Seeing the name of Bradford on this list might raise a few smiles just now, but in the future the Yorkshire city could well belong in such illustrious company.

Today sees the announcement that Bradford has been named the first UNESCO City of Film.

It is one of only 19 cities worldwide to be made part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and one of three British cities to receive the accolade. It follows Edinburgh – City of Literature – and Glasgow – City of Music.

The Creative Cities Network was launched by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) in 2004. The organisation, part of the United Nations, promotes the cultural development of its chosen cities.

The honour is just that – a badge of honour. In other words, there's no cash coming with the title. So what is it actually worth?

The man with the answer is Steve Abbott, whose iPhone won't stop ringing. But that's what you get with a famous film producer.

He is the man who chaired the Bradford City of Film bid, and he's stopped off in Leeds train station for an exclusive interview with the Yorkshire Post en route to Bradford to celebrate the news that his home town has been made the world's first City of Film.

A proud Bradfordian, Abbott is the producer responsible for Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, as well as A Fish Called Wanda and Brassed Off.

Raised in the Barkerend Road area of the city, Abbott was a scholarship boy at the Bradford Grammar School.

Abbott explains that when he entered the film industry 30 years ago, he had little choice but to move to London.

"I've lived away for such a long time, in London and LA, but I've always been very proud and very linked to my Bradford roots.

"Sometimes people from the city who go on to become successful try to be vague about where they're from. I've always been incredibly proud to tell people," says Abbott.

And never prouder than today.

He explains the significance of today's happy news. He says: "The UNESCO designation means a lot of different things. Firstly and most importantly, it will help to give some civic pride and a sense of self-belief to the city and the people of the city," says Abbott.

"But added to that it gives the city international recognition and an international reputation for film which it can build on."

The designation is one of those tributes that is difficult to quantify. As Abbott says, it could ultimately be little more than "something for the council to stick on its letterhead".

But, he says, the truth is it adds gravitas to the city and adds confidence to the people making films in the city, to people watching films in the city and to the city's reputation as somewhere serious about film.

Today's announcement has been a long time coming for those involved. The bid chaired by Abbott involved a huge number of individuals and organisations with an interest in the city and took three years to put together.

The city council supported the bid in partnership with the National Media Museum and Screen Yorkshire. The city's university and local hi-tech company PACE were also involved.

Abbott says: "When we first began discussing the bid three years ago there was no timeframe, which is unusual for this sort of thing. You would normally expect a deadline and a timescale. It meant we were able to take our time getting the bid just right. A good friend of mine was involved in the bids for Edinburgh and Glasgow, so I was able to talk to him and get his advice about putting our bid together."

Abbott began his career as a film producer on the Monty Python movie Life of Brian.

"My very first day on a film location was at Cartwright Hall, when we filmed the nuns doing cartwheels outside the hall. We also filmed on Ilkley Moor and out near Colne," says Abbott, who is also the chairman of regional screen agency Screen Yorkshire.

"I was very lucky and have been very lucky through my career. Once I'd got my foot in, though, I had to carry on my work in London and Los Angeles. It was unthinkable that I could have really built my career working out of Bradford, or even Yorkshire. Today it is much more possible for people to actually have a career in film and remain in the region.

"What today's announcement means is that we can encourage the film talent that we have here to stay. And we can hopefully attract other film-makers and film fans to the city."

One such film talent is Simon Beaufoy. The Oscar-winning writer of both The Full Monty and Slumdog Millionaire is from Keighley, still lives in the area and was most recently in Bradford for its International Film Festival held earlier this year.

He says: "This is superb news for Bradford and is testimony to the City's dedication to the film and media industry.

"Not only has Bradford played a crucial role in the story of cinema and helped shape its history, it has inspirational plans to enhance its future relationship with film, which will benefit both the local community and the industry at large.

"It is with pride, as a West Yorkshireman, that I celebrate this UNESCO honour today."

The city has a long history in film. Billy Liar, The Dresser, Room at the Top and The Railway Children were all filmed there.

Abbott says that the history of filming in Bradford was a contributing factor in landing the UNESCO designation, but for him one of the key factors was something which is already one of the city's gems.

"I can argue the case with films like Billy Liar, A Private Function and Rita, Sue and Bob Too, but equally a city like Liverpool would be able to point to iconic films made there," says Abbott.

"I think the thing that really made our case strongly was the fact that we have a national museum of film here."

Colin Philpott, director at the National Media Museum (until recently called the National Museum of Photography Film and Television), said: "Becoming the world's first City of Film is the ultimate celebration of Bradford's established and dynamic history in film.

"For almost 20 years, the museum has hosted world renowned film festivals such as the Bradford International Film Festival, Bite the Mango and the Bradford Animation Festival. These festivals have attracted acclaimed actors and directors who have all helped to make Bradford a unique destination for film. With the UNESCO City of Film designation, Bradford will now go on to achieve inspirational projects in film."

Abbott says the designation will make a difference to him personally. "In LA when I'm discussing films, you talk about England and people only imagine London," he says. "The fact that Bradford is associated with the other 18 UNESCO creative cities, up there with places like Melbourne, Berlin, Montreal and Seville, means that I can now talk about Bradford and do so with pride."

"The city can use the title to attract funding for film-makers, attract high-profile people and bring people in to celebrate the history and the future of film here. Essentially what I think I really need to say about this designation is that it is a unique opportunity for the city. Now we need to seize it."


Lights, camera, Bradford... a city in the movies

Billy Liar, 1963:

John Schlesinger directed Tom Courtenay as Billy Fisher in this classic of British cinema. Filmed on location around Bradford, including Undercliffe Cemetery. Based on the Keith Waterhouse novel, the film made a star of Courtenay and was nominated for six BAFTAs.

The Dresser, 1983:

A scintillating screenplay by Ronald Harwood, who also wrote the play, saw another great performance from Tom Courtenay as the effeminate dresser to Albert Finney's "Sir". Much of the filming was done at the Alhambra Theatre in the city.

Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, 1983:

The first film Steve Abbott produced was filmed in locations all around the region. In Bradford the crew used Cartwright Hall for a number of scenes as well as the surrounding moors.

Rita, Sue and Bob Too, 1986:

Alan Clarke directed this story which came from Bradfordian Andrea Dunbar. Much of the shoot took place on the Buttershaw estate in Bradford where Dunbar grew up.