Representing contemporary Britain

This article talks about how the British cinema has represented debates such as, sexuality, gender, class and ethnicity. In representing sexuality films such as, 'Calender girls' and 'The full monty' (both 2003 films) have been used as examples. The articles describes how both of these films are erotically charged but yet remain sexless. British cinema often tends to have a sexual desire to it but usually its represented in an overly casual way or a 'joylessly earnest' way. Regarding representing homosexuality in British films remains quite broad. It isn't seen too often and if it is, its in a subtle way.
The section about 'class': "According to the results of a poll carried out by the Guardian newspaper, ten years of Labour rule has failed to create a classless society." A lot of British films for example the full monty and Trainspotting clearly shows different classes. At that time Labour was introducing a classless society.
British films have been accused of failure to represent ethnic minorities. Richard Curtis has been said to be misrepresentative and there is an overall 'whiteness' to British films. Notting Hill was accused of "trying hard to whiten the most famously black areain London."
Success of Bend it like Beckham, with its British asian leading lady comparing with the achievements of a white English footballer, suggested England as a more multi-cultural country.
This article is a good, detailed break down of how British cinema represents sexuality, class, gender and ethinicty and how they were represented during the Blair era.