Tessa Ross, Controller of Film4 and Channel 4 Drama said: “It is wonderful that the BAFTAs have recognised and rewarded so many British films this year – it’s an incredibly exciting time for the UK film industry. Film has always been core to Channel 4’s DNA and I can only hope as the Channel’s future is debated the value of Film4’s contribution to the landscape of British film is acknowledged and protected. At Film4 our mission is to support and develop new and established talent and we are thrilled that they are being celebrated on a global scale. Creatively it’s important to take risks and to strive to achieve something exceptional and when those risks pay off it is immensely gratifying.”

Slumdog Millionaire picked up a total of 7 awards including Adapted Screenplay for Simon Beaufoy’s script based on the novel Q&A and Music for A. R. Rahman’s original score.

Slumdog Millionaire, which was originally optioned and developed by Film4 and subsequently co-financed with Celador, has already picked up 10 Oscar nominations and four Golden Globes, and has held the no.1 slot at the UK box office for the past four weeks taking over £15 million.

Film4 co-funded In Bruges won 1 award for Original Screenplay for Martin McDonagh’s In Bruges.

Steve McQueen’s Hunger, an original C4/Film4 co-commissioned by Jan Younghusband in Channel 4 Arts and Peter Carlton at Film4 and which took Cannes by storm last year, picked up 1 award – The Carl Foreman Award For Special Achievement By A British Director, Writer Or Producer For Their First Feature Film for Steve McQueen’s Hunger.

Film 4 Press Contact: debra.johnson@taylorherring.com

Tessa Ross, Controller of Film4 and Channel 4 Drama said: “At a time when the future of public service broadcasting, and therefore Film4’s own future is being debated as never before, it is wonderful to see films, that would not exist without Film4’s continual support, garner global recognition. Working with Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy and producer Christian Colson on Slumdog Millionaire has been an absolute joy and we are thrilled their work and that of their talented team has been recognised today. It’s also wonderful to see Mike Leigh’s Happy-Go-Lucky and Martin McDonagh’s In Bruges up for Best Original Screenplay.”

Slumdog Millionaire is currently storming the international box office and this week enjoyed the most successful second weekend ever for a film at the British box office, taking £2.6million, up a record 44 per cent from its opening weekend. Last week it picked up 11 Bafta nominations, following four wins at the Golden Globes including Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Director – Motion Picture.

The full details of nominations are as follows:

Best Motion Picture – Slumdog Millionaire (Christian Colson, Producer)
Achievement in Directing – Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Adapted Screenplay – Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
Original Screenplay – Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky
Original Screenplay – Martin McDonagh, In Bruges
Achievement in cinematography – Anthony Dod Mantle, Slumdog Millionaire
Achievement in film editing – Chris Dickens, Slumdog Millionaire
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (original score) – A.R. Raham, Slumdog Millionaire
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (original song) – “Jai Ho”, Slumdog Millionaire. Music by A.R. Rahman, Lyric by Gulzar
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (original song) – “O Saya”, Slumdog Millionaire. Music and Lyric by A.R. Raham and Maya Arulpragasam
Achievement in sound editing – Tom Sayers, Slumdog Millionaire
Achievement in sound mixing – Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty, Slumdog Millionaire

The appointment of the agency is announced as Film4 scooped six awards for Slumdog Millionaire, Happy-Go-Lucky and In Bruges at the Golden Globe Awards this week..

Slumdog Millionaire has, this morning, received 11 nominations for the Orange British Academy Film Awards in 2009. The movie has been nominated in the categories Best Film, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Music, Production Design, Sound and Outstanding British Film. Danny Boyle is nominated for Director, Dev Patel is nominated for Leading Actor and Freida Pinto receives a nomination as Supporting Actress.

In Bruges has been nominated for Original Screenplay, Editing, Supporting Actor for Brendan Gleeson and Outstanding British Film.

Slumdog Millionaire is based on the novel Q+A which was originally optioned and developed by Film4 and subsequently co-financed with Celador.

Taylor Herring will provide full PR support across a diverse slate of movies directed by established and new film talent.

