Extra Funding for Films and Festivals

NORTHWEST Vision and Media, which works on behalf of the region’s film, TV and digital content industries, is to distribute almost £300,000 in funding to some of the major players in the region’s film industry.

The screen agency’s annual Heritage, Access to Film and Audience Development (HAFAD) fund was set up in 2005 to support a variety of film-related activities across the Northwest.

Each year, the fund seeks to encourage new and innovative projects to access its support, as well as continuing to encourage more established organisations.

In 2008, 16 organisations have been chosen to receive funding from HAFAD, four of which will receive support for their new, emerging film festivals for the first time.

Sara Clowes, Cinema, Archive and Film Festivals Executive for Northwest Vision and Media, says the standard of HAFAD applications continues every year to grow, both in terms of scale and ambition.

“The fantastic thing about HAFAD is that it ensures Vision and Media can support audience participation, film education and creativity across a wide range of film festivals and events,” says Sara. “There really is something for everyone in this year’s funding round, which is not only good news for the audience, but also for the region’s production industry.

“All of the diverse organisations that have been selected for funding not only reach out to the general public, the people that drive this industry in the first place, but they also each provide a unique insight into the region’s cultural activity,” adds Sara.

See the full list of funding recipients