World's First City of Film - Bradford, Yorkshire, United Kingdom

June 22, 2009

Source: Yorkshire Post

BRADFORD (Yorkshire, United Kingdom) hit the headlines around the globe as it was named the world's first City of Film.

The Hollywood Reporter, printed a story about the Yorkshire city being the first ever to be awarded the status City of Film by UNESCO.

Background: How the award was won »

Film producers, Oscar winners and dignitaries gathered at Bradford's National Media Museum to celebrate the news.

Colin Philpott, director of the National Media Museum, officially announcing the news of the city's status, said: "In the Hollywood Reporter it printed the following: "London, England. The Northern English city of Bradford has scored a global first, being named the first ever UNESCO city of film."

Mr Philpott added: "The world has noticed and this is great news for Bradford and for Yorkshire as a whole."

The status means Bradford joins 19 other cities around the world as part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. It is only the third British city to become part of the network, Glasgow and Edinburgh having been similar status for music and literature respectively.

Bradford's Lord Mayor Coun John Godward said when he received the letter from the Paris headquarters of UNESCO this week confirming the city's new status he 'felt an enormous sense of pride'.

He said: "This means Bradford will be able to encourage more film makers, more film enthusiasts to come to the city to boost the local economy and it will also help to build the city's international profile."

The bid took three years to put together and was led by the city's council, Screen Yorkshire and the National Media Museum.

The status does not carry with it any specific funding, but those behind the bid hope it means that the city and its film-makers will now be able to attract other funders thanks to the increased profile.

Mr Philpott added: "The status is a bit like being awarded a World Heritage Site, like Saltaire down the road. It is something we can use indefinitely.

"Getting the designation has been hard, but the really hard work starts now. We want to use this status to build the city's reputation as a place to attract film-makers and the encourage the film-making talent we already have here in the city.

Bradford born and raised Steve Abbott, who produced the movies Monty Python's The Meaning of Life and Brassed Off, was the chairman of the group that put together the bid.

He was at the National Media Museum yesterday and said the venue, as well as the city's history in film, was one of the key aspects in Bradford winning the internationally important designation.

Also at the announcement was Simon Beaufoy, the Oscar winning, Keighley-born writer of Slumdog Millionaire and The Full Monty.

He said: "People will stand here and talk about how good this is, but it genuinely is important and fantastic news. The group that have led this bid have pulled an extraordinary rabbit out of the hat. I think in years to come we will realise just what a turning point this is for the city.

"When you have something on your doorstep you don't always appreciate just how fantastic it really is. This city has the most visited museum outside of London in the country, three fantastic film festivals here and the most amazingly diverse locations for making film. This is going to give us a real boost."

A project director has been appointed and is expected to take up post in the next month to lead the next stage and capitalise on the city's new status.

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