Today sees the online launch of BBC Films' showreel, showcasing a variety of our recent projects which I hope will give some insight into the rich and eclectic slate we're seeking to achieve.  

While all of our films are unique, each one represents our commitment to bring original and distinctive British films to the British public. Every year, £12 million of the licence fee is invested into BBC Films to make around eight feature films working in partnership with diverse creative talent, a wide range of independent producers, UK and  international distributors  and sales agents and a whole host of other financiers. BBC Films is an integral part of the UK film industry and is often a lifeline for films that otherwise might not get made (An Education and In the Loop as well as more arthouse offerings like Fish Tank all fall into this category). 

There's a massive range of British and international talent on display both behind the scenes and in front of camera, a satisfying mix of new and established talent from veteran Stephen Frears with his latest movie Tamara Drewe to first time feature directors, Max Giwa and Dania Pasquini making their debut with StreetDance. 

'StreetDance' has been a particularly rewarding experience for us at BBC Films. As our first adventure into the world of 3D films, it has not only launched several new film careers but also made a staggering £11 million at the box office, going straight in at number one on its opening weekend against the likes of Hollywood blockbusters 'Prince of Persia' and 'Robin Hood'. This is a real vote of confidence in British film and a great way to celebrate British youth, music and style.

Some of the movies included are barely through post production and we're just getting news in about which festivals want to premiere them and what sort of release is planned for them by the various different distributors. So, for example, we know that Stephen Frears's Tamara Drewe (which had a very successful premiere in Cannes last month) will have its London premiere in early September. Working on an adaptation of a graphic novel has been extremely interesting (Tamara Drewe started out as a strip in the Guardian and its creator, Posy Simmonds then turned it into a graphic novel). The audience response in Cannes and the critical reaction so far has urged the distributors, Momentum, towards a relatively big release. They'll be putting the film out this September and we'll be seeing rather more of the lovely Gemma Arterton in a red vest and hotpants.

Autumn will also see the release of Made In Dagenham, the story of the struggle for equal pay bravely initiated by a handful of women at Ford, Dagenham in 1968. Directed by Nigel Cole of Calendar Girls, with a great British cast (Sally Hawkins, Bob Hoskins, Jaimie Winstone, Andrea Riseborough, Rosamund Pike, Rupert Graves, Geraldine James, Miranda Richardson, John Sessions.) It's an inspiring story of ordinary people empowering themselves and proving that they are stronger together than alone. It's a very funny film but has also proved to be a tearjerker at preview screenings. It's a particularly relevant film for the BBC because the producers, Stephen Woolley and Liz Karlsen, first got the idea for the movie when they heard the original women behind the protest on Radio 4's The Reunion. Again, a pretty big release is planned this October and there is early speculation about Sally Hawkins' awards potential.

Another exciting directorial debut featured on our showreel is that of Rowan Joffe with Brighton Rock. Rowan adapted Graham Green's novel and had the brilliant idea of transposing the action to 1964 so that the violence of Pinky and his underworld colleagues blends seamlessly with Brighton's warring tribes of mods and rockers. Again, it features a brilliant British cast with Sam Riley, Andrea Riseborough, John Hurt, Helen Mirren and Nonso Anozie (who you might also recognise from BAFTA winning BBC One drama 'Occupation'.) Brighton Rock should be in cinemas early next year.

Nearing completion now and looking very good is West Is West, Ayub Khan Din's follow up to the hugely successful East is East, the tale of a Pakistani/English family in Bradford in the 70s. West Is West moves the story on five years, and George's youngest - now teenage - son, Sajid, is taken to Pakistan to learn some manners. The trip proves as much of a coming of age story for George (Om Puri) as for his son. It's a highly entertaining and moving study of family life and of that universal theme of wanting to belong.

Some of the films on the showreel are soon to get their first television transmission.

We are extremely excited about our forthcoming Weekend Of Film on BBC Two in mid July which will feature three of our movies Is Anybody There?, Eastern Promises and The Damned United. It's very satisfying to get such good slots across the weekend and I hope the television audience will enjoy what's on offer.

Christine Langan is the Creative Director of BBC Films

We're delighted with this morning's announcement from BAFTA, signalling a record 13 nominations for BBC Films. It's a great reward for the hard work and commitment of the filmmakers we've worked with and the breadth of British talent we're regularly engaging with at BBC Films. 

Lone Scherfig's 'An Education' (see the trailer below), alone, has trawled 8 nominations which puts it alongside James Cameron's 'Avatar' and Katherine Bigelow's 'The Hurt Locker'. Given 'An Education's' relatively low budget of £4.5 million (compared with about $300 million for 'Avatar') this is quite an achievement and a heartening recommendation for well observed drama about ordinary people. (That said, we're also very excited about BBC Films' first 3D movie, 'Streetdance', due out this May..)

The interesting thing about 'An Education', in the light of today's nominations, is that it was very difficult to get off the ground at all. The period (the late fifties) and the nature of the story were not immediately appealling in the conservative arena of international film finance. Yet these were precisely the things that inspired Nick Hornby when he first read Lynn Barber's memoir in Granta one Saturday morning. In commissioning 'An Education', BBC Films was able to provide vital early development and cornerstone finance while the BBC Films brand helped in eventually attracting the necessary investment from elsewhere.

Nick Hornby's nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay is very gratifying, given his relative freshness in this territory as is that for Armando Iannucci, in the same category, for 'In The Loop'. Indeed, recognition for 'In The Loop' signifies a very successful transition for Armando Iannucci from television into film and a celebration of what can be achieved within BBC Fiction when new opportunities are extended to the best creative talent.

In some categories, our films will be in competition with each other. We have three nominations in the Outstanding British Film category, for example for 'An Education', 'In The Loop' and Andrea Arnold's 'Fish Tank'. To be nominated, alone, is clearly an honour and a testament to the range of films that can be produced, can really connect with an audience and be celebrated as part of a rich and eclectic British film culture. The hope is that a presence like this will help communicate the BBC's commitment to the film industry and to film culture. Needless to say, we hope that the profile raising aspect of the nominations will also help to make our films a vital part of the television schedules when they eventually come to the small screen.
(Christine Langan is the Creative Director of BBC Films)