Film Distributors' Association (FDA) and the National Film & Television School (NFTS) today jointly announced that FDA's sponsorship of the school has crossed the £1 million mark in this, its 17th consecutive year.

FDA's "key partner" sponsorship programme to aid the school, based at Beaconsfield Studios, began in 1992 with annual contributions made every autumn. The £1m paid to date by FDA for and on behalf of its members excludes donations and bursaries funded separately by individual companies, so the overall total given by the distribution sector during the period is significantly greater than £1m.

NFTS Director, Nik Powell, said: "Thanks a million to all the film distributors who have shown such loyal support to the NFTS, which simply couldn't exist without its extended family of sponsors and partners. The school's many links with the industry are incredibly important both for the onward careers of our students and for ensuring we remain a world leader in high-end film and media training."

FDA President, Lord Puttnam CBE, said: "This funding shows distributors' confidence and commitment to the industry's long-term development. NFTS graduates have long populated the crews of feature films launched by FDA members. From The Duchess, The Dark Knight and Prince Caspian to the adventures of James Bond and Harry Potter, a wide range of new releases have benefited from creative and technical skills refined at the NFTS. FDA's broad membership is delighted to continue to step up and dig deep to support future generations of top calibre filmmaking talent."

In addition to the on-going sponsorship arrangement, FDA's Cinema Days events are each attended by a delegation of NFTS students. Held three times a year for UK regional media, the preview screenings and press conferences at Cinema Days offer students a first-hand insight into how finished films are presented to journalists and critics.

For further Information

Contact at NFTS:
Karin Farnworth
Tel 01494 671234
Email kfarnworth@nfts.co.uk

Contact at FDA:
Mark Batey, FDA
Tel 020 7437 4383
Email mbatey@fda.uk.net

Notes to editors

Film Distributors' Association, the trade body promoting the generic interests of UK theatrical film distributors, has a formidable membership of 21 companies accounting for 96% of UK cinemagoing. More at www.launchingfilms.com.

The National Film School, as it was originally named, opened at Beaconsfield Studios in 1971 with an intake of 25 students. Its first Director, Colin Young, was succeeded in turn by Henning Camre (1992), Stephen Bayly (1998) and Nik Powell (2003). It was renamed the National Film & Television School in 1982.

In autumn 2008, the NFTS has some 180 full-time students, another two dozen part-timers on a script development course and around 1,000 a year on a range of short courses. It is the only UK film school with two film stages, a large TV studio and post-production facilities rivalling those of professional companies. Its talented community of students makes around 100 films a year on courses that are still over 90% practical.

The impressive roll call of filmmakers who have attended the School includes David Yates, Nick Park, Roger Deakins, Michael Caton-Jones, Nick Broomfield and many others who are now highly regarded and sought after worldwide. More at www.nfts.co.uk.