“At the time at which I joined the film industry, it was very remote from the cutting edge of British culture.
The virtues of independent, international film-making were celebrated on Saturday night at a starry British Film Institute awards evening at the Banqueting House in Whitehall.
“British culture was vibrant, changing fast, young people were speaking – the film industry was very distant from the cutting edge of British culture.
The award for the best short film went to the US documentary film The Rabbit Hunt, directed by Patrick Bresnan.