Editing Cinema of the United Kingdom (section)

===2010s===
[[File:Idris Elba 2007 Cropped.jpg|thumb|upright|left|[[Idris Elba]] in 2007. He is one of the top 20 highest-grossing actors in North America, as of 2019.<ref>{{cite web |title=People Index {{ndash}} Actors: Total Gross |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/people/?view=Actor&sort=sumgross&p=.htm |website=[[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=6 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627001804/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/people/?view=Actor&sort=sumgross&p=.htm |archive-date=27 June 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref>]]

On 26 July 2010 it was announced that the UK Film Council, which was the main body responsible for the development of promotion of British cinema during the 2000s, would be abolished, with many of the abolished body's functions being taken over by the [[British Film Institute]]. Actors and professionals, including [[James McAvoy]], [[Emily Blunt]], [[Pete Postlethwaite]], [[Damian Lewis]], [[Timothy Spall]], [[Daniel Barber (director)|Daniel Barber]] and [[Ian Holm]], campaigned against the council's abolition.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/7926836/British-film-industry-will-suffer-if-the-Government-closes-the-UK-Film-Council.html "British film industry will suffer if the Government closes the UK Film Council"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170226134237/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/7926836/British-film-industry-will-suffer-if-the-Government-closes-the-UK-Film-Council.html |date=26 February 2017 }}, 5 August 2010.</ref><ref>[http://bestforfilm.com/film-news/mr-hunt-give-me-a-future-harry-brown-director-supports-our-campaign "Daniel Barber condemns UK Film Council abolition"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723194707/http://bestforfilm.com/film-news/mr-hunt-give-me-a-future-harry-brown-director-supports-our-campaign/ |date=23 July 2012 }}, 29 July 2010</ref> The move also led American actor and director [[Clint Eastwood]] (who had filmed ''[[Hereafter (film)|Hereafter]]'' in London) to write to <!-- The British term uses "the" in the official title -->the British [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]] [[George Osborne]] in August 2010 to protest the decision to close the council. Eastwood warned Osborne that the closure could result in fewer foreign production companies choosing to work in the UK.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-10911948 |title=Clint Eastwood writes plea to save UK Film Council |work=[[BBC News Online]] |date=9 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110126092316/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-10911948 |archive-date=26 January 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Clint Eastwood joins fight to save UK Film Council|last=Shoard|first=Catherine|newspaper=The Guardian|date=9 August 2010|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/aug/09/clint-eastwood-film-council|access-date=11 December 2016|archive-date=22 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160922211103/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/aug/09/clint-eastwood-film-council|url-status=live}}</ref> A grass-roots online campaign was launched<ref>[http://bestforfilm.com/film-blog/save-the-uk-film-council Online campaign to save the UK Film Council] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723194715/http://bestforfilm.com/film-blog/save-the-uk-film-council/ |date=23 July 2012 }}, 27 July 2010.</ref> and a petition established by supporters of the council.

Countering this, a few professionals, including [[Michael Winner]] and [[Julian Fellowes]], supported the Government's decision.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Michael Winner berates UK Film Council supporters|last=child|first=Ben|newspaper=The Guardian|date=11 August 2010|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/aug/11/michael-winner-uk-film-council|access-date=11 December 2016|archive-date=7 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307183058/http://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/aug/11/michael-winner-uk-film-council|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| title=Cut the Film Council and end this 1970s navel-gazing|last=Fellowes|first=Julian|newspaper=The Telegraph |date=12 August 2010|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/7941224/Cut-the-Film-Council-and-end-this-1970s-navel-gazing.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/7941224/Cut-the-Film-Council-and-end-this-1970s-navel-gazing.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Pros and cons of dumping UK film council|last=Clarke|first=Donald|newspaper=Irish Times|date=20 August 2010|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/theticket/2010/0820/1224277220500.html|access-date=23 August 2012|archive-date=21 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021212825/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/theticket/2010/0820/1224277220500.html|url-status=live}}</ref> A number of other organisations responded positively.

At the closure of the UK Film Council on 31 March 2011, ''[[The Guardian]]'' reported that "The UKFC's entire annual budget was a reported £3m, while the cost of closing it down and restructuring is estimated to have been almost four times that amount."<ref name="guardian010411">Ben Child, [https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/apr/01/uk-film-council-british-institute-bfi "Fade out from the UK Film Council&nbsp;... to the British Film Institute"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161201180234/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/apr/01/uk-film-council-british-institute-bfi |date=1 December 2016 }}, ''The Guardian'', 1 April 2011.</ref> One of the UKFC's last films, ''[[The King's Speech]]'', is estimated to have cost $15m to make and grossed $235m, besides winning several [[Academy Awards]]. UKFC invested $1.6m for a 34% share of net profits, a valuable stake that will pass to the British Film Institute.<ref>Geoffrey Macnab, [http://www.screendaily.com/territories/uk-ireland/kings-speech-bfi-gets-kings-ransom/5024247.article "King's Speech: BFI gets king's ransom?"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140720172946/http://www.screendaily.com/territories/uk-ireland/kings-speech-bfi-gets-kings-ransom/5024247.article |date=20 July 2014 }} ''Screen Daily'', 24 February 2011.</ref>

[[File:Christopher Nolan Cannes 2018.jpg|right|upright|thumb|[[Christopher Nolan]] directed several of the early 21st century's most critically and commercially successful films.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/christopher-nolan-interstellar-critics-making-760897|title=Christopher Nolan on 'Interstellar' Critics, Making Original Films and Shunning Cellphones and Email (Q&A)|date=3 January 2015|publisher=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=5 May 2020|archive-date=17 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180117111636/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/christopher-nolan-interstellar-critics-making-760897|url-status=live}}</ref>]]

In June 2012, Warner opened the re-developed Leavesden studio for business.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18403116|title=Warner Bros opens revamped UK film studio|date=12 June 2012|publisher=BBC|access-date=2 July 2012|archive-date=25 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120625100836/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18403116|url-status=live}}</ref> The most commercially successful British directors in recent years are [[Paul Greengrass]], [[Mike Newell (director)|Mike Newell]], [[Christopher Nolan]], [[Ridley Scott]] and [[David Yates]].<ref>[http://statisticalyearbook11.ry.com/?id=82856 Statistical Yearbook 2011: 7.3 UK directors] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615221043/http://statisticalyearbook11.ry.com/?id=82856 |date=15 June 2012 }}. UK Film Council. Retrieved 19 July 2012.</ref>

In January 2012, at Pinewood Studios to visit film-related businesses, UK Prime Minister [[David Cameron]] said that his government had bold ambitions for the film industry: "Our role, and that of the BFI, should be to support the sector in becoming even more dynamic and entrepreneurial, helping UK producers to make commercially successful pictures that rival the quality and impact of the best international productions. Just as the British Film Commission has played a crucial role in attracting the biggest and best international studios to produce their films here, so we must incentivise UK producers to chase new markets both here and overseas."<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/pm-uk-film-industry/|title=PM backs 'dynamic and entrepreneurial' UK film industry|date=11 January 2012|publisher=Number 10|access-date=23 August 2012|archive-date=30 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121030103641/http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/pm-uk-film-industry/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The film industry remains an important earner for the British economy. According to a UK Film Council press release of 20 January 2011, £1.115 billion was spent on UK film production during 2010. A 2014 survey suggested that British-made films were generally more highly rated than Hollywood productions, especially when considering low-budget UK productions.