Life changing

National Lottery-funded film wins big at Cannes

Lynne Ramsay’s new National Lottery-funded film, ‘You Were Never Really Here’ has scooped two awards at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. A psychological drama, the film was awarded prizes for Best Screenplay and Best Actor for Joaquin Phoenix, who plays a damaged ex-cop now working private security. The film, which was hailed as one of the highlights of this year’s Cannes, was backed with National Lottery funding through the BFI Film Fund.

Thanks to players like you, Lynne Ramsay has received National Lottery support throughout her feature film career, including ‘We Need To Talk About Kevin’ and has been able to successfully establish herself as one of the most celebrated contemporary British directors.

Supporting the best of British female filmmakers

With National Lottery funding from the BFI, Ramsay was one of two British female directors who premiered their films in Cannes this year.

Screening in Cannes Directors’ Fortnight strand, ‘I Am Not A Witch’ is set and shot in Zambia following nine-year old Shula who is exiled to a witch camp. Director Rungano Nyoni received National Lottery funding to develop this original and striking film with BFI NETWORK and Ffilm Cymru Wales and through a BFI production funding award.

Thanks in part to this Lottery support, Rungano’s burgeoning film career has seen her move from producing shorts to premiering her debut feature at the world’s most prestigious film festival.

Credits: Photo of Joaquin Phoenix and Lynne Ramsay: BFI courtesy © Darren Brade

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