Film4 is to be honoured with the special recognition award for outstanding contribution to UK film at Screen International’s Big Screen Awards 2023.
The award recognises the achievements of a company or individual whose contributions to UK film have had a significant impact on the reputation of the industry, both locally and internationally.
It will be presented to the company at the Big Screen Awards on November 23, at The Brewery in London. Tickets are available to purchase here.
The Big Screen Awards were rebranded from the Screen Awards last year, and aim to recognise the achievements of marketing, distribution, publicity and exhibition teams and companies for their work releasing films into UK cinemas and connecting them with audiences.
Film4 is the feature film division of UK public service broadcaster Channel 4 and has been running – in various iterations – since the broadcaster was set up in 1982.
The company is a major player in the UK film industry, developing, producing and investing in landmark British productions including The Crying Game, Trainspotting, Sexy Beast, This Is England and best picture Oscar winners Slumdog Millionaire and 12 Years A Slave.
This year, Film4-backed productions The Banshees Of Inisherin, Living and Brian & Charles secured 14 Bafta nominations and 11 Oscar nominations (with Banshees winning four Baftas); The Zone Of Interest won the grand prix at Cannes while How To Have Sex took the Un Certain Regard prize; and Poor Things was awarded the Venice Golden Lion.
The company also had a record year at the BFI London Film Festival, with 10 of its features playing there including Kibwe Tavares and Daniel Kaluuya’s closing-night world premiere The Kitchen.
“We’re delighted to present Film4 with this honour to celebrate its extraordinary achievements in backing some of the most adventurous, thrilling and life-enhancing British films of the past four decades and supporting the early careers of many of our best filmmakers,” said Screen editor Matt Mueller. “Film4 has burnished the reputation of the British film industry, creatively, culturally and commercially, beyond measure.”
As part of the celebrations, Screen’s November issue includes a pair of celebratory features on Film4, one about the current team leading the division, which can be read here, and the second an in-depth conversation with the executives who have led it over the years, which will be available tomorrow (Oct 27).
Previous winners of Screen’s outstanding contribution to UK film honour include Judi Dench and Working Title Films.
The nominations for this year’s Big Screen Awards were announced earlier this month.
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