Flanders Government creates €5 million film fund

PRESS RELEASE: Screen Flanders is a new fund created by the government of Flanders that sets aside €5 million annually to attract more international (co-)productions to Flanders.

Producers will be eligible to receive advances of up to €400,000 by way of support to cover their expenditures in the region. The Flanders Enterprise Agency (Agentschap Ondernemen) will fund the initiative, with the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF) managing applications and marketing. There’s also a close partnership between Screen Flanders and the Location Flanders film commission. VAF CEO Pierre Drouot is to present this new incentive at The Producers Network Breakfast at the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday, May 20.

How to qualify for funding

To be qualified for Screen Flanders, applicants must be independent audiovisual production houses officially based in Belgium at the time of receiving the payment, with no direct or indirect link to a broadcaster. Foreign producers can work with local co-producers that fulfill all conditions. All feature-length films – i.e. longform fiction, documentary or animation films with a running time of at least 60 minutes – and animation series are open to support.  The maximum support per project is €400,000.

Every euro entrusted to a producer via Screen Flanders must generate at least one euro of audiovisual expenditure in the Flanders region. Repayment is made on the basis of total support as a proportion of total financing of the audiovisual work. There will be a call for applications and a series of deadlines for producers to submit their requests. A jury of cultural and economic experts will evaluate the projects on the basis of set criteria and rank the projects in order of preference.

Belgian Tax Shelter

Support from Screen Flanders can be combined with financing via the Belgian Tax Shelter, as well as with other existing forms of support. Tax Shelter financing is not a prerequisite for qualifying for Screen Flanders.

Call for applications

This measure will come into effect following the recommendations of the Flanders Social and Economic Council (SERV), the Council of State, announcement before the European Commission, and formal approval by the Government of Flanders. It is hoped that the first call for applications will be launched in the second half of this year. Once the measure has been formally approved, all information will be published on www.screenflanders.com and www.locationflanders.com.