ABSTRACT
Film has a high public profile, and in recent years has become a fashionable and popular area of employment. In response, the number of courses offered by colleges and universities has grown. The National Film and Television School is one of the most respected institutions and is financed by the government, together with the film, video and television industries. The British Film Institute (BFI) encourages the arts of film and television. It runs the BFI Southbank film theatre and the IMAX cinema in London, and has a network of regional film theatres around Britain. The cinema became the source of entertainment, in which the fantasy, romance and escapism of American films represented a post-war land of 'milk and honey'. Realistic films dealing with social problems and issues have become one of the main strengths of British cinema. One of its leading exponents is Ken Loach, a critically admired director who has established a reputation for political awareness in his films.
