The BFI has allocated an extra £250,000 to support co-productions in development. The aim is to help British producers build sustainable and long-lasting partnerships internationally in order to develop the British film industry.

In 2013 the BFI began a scheme to set aside £1m per year for minority co-productions at the production stage and the new £250,000 for projects in the development stage also comes from this pre-existing Film Fund.

Any European or British shingle can apply for the funding, however a pre-requisite is that some British creative element must be involved, whether that be the story, crew or talent. The team involved must also show previous creative success in feature films as first time directors will not be considered.

BFI’s head of international, Isabel Davis, said: “Being involved in a co-production from the development stage gives a UK producer the opportunity to have a more meaningful creative role in terms of developing the story through to the casting, where it can be shot and, once it is finished, how it is presented to the international market.  

“The Lobster is a perfect example of a film which helps support our aims to encourage UK producers, writers and directors to be ambitious in the scope and scale of a film they want to make, to engage with world-class international talent and projects, and to be seen by international producers as a co-producing partner that can bring creative and commercial benefits to a production.”

The Lobster – which was the first minority co-production to come through the BFI Film Fund – ended up being an official selection at Cannes. The project was developed by Element Films.

The BFI has now funded a plethora of high profile UK co-productions including: John Crowley’s Brooklyn, John Maclean’s Slow West, Peter Strickland’s The Duke of Burgundy, Ken Loach’s Jimmy’s Hall and Biyi Bandele’s Half of a Yellow Sun.