He said the UK would look back within a few years on how it destroyed the independent film sector, depriving cinema audiences of original and diverse films in which the UK has always excelled.
The UK is facing the loss of its independent movie business, leading film-makers have said.
Ben Roberts, the deputy chief executive of the BFI, said the independent film sector remained buoyant, with plenty of actors wanting to fit those productions into their schedules.
His concerns were echoed by Rebecca O’Brien, producer of Ken Loach’s films, who said: “I’m quite pessimistic for the independent sector at the moment.