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Creative Europe MEDIA Programme

The Creative Europe MEDIA programme is the European Union’s primary funding initiative for the audiovisual sector. It’s designed to strengthen the competitiveness and promote cultural diversity within the European film and TV industries. The program offers a range of grants and funding strands, with several directly supporting international co-productions.

• Eligibility and Scope: The MEDIA programme is open to independent European production companies from participating countries. These include all EU Member States, as well as several non-EU countries that have opted to join the programme. Funding is available for the development, production, distribution, and promotion of various audiovisual works, including feature films, TV series, documentaries, and animation.
• Key Funding Strands:
  • European Co-development: This strand is specifically for the co-development of a single project (fiction, animation, or documentary) by a consortium of at least two independent production companies from different participating countries. It aims to support projects with high creative value and significant cross-border potential, helping them attract further financing and distribution partners.
  • TV and Online Content: This strand provides financial support for the production of TV and online content. A key requirement for eligibility is a collaboration with at least two broadcasters from different European countries. This encourages the creation of high-quality series and documentaries that can travel across borders and reach a wider European audience.

Eurimages: The Council of Europe’s Film Fund

Eurimages is a cultural support fund of the Council of Europe and is another cornerstone of European co-production funding. Established in 1988, it provides financial support in the form of a conditionally reimbursable interest-free loan.

• Eligibility and Scope: To be eligible for Eurimages support, a project must be a co-production between at least two independent producers from different member states of the fund. It supports feature-length fiction, documentary, and animation films intended for cinema release. The fund also has a strong focus on promoting gender equality and sustainability within the film industry. A project must have at least 50% of its financing confirmed before applying.
• Key Features: Unlike some other funds, Eurimages is known for its selective, cultural focus. It supports projects that demonstrate artistic and technical cooperation, encouraging a true exchange of creative vision between co-producers. The fund provides up to 17% of the total production cost for fiction films and up to 25% for documentaries.

National and Regional Funds

While EU-level programs are crucial, a significant portion of film funding comes from national and regional bodies. These funds often have their own co-production agreements and incentives.

• Benefits of Co-production Treaties: Many European countries have bilateral or multilateral co-production treaties. When a project qualifies under one of these treaties, it’s considered a national production in each of the partner countries. This allows the film to access national funding, tax incentives, and distribution quotas in all participating territories. For example, a French-German co-production that qualifies under their treaty can receive funding from both the French CNC and Germany’s regional funds.
• Examples: The CNC (Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée) in France and the German Federal Film Board (FFA) are just two examples of powerful national bodies with robust funding schemes that encourage co-productions. Similarly, many regional film funds, such as Filmfonds Wien in Austria or the Wallimage fund in Belgium, also have provisions for international collaborations.

By understanding and strategically leveraging these diverse funding opportunities, filmmakers can navigate the complex landscape of European film finance. The synergy between pan-European initiatives like Creative Europe and Eurimages, and the a la carte nature of national and regional funds, creates a powerful ecosystem for cross-border collaboration, enabling the creation of films that are both culturally unique and globally resonant.