MUMBAI: UK pubcaster BBC will celebrate British film heritage on BBC Two with The Summer Of British season. The seven-part series is dedicated to home grown British encompassing all genres from thriller and comedy to the kitchen sink drama.
Jessica Hynes (Shaun Of The Dead) will guide viewers through the series examining British film by genre, with highlights from over 200 exclusive interviews from actors and directors including Sir Michael Caine, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Kate Winslet, Ewan McGregor, Gurinder Chadha and Richard Curtis.
The series is being made with the support of the British Film Institute and the UK Film Council.
As well as being a romp through the greatest films and stars, the series looks at what makes British films unique and what they reveal about British culture.
To complement British Film Forever, BBC Two will screen around 70 British films.
From the premiere of A Cock And Bull Story, through to favourites like Billy Elliot, Gregory's Girl and From Russia With Love, to classics and rediscoveries, from The 39 Steps, This Sporting Life, Whistle Down The Wind and Witchfinder General.
To celebrate the season, the UK Film Council, in partnership with the BBC, is backing the release of
seven of Britain's greatest films, which will play cinemas across the UK on Tuesday's from 31 July to 11 September.
Playing on screens across the UK Film Council's Lottery funded Digital Screen Network, the season
kicks off with the 007 classic Goldfinger on 31 July, followed by David Lean's Brief Encounter (7 August), John Schlesinger's Billy Liar (14 August), Laurence Olivier's Henry V (21 August), Robin Hardy's The Wicker Man (28 August), Michael Anderson's The Dam Busters (4 September) and Bruce Robinson's Withnail And I (11 September).
People also have the chance to celebrate British cinema by creating their own versions of classic
films. Users can submit their films through the BBC Mini Movies group www.youtube.com/group/ bbcminimovies with favourites being showcased on the BBC's website bbc.co.uk/britishfilm.
Other users can rate and comment on the films and pick up tips on creating their own mini movies, the best of which will feature on BBC Two during the season. From mid-July the website will also feature video clips from British Film Forever, background information about the films within the season and listings for films shown on TV and in cinemas across the UK.
CBBC began celebrating earlier this summer with CBBC me and my movie, a new children's film-making project with free online resources and summer events taking place across the country.
Children can enter their home-made films into a special CBBC 'Me and my movie award', in association
with Bafta where short-listed nominees will be invited to attend the prestigious Children's Bafta Awards ceremony on 25 November. Children's films are available to view online in the CBBC me and my movie gallery.
