Caroline Lucas was born in Malvern, Worcestershire, in 1960. She joined the Green Party of England and Wales in 1986 and was elected to the European Parliament in 1999 for the South East region. She was re-elected in 2004 and again this June. In September last year Caroline became party leader and she's the prospective parliamentary candidate for the Brighton Pavilion constituency. She's married with two children.

What was the last film you saw? 'In the cinema, In the Loop. On video, Juno.'

Is there a movie character who has inspired you? 'Julia Roberts in Erin Brockovich. I have to say that John Travolta in Hairspray made a fab mum, too!'

What's your favourite film? 'To Kill A Mockingbird - one of the first films I ever saw and now my kids love it, too.'

In The Loop: satirical fantasy or too close for comfort? 'With Gordon Brown, there was a brief hope the sofa government of spin that existed under Tony Blair would change. Spin and bluff, however, remain the way that the main parties relate to the public at present, sadly. Malcolm Tucker is a fantastic creation, though - some of the most inventive swearing I've ever come across!'

Who's your big-screen sex symbol? 'How to narrow it down?! I'd have to choose two: George Clooney in Out Of Sight and Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire.'

What plans does the Green Party have for the funding of British cinema? 'The British film industry is the best in the world! We want to continue that by extending opportunities for people to enjoy cinema by providing support for non-commercial artistic organisations. We'd rather have funding for film efforts come from general taxation, rather than Lottery funding, as cinema benefits everyone. We would consider expanding projects like First Light (funded at present through the UK Film Council and the Department for Children, Schools and Families) to create our next generation of Ken Loaches and Andrea Arnolds.'

Do you think film has an important role to play in the local community? 'Obviously, film used to have a much bigger role in the local community. Now, with multiplexes and DVDs, watching movies is a lot less community-orientated. In Brighton, we're very lucky to have the Duke of York's, with its sofas, Eurovision party and special screenings. It's a real hub for the community - we're having a fundraiser there with Colin Firth next week. Film will always be a hugely important part of culture and entertainment.'

Re censorship, is the BBFC getting it right or do there need to be changes? 'I'd say they've got the balance about right. There was an issue of BBFC [British Board of Film Classification] examiners being under cost-cutting pressures to view sexually violent films on their own - rather than in pairs, which had been the case - and this should be opposed.'

Is the planned remake of Brighton Rock a good idea? 'It is good to see Brighton back up on the big screen. While it's unlikely they'll find a Pinkie to compare to Richard Attenborough, it will be interesting to see the story set in the 1960s.'

And finally, who would you like to play you in Caroline Lucas: The Movie? 'Samantha Morton, please!'

by Colin Houlson