise to enable five to nineteen-year-olds, from all backgrounds throughout the UK, to make their own short digital films and media projects. FIRST LIGHT is supported by the National Lottery, through the UK Film Council and by DCSF. This year, the organisation will distribute £5.3 million. Since launching in 2001, FIRST LIGHT has funded over 30,000 young people to produce more than 1,000 films and media projects. For more information visit www.firstlightonline.co.uk

FIRST LIGHT will be delivering a workshop programme for 11 to 19 year olds as part of Film Nation: Shorts. The workshops will give young people access to equipment and professional support to enable them to learn creative and technical filmmaking skills. FIRST LIGHT will also be moderating competition entries made by under 19 year olds and supporting the judging process for the Awards ceremonies.