‘I Will Survive’: Forty Years of Amber Films and the Evolution of Regional Film Policy

Abstract

This article explores the academically neglected yet frequently contentious issue of regional film policy in the UK, via an analysis of the financial history of a single cultural filmmaking collective, Amber Films. Based in the North East of England, since 1969 Amber has created a rich oeuvre informed by a strong social realist ethos, and underpinned by collaborative working practices which attempt to integrate local communities into all aspects of production and exhibition. Despite the remarkable achievements the group and its work have engendered, the narrative of economic survival that frames its history is as fascinating as any formulated during the development of its feature films. Due to the fluctuating dynamics of the company’s relationships with a number of key film funding institutions and initiatives, the example of Amber provides an illuminating insight into the ambiguous paradigms that have dominated evolving cultural policies and procedures over the last four decades.