UK film box office: £800 million, 500 films from 33 countries with India at 3rd place

An interview with Mark Batey, chief executive of the Film Distributors' Association (FDA) in UK, by Pervaiz Alam for India-EU Film Initiative (www.iefilmi.com)

Following is an excerpt from the interview:  

"500 film releases
from 33 countries, including 200 films from the USA. 65 films from the UK, followed by India with 53 films.."

With
its 60 million+ population and a historical film background, the United
Kingdom is a major market for film distributors in Europe. With more
than two million people of South Asian origin, most of them
Bollywood-smitten, this market offers amazing opportunities to Indian
film producers.

For
an Indian film, earning a million pounds from box office collections in
UK is a regular feature. October 2007 saw two Indian films, 'Bhool
Bhulaiyya' and 'Laaga Chunri Mein Daag', entering the UK Top Ten Chart.

Now,
Indian film distributors have also become conscious of the fact that
that they have to join the mainstream of the film distribution network
in the UK. India's giant entertainment company, Adlabs, became the 21st
member of the FDA in October 2007- only the second Indian company to do
so after Eros.

So what is it that makes Film Distributors' Association Ltd. (FDA) so influential.

"The
strength of our association is reflected by the fact that 97% of the
£800 million box office collections in the UK last year came from the
FDA members. Two per cent of this amount, £16 million, was generated by
the Indian films," says Mark Batey, FDA's Chief.

Originally
established in London in 1915, FDA liases and works with many
individuals, companies and organisations. FDA's Council, or board,
comprising a senior representative of each member company, normally
meets six times a year.

FDA charges a subscription from its
members. "In return, we provide a whole range of services to our
members, ranging from research and networking to organising media
events and providing consultancy. FDA is also a member of the
Paris-based International Federation of Film Distributors' Associations
(FIAD)," adds Mr. Batey.

He
says "The year 2006 saw 500 film releases from 33 countries in the UK,
including 200 films from the USA. The UK was next with about 65
productions, followed by India and France with 53 and 30 films,
respectively."

 Full interview with
Mark Batey, chief executive of the Film Distributors' Association (FDA)
in UK, by Pervaiz Alam for India-EU Film Initiative is available on www.iefilmi.com