German Film Fund

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The logo of the fund

The German Film Funding Fund (DFFF) is a film funding that came into force on January 1, 2007 on the initiative of the Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media , within the framework of which 50 million euros annually (in 2017 75 million euros for the first time) for the production of cinema films made available in Germany. All film producers who have their place of residence and business in Germany and who contribute at least 5 percent of the production costs are eligible to apply. On application, up to 20 percent of the production costs spent in Germany can be reimbursed. At the end of 2016, the DFFF was renewed for another two years - until the end of 2018.

target

The aim of the German Film Funding Fund is to improve the general economic conditions in Germany, to maintain and promote the international competitiveness of film industry entrepreneurs and to achieve sustainable impulses for Germany as a production location and other economic effects. In particular, the financing of cinema films for manufacturers in Germany should be made easier and the production costs spent in Germany increased.

Eligibility requirements

In order to be awarded funding, both the applicant and the film must meet certain requirements, with different requirements depending on the genre (feature, documentary or animated film) and depending on whether it is a first work.

Type and amount of funding

Funding takes the form of automatic funding so that the applicant receives a non-repayable grant without a committee decision if the funding requirements are met and sufficient funds are available. Funding is granted if at least 25 percent of the total production budget is spent in Germany. The amount of the grant can be max. 20 percent of the recognized German production costs. The calculation threshold for the recognized German production costs is 80 percent of the total production costs. The grant amounts to a maximum of 4 million euros per project (in exceptional cases up to 10 million euros), whereby the applicant needs at least the amount of the grant.

Request

The responsible body for the implementation of the funding is the Filmförderungsanstalt . The funding application must be submitted no later than six weeks prior to the start of shooting, as soon as the approval requirements can be proven or at least made credible by means of funding commitments, letters of commitment, etc.

Approval and payment

Funding can only be approved if the approval requirements have been proven and 75% of the funding has been closed. After delivery of the grant notification, the manufacturer must provide evidence of the total financing within three months and start filming or animation work within four months. If this is not the case and the notification of grant expires, the funding can - as well as for other reasons, e.g. B. if you fail to submit the documents required for completeness within a set deadline - you can reapply up to two times.

The grant is usually paid out after the film has been completed, the final costs have been checked by an auditor and evidence of the approval requirements. Upon request, payment in installments based on the progress of production (1/3 at the start of shooting, 1/3 when the rough cut is completed, 1/3 after checking the final costs) is possible. If the grant is over 2 million euros, the payment in installments will only be made upon presentation of completion insurance or a corresponding guarantee.

criticism

It has been criticized by numerous media and private individuals that foreign blockbusters are also massively subsidized with tax revenues. For example, 8.5 million for Monuments Men (2014) and over 10 million for The Three Musketeers (2011) .

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ German Film Fund | Current. Retrieved June 21, 2017 .
  2. ↑ Pointlessly subsidized wherever tax money goes. (PDF)
  3. ↑ Article 'Three Musketeers' gets $ 1 mil from Berlin (English)