Film4’s most recent releases include Steve McQueen’s Cannes award-winning Hunger, Bob Weide’s How To Lose Friends and Alienate People, Martin McDonagh’s In Bruges, Mike Leigh’s Happy-Go-Lucky which won a Silver Bear for actress Sally Hawkins at this year’s Berlin Film Festival, Sarah Gavron’s Brick Lane, Anand Tucker’s And When Did You Last See Your Father?, Chris Waitt’s Complete History of My Sexual Failures and Olly Blackburn’s Donkey Punch.

Up and coming Film4 projects include Michael Winterbottom’s Genova, Fabrice de Welz’s Vinyan, Sharon Maguire’s Incendiary, Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, Vito Rocco’s Faintheart, Mark Tonderai’s Hush, Duane Hopkins’ Better Things, which was selected for Cannes Critics Week 2008, Alexis Dos Santos’ Unmade Beds, Gerald McMorrow’s Franklyn, Sam Taylor-Wood’s The Story of You and Peter Jackson’s The Lovely Bones.

Film4, headed by Tessa Ross, is Channel 4 Television’s feature film division. The company develops and co-finances film productions, working with the UK’s most innovative new and established talent.

Press contact: james@taylorherring.com

Slumdog Millionaire took away four awards in total including Best Screenplay – Motion Picture for Simon Beaufoy and Best Original Score – Motion Picture for A. R. Rahman. Colin Farrell received the Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture Award – Musical or Comedy for his role in Martin McDonagh’s Film4 funded In Bruges. The award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy went to Sally Hawkins for Mike Leigh’s Film4 funded Happy-Go-Lucky.

Tessa Ross, Controller of Film4 and Channel 4 Drama said:

“The success for Film4 at the Golden Globes is testament to the creative talent that exists in the UK. In this current climate it is a real boost to the British film industry to be recognised for its achievements. At Film4 we are about nurturing projects that wouldn’t necessarily secure funding elsewhere to bring fresh ideas to life on the big screen.”

Last night’s success follows wins for Happy-Go-Lucky and Slumdog Millionaire at the Annual National Society of Film Critics Awards in early January. Happy-Go-Lucky took four awards – Best Director and Screenwriter for Mike Leigh, Best Actress for Sally Hawkins and Best Supporting Actor for Eddie Marsan. Slumdog Millionaire took the Best Cinematography Award.

Slumdog Millionaire also performed well at last week’s BFCA Critics’ Choice Awards where it picked up five awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Writer (Original or Adapted Screenplay), Best Young Actor for Dev Patel and Best Composer.

Three of Film4’s titles, Slumdog Millionaire, Happy-Go-Lucky and In Bruges have received Golden Globe nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Drama for Slumdog Millionaire, and Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical for In Bruges.

Tessa Ross, Controller of Film4 and Channel 4 Drama said: “It is very exciting for Film4 to be nominated in so many different categories and for such a range of film by such talented filmmakers – we congratulate them hugely along with our partners in each film.”

The full details of nominations are as follows:

* BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA : Slumdog Millionaire
* BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL: Happy-Go-Lucky
* BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL: In Bruges
* BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL: Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
* BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL: Colin Farrell, In Bruges
* BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL:  Brendan Gleeson, In Bruges
* BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
* BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE: Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
* BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE: A R Rahman Slumdog Millionaire

About Film4

Film Four headed by Tessa Ross, is Channel 4 Television’s feature film division. The company develops and co-finances film productions and is known for working with the most innovative talent in the UK, whether new or established. Film4’s most recent releases include Steve McQueen’s Cannes award-winning Hunger, Bob Weide’s How To Lose Friends and Alienate People, Martin McDonagh’s In Bruges, Mike Leigh’s Happy-Go-Lucky which won a Silver Bear for actress Sally Hawkins at this year’s Berlin Film Festival, Sarah Gavron’s Brick Lane, Anand Tucker’s And When Did You Last See Your Father?, Chris Waitt’s Complete History of My Sexual Failures and Olly Blackburn’s Donkey Punch.  Up and coming Film4 projects include Michael Winterbottom’s Genova, Fabrice de Welz’s Vinyan, Sharon Maguire’s Incendiary, Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, Vito Rocco’s Faintheart, Mark Tonderai’s Hush, Duane Hopkins’ Better Things, which was selected for Cannes Critics Week 2008, Alexis Dos Santos’ Unmade Beds, Gerald McMorrow’s Franklyn, Sam Taylor-Wood’s The Story of You and Peter Jackson’s The Lovely Bones.

Contact: debra.johnson@taylorherring.com