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FilmFour Channel launched
05 Nov 1998 :

The new film channel from Channel 4 began with a simulcast on Sunday November 1st. The new channel is dedicated to showing the best of modern independent cinema from the UK, Europe and the US. In true Channel four style it is set to push the envelope of what can be seen on TV, with risk taking, challenging and provocative films. The channel stems from Channel 4's established reputation for investing in and showing quality films and on the strengths of existing FilmFour productions, whose many successes include 'Trainspotting', 'Four Weddings and a Funeral', and 'Secrets and Lies'.

The channel is a natural extension of FilmFour Ltd. which was launched in April of this year to bring all its film-related activities together into one organisation and to build on the legacy of Channel Four Films and Film on Four. In 16 years of existence Channel 4 has been involved in the production of some 300 films, ranging from full length features to shorts, animations and documentaries. It has had a hand in the careers of directors such as Stephen Frears, Peter Greenaway, Neil Jordan, Ken Loach, Mike Newall and Derek Jarman, to name but a few. Under the leadership of Chief Executive Paul Webster, FilmFour Ltd. move forward focusing on three primary activities; the production of feature films in which the channel invests (FilmFour Productions); their theatrical and video distribution in the UK (FilmFour Distributors) and their international sales (FilmFour International).

Commenting on the restructuring Paul Webster said "In the new FilmFour we have created exactly what the British film industry has been craving for years, a film studio in microcosm. We are a British-owned, British-financed company that controls all aspects of film production, distribution and television broadcast for all our titles. Our re-structuring will enable us to build strategic international alliances that ensure the films we finance are marketed and distributed worldwide in the most effective way". C4 Chief Executive Michael Jackson sees grouping all Channel four film-making activities into this new subsidiary as a way of focusing the channel's film-making efforts more effectively and helping make the most of creative audacity in commissioning innovative ideas and nurturing emerging talent.

The new channel is aimed at the large and growing audience for original diverse and independent films. FilmFour intends to satisfy that demand and carry into the pay-TV market Channel 4's reputation for risk-taking, challenging and diverse films. The FilmFour Channel will screen the pay-TV premieres for all FilmFour titles and will provide a new exhibition medium for films currently denied UK distribution. This will give a boost to independent film-making comparable to the initiative represented by Film on Four when Channel Four was launched.

The channel will screen over 50 feature films a month broadcasting for 12 hours a day from 6pm to 6am. It will show a range of supportive documentaries, shorts and other programmes to complement the movies themselves. The films are uncut, uninterrupted and broadcast in widescreen. The channel will certainly not imitate the mainstream Hollywood output associated with most pay movie channels and the initial line up is divided into British cinema, US Indies, Extreme cinema, Naked Cinema and World Vision.

British cinema brings the best of British cinema with films such as 'Shallow Grave', 'The Madness of King George' and 'Gregory's Girl' with British television premiers of 'Fever Pitch', 'Walking & Talking' and 'The Pillow Book'. 'Velvet Goldmine' and 'The Land Girls' will have their premier on FilmFour and there will be a special season of Ewan McGregor's films.

FilmFour US Indies will show work from maverick directors in context. For example Tarintino's seminal 'Reservoir Dogs' is screened immediately before 'City of Fire' the Honk Kong action film that inspired it. Classics like 'Metropolitan', 'Blood Simple' and Indie hits such as 'The Usual Suspects', 'My Own Private Idaho' 'Sex, Lies and Videotape' and 'Barton Fink'.

World Vision will feature Hong Kong's Action Cinema and rare delicacies from directors such as Kurosawa have been hugely influential in the west and the channel will present Classics such as 'City On Fire', 'Wild Search', The Killers' and 'Bullet in the Head' will be shown this month. From Europe 'A Bout de Souffle' and retrospective of the auteur of French film noir, Jean-Pierre Melville, with showings of 'Bob le Flambeur', 'Le Doulos', 'Amy Of Shadows' and 'Le Cercle Rouge'. From Australia 'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' and 'Muriel's Wedding'.

Naked Cinema on Friday night features erotic films like 'Jamón Jamón', 'The Tit and the Moon', 'Fetishes' and 'Matador'. Extreme Cinema on Saturday night will feature the dark twisted but brilliant films such as the notorious Belgian Film 'Man bites Dog' and others suchas 'Romper Stomper', 'Legend of the Overfiend' and 'Braindead'

The Channel is available on satellite, digital and cable TV. The FilmFour Channel is available on pay-TV platforms, via Sky's analogue and digital satellites. OnDigital's new terrestrial digital service and most local cable TV companies.

For Further information contact local cable, satellite or digital TV operators or call (0044) 0800 441234

 

Michael McMahon 5/11/98






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