Film 4 is a free digital television channel in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, owned and operated by Channel 4, that screens films. The company has been responsible for backing a large number of films made in the United Kingdom. The company's first production was Walter, directed by Stephen Frears, which was released in 1982
Film 4 have produced many great films such as SlumDog Millionaire and Six Shooter.
Film4's most recent releases include Sarah Gavron's Brick Lane, Anand Tucker's And When Did You Last See Your Father?, David Mackenzie's Hallam Foe, which won the Golden Hitchcock at the Dinard Film Festival and a Silver Bear in Berlin, Shane Meadows' This is England - winner of Best Independent Film and Most Promising Newcomer for Thomas Turgoose at the BIFAs, Julien Temple's Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten, Lenny Abrahamson's Garage, which won the Prix Arts et Essai at Cannes' Directors Fortnight in May and Ken Loach's It's a Free World which won the Golden Osella for Best Screenplay at the Venice Film Festival this year.
Film 4 broadcasts from 11:00 am to about 8:45 am. Film 4 did not originally focus on broadcasting blockbusters, however nowadays broadcasts mainly mainstream Hollywood product such as "Aliens vs Predator". The channel frequently has themed nights or seasons in which a number of films centred around one genre, director or actor are shown. As Channel 4 also owns a film production company, Film 4 Productions, it shows many of its productions.
Film 4 was originally known as FilmFour and became Channel 4's second channel (after Channel 4 itself) when it launched on 1 November 1998. The launch night, which was also broadcast on Channel 4, was hosted by Johnny Vaughan and the first film to
be shown was What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.
The Last King of Scotland is a 2006 British drama film based on Giles Folden’s novel of the same name It was adapted by screenwriters Peter Morgan and Jeremy Brock and directed by Kevin Macdonald. The film was a co-production between companies from the United Kingdom and the United States, including Fox searchlight pictures and Film4.