Bristol UNESCO City of Film
The gateway to England’s West Country, Bristol is the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom and an established centre for cultural and creative innovation. Bristol may be best known as the home of Banksy, street art, hot-air balloons and trip-hop, but film and the moving image has long played a central role in its identity. Over 190 film and TV production and post-production companies contribute £288 million to Bristol’s economy, in an industry employing approximately 5,300 people.
What makes this UNESCO Designation special?
Bristol is home to a diverse population with at least 45 religions, 185 countries of birth, 287 ethnic groups and 90 languages. It is also the birthplace of Hollywood icon Cary Grant and home to BBC Bristol Studios which has been producing internationally renowned radio, drama and television since 1934.
Cutting-edge output from the BBC Natural History Unit since 1957 has led to Bristol becoming home to the world’s largest concentration of wildlife content producers. Award-winning studio Aardman Animations was founded in 1972 making Bristol a global centre for animation. Bristol is one of the UK’s most filmed cities; its Film Office has assisted location filming since 2003, and The Bottle Yard Studios has been attracting major film and TV productions since 2010.
Bristol hosts 11 international film festivals each providing a diverse and dynamic programme of events, drawing local, national and international audiences. Watershed’s Cinema Rediscovered season puts digital restorations, contemporary classics and film print rarities from across the globe on the big screen, Cary Comes Home Festival celebrates the life and Bristol roots of Archibald Leach, and the biennial Wildscreen Festival attracts visitors from the world over to celebrate cutting-edge natural history filmmaking.
Audiences have a choice of 11 cinemas, including Watershed, the internationally renowned film culture and digital media centre that links many of Bristol’s festivals, networks and initiatives together.
