A HUGE outdoor screen on the South Bank is one of the stand-out features of a new British film centre, which got the go-ahead from Gordon Brown today.
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The Prime Minister pledged £45 in central government funding for the British Film Institute project, which is set to be up and running by 2015.
That’s about a third of the total £140M cost of the scheme, with the rest coming from the London Mayor’s office, the sale of the BFI’s current Tottenham Court Road HQ and sponsorship cash from private donors.
“Britain has achieved worldwide respect for its innovative and vibrant film industry,” said Brown.
“This project creates a new home for British film right at the heart of London’s cultural centre on the South Bank.”
Other features of the development include a five-screen cinema, one super-size auditorium to host major events like London Film Festival gala screenings and greater public access to the BFI’s substantial film archive.
The new film centre would likely be built in the shadow of the London Eye, where there is now a car park, as seen in the photo.
Brown also promised money for two other London cultural building schemes; the extensions to the Tate Modern (£50M in government cash) and the British Museum (£23M).
