Mirren calls for tax breaks
Actress Dame Helen Mirren is calling on the British government to offer tax breaks to filmmakers in a bid to save London's booming film tourism industry.
The Oscar winner spoke out over fears the UK's currently strong economy could prevent producers from choosing the expensive city to film in, insisting that the capital relies on the $30bn (€42bn) its tourism draws in every year.
She says: "Tax breaks are absolutely what is needed to keep London alive as film capital because we are facing competition not just from California but the Eastern European countries."
She commented on the situation when collecting an award for outstanding achievement at the 2007 Visit London Awards for promoting film tourism in her films 'The Queen', 'The Madness Of King George' and 'The Long Good Friday'.
