Clint Eastwood appeals to save UK Film Council

London: American actor and filmmaker Clint Eastwood is fighting the decision to shut down the UK Film Council (UKFC).

The 80-year-old actor wrote a personal letter appealing against the plan, reports the Daily Express. The UKFC, which was established to develop and promote cinema, has fallen victim to massive spending cuts as the country’s new government attempts to curb rocketing debt. More than 50 actors, including James McAvoy, Emily Blunt and Bill Nighy, have signed a letter appealing for a reversal of the decision, and now Eastwood has penned his own appeal to politician George Osbourne. “I cannot stress how important the Film Council is to me. I have been following the news of its proposed abolition with great interest. The prospect of losing such a valuable resource is of great concern as we contemplate future projects,” Eastwood wrote in his letter. “The Film Council gave us the crucial detailed information we needed to make our decision to shoot in the U.K. with information on tax credits, availability of crews and other support. Without such assistance in the early stages, the likelihood of a London shoot would have been greatly diminished. Locales with active, knowledgeable film commissions are far more appealing to us as producers. I respectfully request careful consideration of these concerns in deciding the fate of the UK Film Council,” he wrote. ANI