This week the 20th London Film Festival opens. Of the 40-odd feature-length films to be shown, only two are British—and if past years are anything to go by, only a minute proportion of the total will be shown even in London, let alone on general distribution. What is wrong with our film industry? Why, with all our technical resources and professional skills, can we make so few good films ourselves? And why will the world's best work not reach our cinemas?