Film industry experts joined community, education and business leaders from across Bradford at a civic reception today to mark the start of this weekend’s City of Film celebrations.

Guests were welcomed to the City Hall event by the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor John Godward, who outlined the importance of the accolade to Bradford’s future. He said: “We are home to one of Europe’s fastest growing creative and digital industries: around 100,000 local people work in the sector already, translating into a GDP of £10.5 billion. City of Film is very much at home here.

“Film is an exciting business. With a fabulous film heritage and the National Media Museum at the heart of our city, our foundations are sound. We look forward to building on those foundations – today is just the start.”

Steve Abbott, chairman of the City of Film board and producer of A Fish Called Wanda and Brassed off, revealed activities to ensure the City of Film strategy – to be make Bradford a place to enjoy, learn about and make film as well as somewhere to visit because of film – will be achieved.

These include help to create community film clubs, a ‘People’s Cinema’ for amateur film makers at Bradford Playhouse and creative partnerships with eight schools where film will be on the curriculum.

Other schemes include the offer of five bursaries from Made in Bradford and a new City of Film PhD at the University of Bradford.

A tourism map of famous movie locations in the district is also to be released.

Mr Abbott said: “The initiatives launched are just some of the things people will see happening in Bradford over the coming months and within the next year.

“In the long-term we are working with agencies across the district to develop action plans in each of the four areas – enjoy, learn, make, visit – to enable us to achieve our vision. It is now time to mark our new status as City of Film and to start to see the benefits for the city.

“We have outlined just a few of our bold plans for the future of Bradford and really hope that the people of Bradford come out over this celebratory weekend and enjoy all that is on offer.”

Those who took part in the My City, My Family, My Film project – which features pupils interviewing relatives – were also at the reception.

The full film will be shown at the People’s Cinema at Bradford Playhouse on Saturday and Sunday at 2pm. A shorter version will be shown at a ‘Pop-up Cinema’ in Centenary Square on Friday and Saturday at 12.45pm.