How difficult is it to make an independent film in the UK

A.� Production companies in Britain are proving they can get punchy low-budget films noticed by Hollywood. The growing appetite for indie films among the UK's film culture is good news for small independent firms.�Companies such as Fruit Salad Films are releasing films independently - and distributing their work themselves, to give a voice for independent cinema.

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Q.� Which films have been successful

A.� The cult rave comedy Human Traffic was an enormous success. Fruit Salad Films has come up with a new film South West Nine which has attracted interest from some of the biggest movie-makers in the business. It is the story of six twenty-something characters on a rites-of-passge journey during 24 hours of a frenetic weekend in London's Brixton (postcide: SW9).

The film has been shot on several formats including 35mm film, digital video and CD-Rom, and has footage of war, murder and rioting, taken by writer/director Richard Parry, in his previous career as a cameraman. It covers the principal themes of youth culture, drug culture and clubbing culture - which have proved the benchmark for success of other independent films in Britain.

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Q.� Has South West Nine been released

A.� It was released on October 12. It was also successfully screened in Cannes in May, but after discussions with UK distributors, producer Allan Niblo decided to release the film independently. Fruit Salad Films say self-belief is vital for companies trying to do it their own way - independently of the big money machines.� If South West Nine can achieve the sucess of its forerunner Human Traffic, it could become the template for future independent UK releases.

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Q.� Which other indie films have made their mark

A.� The acclaimed multi-cultural romantic comedy Jump Tomorrow has been heralded one of the must-see indie films of the moment. It is the debut feature of Joel Hopkins who was awarded a $100,000 production grant after the success of a short black-and-white film called Jorge.

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By Katharine MacColl