Estonian film projects and events received grants in the amount of 1,031,220 euros from the Creative Europe programme MEDIA in 2014.
Estonian film projects and events received grants in the amount of 1,031,220 euros from the Creative Europe programme MEDIA in 2014. External funding is extremely important for the local film scene, since it provides additional opportunities for carrying out larger projects. At the same time, the growing volume of external funding is a sign of the high quality of the Estonian film projects.
“We are very proud of this year’s result. The total amount of grants gives evidence of the fact that Estonian film projects and sectoral events are at a high level and competing successfully with such large film-making countries as France and Spain. On the other hand, we have to take into account that such amounts are not granted every year. For example, package grants are given for two to three years, therefore, similar amount may be expected only after a few years. Estonian film industry is small. We just do not have so many studios that would allow us to simultaneously develop up to five different movies,” Executive Producer of the Estonian Film Institute Piret Tibbo-Hudgins noted. “The strong competitive ability of our film-makers sets the local funding institutions in a difficult situation, since the film projects that have received development support also need production support soon. The situation becomes more serious after two or three years from now, when 13–15 films, financed and developed under the MEDIA programme, start to apply for production support from the Estonian Film Institute.
Allfilm, Homeless Bob Production and Nukufilm received the biggest grant under the MEDIA programme: they were granted 180,000, 180,000 and 152,000, respectively, in the form of the development support of project packages. The development support of single projects was granted to Joonisfilm (60,000 to the anime “Lotte ja tuldpurskav lohe”), Meteoriit Film (50,000 euros to the fiction “Põhjala instinkt”) and Nafta Films (30,000 euros to the fiction “Supilinna salaselts”).
MTÜ Pimedate Ööde Festival received a grant for involving the audience (for the project “Learning Through Films”) in the amount of a total of 56,547 euros under the MEDIA programme in 2014. The festival also received 63,000 euros of support.
Contact event Baltic Event, taking place at the same time as the Black Nights Film Festival, also successfully applied for the European grants and received 73,477 euros from the MEDIA programme in order to organise the workshop of the producers B’EST and 70,000 euros to carry out the event.
Estonian film distributors Acme Film, Aurum Distribution, Estinfilm, Menufilmid and Must Käsi 2 can show 24 new European movies by means of the support for cinema distribution. A total of 116,196 euros were received for this purpose.
Creative Europe Programme MEDIA aims to support the European audio-visual industry and strengthen the competitiveness. The next application deadlines will already be in January 2015.
http://www.kul.ee/en/news/estonian-film-industry-received-more-million-euros-grants-europe