South West Screen and BBC Films’ brand new digital feature film initiative, ‘iFeatures’, had its official launch last night at Colston Hall’s new foyer. The scheme, which is also backed by Bristol City Council, drew a crowd of Bristol’s hottest filmmaking talent.

iFeatures is a new funding programme, which will see three feature-length films developed and shot in Bristol over the next eighteen months. The scheme opened this week for submissions to writers, directors and producers from across the UK. They have seven weeks to submit their applications of ideas for feature films to be shot in Bristol, and early next year 12 projects will be selected by the partners for an intensive six-month creative and commercial development process. Three films will go on to be greenlit for production in June 2010 to be made on a budget of £300,000. The films are scheduled to premiere in early 2011.

iFeatures aims to tap into Bristol’s burgeoning cultural confidence in the wake of such high profile offerings as the recent Banksy exhibition, TV shows Being Human and Skins, and the acclaimed Encounters International Short Film Festival. Bristol’s filmmaking talent was recognized at this year’s BAFTAs, with the city’s Esther May Campbell and Aardman Animations winning in the Short Film categories. Encouraging collaboration between such local talent and the nation’s brightest filmmakers is a key part of the initiative, as is finding the stories that capture the essence of the city and its people.

The launch last night was attended by some of Bristol’s brightest filmmaking luminaries, including BAFTA award winners, Esther May Campbell (September) and Aardman Animations, Philippa Lowthorpe (writer of The Other Boleyn Girl) and Steve Lightfoot (who produced the recent BBC1 drama, Criminal Justice) as well as the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Bristol.