The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry: Jim Broadbent and Penelope Wilton talk British film

Jim Broadbent knows more than most about British film. The Oscar-winning actor – recognised around the world for his roles in Harry Potter, Moulin Rouge! and Paddington – has long been a supporter of the industry, and has recently noticed that things are changing.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is in cinemas from 28 April.

Video transcript

JACK SHEPHERD: We've seen a lot of US studios come over to the country and kind of plant bases here as well. What have you seen that have been the biggest changes in the industry recently?

JIM BROADBENT: You don't-- I don't really notice that changes generally and I tend to approach the industry as if it's as it always was. Wait, wait, wait, for the jobs to come through. But then you realize that the whole difference that the streaming companies and the Netflix and Amazon and Apple and Disney have changed everything.

I mean, and I did a film with Amazon and they built a huge new soundstages and paying huge amount for the sets. And the crews are running out-- we're running out of crews, I think, to make all the films and the TV series.

PENELOPE WILTON: The greatest difference I think is the demise of cinemas and the smaller screens, which I think it's really does take away from a lot of the films. I think seeing a film in a cinema makes all the difference than seeing it-- and with a group of other-- with a group of people rather than in your own sitting room with perhaps by yourself or with someone else. I think that's the biggest difference, I think.

And I think bring back the cinemas or I think these picture houses indeed, you know, are doing a wonderful job because they're making it an experience. So you can go and you can have a drink and you can have a whatever. But let's not forget that there's a big screen there, and we can all enjoy it together.