British film world

More than £1 billion was spent making films in the UK during 2010, data released by the UK Film Council shows.

A record amount of £1.15 billion was spent making 119 films last year - an 8% rise on 2009's £1.07 billion spend.

International film-makers spent more money than ever in the UK last year, pouring almost £929 million into the production of 28 films.

The figures "highlight the importance of a strong film sector", said the UK Film Council's Tim Cagney.

Mr Cagney, managing director of the agency which is to close, said they underlined "the vital contribution that film makes to Britain's cultural and economic fabric".

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, The War Horse, Sherlock Holmes 2 and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy were among the many films made in the UK last year.

Yet the number of indigenous or domestic productions was down in 2010, with the 72 films made presenting an 11% fall on the 83 produced in 2009.

According to Mr Cagney, this was evidence of "how difficult it is to raise finance for making independent British films".

Audiences spent more than £1 billion at the UK and Ireland box office in 2010, where Toy Story 3 was the highest grossing title.

The UK Film Council's statistics cover indigenous productions, UK co-productions and "inward investment" productions with budgets of £500,000 and above.

Films in the data include those in the Harry Potter series, which were made mainly or significantly in the UK with overseas finance.

Last July it was announced the UK Film Council, set up in 2000, would close and that its functions would be delegated to other bodies.

From April the British Film Institute (BFI) will be responsible for distributing lottery money to film-makers based in the UK.