UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Tessa Jowell (inCannes to declare the new UK/South Africa film co-production treatyoperational) gave an undertaking yesterday that film will be includedin the 'Cultural Olympiad' planned in London for the 2012 Olympics.

'It is absolutely certain that film and British film success will be part of the Olympics,' Jowell stated.

Speaking to journalists in the British Pavilion, The Minister wasstriking a bullish note about the role of co-production treaties inpromoting cultural cinema.

She emphasised 'the importance of anapproach to the film industry that doesn't simply rely on commercialsuccess but recognises that if you are going to get films that areinnovative and challenging and take risks, then you have to address themarket failure in funding those kind of things.'

The first film under the new UK/South African co-production treaty Skin(produced by Anthony Fabian and Margaret Matheson) will shortly go intoproduction