The BBC is celebrating 21 years of making films working with the very best of British talent, making films such as Made in Dagenham, Billy Elliot, Code 46, The Other Boleyn Girl and its latest movie projects: Testament of Youth and Mrs. Brown's Boys D' Movie. BBC Films have covered numerous matters ranging from periodic, comedy, sports, crime and horror.
The first Film, ID, created back in 1994, was based around football hooliganism and starred Sean Pertwee, Reece Dinsdale and the late Warren Clarke. The BBC itself co-produces eight movies every year in partnership with their counterparts in both UK and international film distributions.
One of the films made in 2000, Billy Elliott, told the story about a boy of the same name living in Northern England during the miner's strike in the mid-eighties discover his passion for dance. The film was a hit in the cinemas and helped launched the career on British actor Jamie Bell. The film also starred Scottish actor Gary Lewis as well as acting legend Julie Walters.
Now, I've seen a few including Starter for Ten, Tormented and Made in Dagenham, and I absolutely loved them. These are prime examples of what great films can be made and how they benefit the UK industry using home grown talent made using selected locations both in and around the country, including those who work both in front and behind the camera.
It's latest two films, Mrs. Brown's Boys D' Movie, based on the sitcom of the same name set in Dublin, and Testament of Youth are its latest releases. Mrs. Brown's Boys D'Movie sees Agnes Brown battle corrupt Russian businessmen from trying to build a shopping centre. The film depicts the deep-rooted history of both Moore Street and its traders.
Testament of Youth is based on the novel of the same name and is set during the First World War and stars Kit Harington and Alicia Vikander. In the film, Alicia plays a student, Vera Brittan, who decides to put her studies on hold in order to sign up as a Voluntary Aid Detachment nurse. The film is based on the book which was her account of her time during the First World War.
Though Mrs. Brown's Boys got mainly negative reviews, both films were successful at the box office.
It's been twenty one years and BBC Films is still going on and is strong as ever and has launched the careers for numerous actors and directors and so on and has helped shape British cinema on its own doorstep. Here's to many more films directly courtesy of one of the UK's most biggest and successful broadcasters and its devotion to home grown arts.
Happy Anniversary BBC Films and here's to many more films in the future.
