Pathe opens door
Revamp includes vow to expand fund eligibility
The lottery-funded franchise's financing will become 100% accessible to all British indie producers, in contrast to Pathe's first two years of operations, when two-thirds of its backing went to a select group of producers with which the company had formal first-look and development relationships.
Pathe -- one of three lottery franchise winners -- was awarded $53 million in 1997 to allocate to film production over a six-year term, the first fruit of which is Oliver Parker's "An Ideal Husband," produced by Barnaby Thompson and Uri Fruchtmann's Fragile Films.
Some industryites suggest, however, that the open-door policy, as Pathe exec Alexis Lloyd describes it, is something of an appeasement to the leading producers -- the group includes Lynda Myles, Norma Heyman, Sarah Radclyffe, Simon Channing-Williams and Michael White -- who helped win Pathe its franchise but then found it difficult to get backing for their projects.
There is also the factor that the franchise is coming up to its three-year review by the Arts Council of England (ACE), which provides the lottery funding and is certain to consider the general industry vibe on Pathe.
That said, ACE has expressed support for the change in direction. Lloyd also stressed that he would continue to work with Pathe's original producers on an individual and film-by-film basis.
Some of these producers sit on Pathe's overhauled board, announced at the same time as the policy initiative. Jake Eberts remains as chairman, and members include Radclyffe, Thompson and Fruchtmann (alternating), as well as Uberto Pasolini, producer of "The Full Monty."
