Once again the British Council was in Cannes running the main Information Desk in the UK Film Centre, which is the first port of call for anyone interested about any aspect of the UK film industry.

The UK Film Centre is supported by the UK Film Council, and the British Council is one of the key partners along with Scottish Screen and the BFI. For more information, including details events the centre hosted, please see the website www.ukfilmcentre.org.uk.

The British Council Film Team provided travel grants to Ralitza Petrova director of the short film By the Grace of God, showing in the Cinefondation category, and Emma Sullivan, director of After Tomorrow, which was in the main shorts competition. The filmmakers of By The Grace Of God and Together (directed by Eicke Bettinga and showing as part of Critics’ Week) received money from the council for a print to be made, a must at Cannes where a 35mm print is strictly required.

There was a strong line up of British films in the main competition: Looking for Eric from veteran director Ken Loach (who has won multiple prestigious Cannes awards, most recently the Palme D’Or in 2007 for The Wind That Shakes The Barley); Bright Star directed by Palm D’Or winner Jane Campion (2003 for The Piano); and Fish Tank, a second feature from acclaimed director Andrea Arnold, who won an Academy Award in 2004 for her short film Wasp.

Full list of British Films showing at Cannes this year (with links to www.britfilms.com):

Main Competition
Fish Tank dir. Andrea Arnold
Bright Star dir. Jane Campion
Looking for Eric dir. Ken Loach

Shorts Competition
After Tomorrow dir. Emma Sullivan

Cannes Classics
Victim dir. Basil Dearden
Accident dir. Joseph Losey
The Red Shoes dir. Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger

Cinefondation (film school shorts)
By the Grace of God dir. Ralitza Petrova (National Film and TV School)

Critics’ Week
Shorts
Together dir. Eicke Bettinga