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British Film Institute signs up to London Paramount at Swanscombe

19:00, 17 March 2015

updated: 19:13, 17 March 2015

The British Film Institute is the next big name to sign up for the London Paramount entertainment resort.

London Resort Company Holdings (LRCH), the company behind the multi-billion pound resort in Swanscombe, announced this week that the BFI had joined the team.

The groundbreaking agreement between the two parties will see the BFI acting as a ‘cultural adviser’ to the £2 billion project, providing strategic input on how British films and talent can be best incorporated into the entertainment resort.

Plans include not just rides, but for an "entertainment city", featuring attractions such as theatre productions
Plans include not just rides, but for an "entertainment city", featuring attractions such as theatre productions

The BFI will ensure that the UK’s acclaimed film industry plays a central role and help connect new international audiences to a wide choice of British cinema.

LRCH already has a separate agreement in place with Paramount Pictures, the oldest major Hollywood studio in existence, which will allow the resort to access more than 3,000 films including iconic movies such as Mission: Impossible, Star Trek, The Godfather and The Italian Job.

“Having the BFI onboard with their unrivalled knowledge of the UK film industry will help us identify the right mix of British film and talent to entertain our visitors, who will have travelled from all corners of the world to enjoy the resort” - David Testa, director at London Paramount

It was announced in November that BBC Worldwide had agreed BBC brands could feature at the resort and in February it was revealed Aardman Animations, the Oscar-winning studio which created Wallace and Gromit, had agreed a ‘memorandum of understanding’.

London Paramount is scheduled to open in Easter 2020, subject to the granting of planning permission by the government. A planning application will be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in autumn 2015, following a comprehensive programme of consultation with North Kent communities and relevant stakeholders.

David Testa, director at London Paramount, said: “Having the BFI onboard with their unrivalled knowledge of the UK film industry will help us identify the right mix of British film and talent to entertain our visitors, who will have travelled from all corners of the world to enjoy the resort.”

Amanda Nevill, CEO of the BFI, said:“Plans for the London Paramount Entertainment Resort project comes as British film and film talent are attracting audiences and acclaim from all over the world, UK production is at an all time high and the UK is fast becoming the filmmaking hub of the world.

"A new destination that showcases film in such an ambitious and entertaining way has the potential to have a positive impact towards job creation, tourism and business growth so is a very compelling economic as well as cultural proposition."

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