introduction and objectives
European Film Promotion (EFP) is appointed by Creative Europe – MEDIA of the European Union to facilitate sales of European films to countries outside of Europe. EFP implemented Film Sales Support (FSS), an incentive which reimburses up to 50 per cent of promotion and marketing campaigns undertaken by associated European sales companies for European films at selected non-European film festivals and markets.
eligibility
1. Films
Eligible for reimbursement are campaigns for recent completed European fiction films, animated films or documentaries with a minimum duration of 60 minutes participating in one of the main sections of the selected festivals or marketed at the chosen markets.
Recent films, refers to the original copyright of a film being established in the current year of application or three years prior to the current year of application. Excluded are films consisting of advertising or containing pornographic or racist material as well as those advocating violence.
Films have to be majority produced by a producer or producers established in the countries participating in Creative Europe – MEDIA and have to have been made with a significant participation by professionals who are citizens/residents of the countries participating in Creative Europe – MEDIA (ANNEX, point 1).
Significant participation is defined as 10 or more points under the following scheme. In case of documentaries or animated films that do not have all of the components (for example actors etc.) and where the total is therefore less than 19, films need to achieve more than half of the points of the maximum total.
| Points | |
| Director | 3 |
| Scriptwriter | 3 |
| Composer | 1 |
| Actor 1 | 2 |
| Actor 2 | 2 |
| Actor 3 | 2 |
| Production Design / Art Direction | 1 |
| Director of Photography | 1 |
| Editor | 1 |
| Sound | 1 |
| Shooting Location | 1 |
| Laboratory | 1 |
| Total | 19 |
Films From Switzerland
Thanks to new international measures by Federal Office of Culture, Media Desk Suisse and SWISS FILMS, FSS is also available for the promotion of films from Switzerland outside of Europe including Slate Funding. FSS for films from Switzerland does not limit the number of eligible FSS applications per festival or market which are backed by Creative Europe–MEDIA.
2. Beneficiaries
Eligible for FSS are European companies, recorded in their national trade registers as active international sales companies who have an ECAS account and a Participant Identification Code (PIC) on the European Commission's Participant Portal and a signed Mandate with EFP making them co-beneficiaries of EFP.
Qualification
The applying sales company has to be based in one of the EU countries, the EEA or countries associated with Creative Europe – MEDIA. The European company has to be owned, whether directly or by majority participation, by nationals of member states of the European Union and of the European Economic Agreement (or nationals of the other European countries participating in Creative Europe – MEDIA and registered in one of these countries (ANNEX, point 1).
Definition world sales company
The world sales company is an important partner for filmmakers, producers and distributors, acting as an international distributor, in a lot of different ways:
- Direct financial participation in the films (often from writing stage and early with pre-sales, co-productions)
- Licensing the films for all releases (theatrical, VoD – transactional and subscription, TV)
- Supervising the deals and controlling releases costs on each territory
- International marketing and promotion of films to foreign distributors (editorial line, teasers, posters, press releases)
- Special relationship with and attendance at all important film festivals and markets throughout the world
- International vision of the markets with technical evaluation and "know-how"
- Follow-up with the international career of the film
- Promotion and discovery of new talents
applications
1. Single Applications
FSS reimburses costs for promotional campaigns for European films at the below festivals and markets. Up to a maximum of three single applications for three different films per sales company per festival and for two different films per sales company per market are eligible.
Films, for which reimbursement is being applied for at the respective festivals, must screen in one of the sections of the respective festival. Films for which reimbursement is being applied for at the available market must not necessarily be part of the respective festival running alongside the respective market.
FSS is not available for a further campaign of the same film at a different festival or market. This applies for single as well as Slate Funding applications (see below).
*** click here for eligible festivals and markets ***
2. Slate Funding
Slate Funding offers sales companies the option to hand in one application only for the promotion of a film at two different events, giving them the financial security to plan ahead, channel their resources and synchronize marketing measures to the benefit of a wider sales approach, covering more territories.
*** click here for eligible combinations ***
Sales companies may submit ONE application only for FSS Slate Funding. Additionally, one further single application for another European film at the Toronto International Film Festival, the Asian Film Market and the American Film Market each may be submitted.
reimbursable costs
The budget to be submitted by the sales company to EFP for reimbursement must include costs for a substantial amount of promotional activities at the respective festival or market. The following costs for promotional and sales measures are eligible for reimbursement at the respective festival or market where applicable:
- production of promotional and advertising material, (posters, brochures, flyers, press kits, screeners, merchandising)
- publication costs (costs for advertisements in the trades)
- public relations activities (any promotional activity for the respective film, hiring of a publicist, online PR by third parties (not employed by applicant), etc.)
- subtitling into non-English languages
- travel and accommodation for a sales representative*
- market screenings
- new digital promotional activities
- innovative ideas
As part of the promotional campaign for the FILMART, the Asian Film Market and the AFM, it is obligatory to book either a market screening, to take out an ad in the trades or to produce something with an added value out of the ordinary.
FSS cannot be combined with a grant awarded within the MEDIA action: Support to the International Sales Agents of European Cinematographic Film - the "Sales Agents" Scheme.
NB: *Flight costs are capped at €1,200 for an economy ticket. FSS covers a maximum of four nights at the FILMART and the Asian Film Market, seven nights at the American Film Market, Toronto, Sundance, Tribeca and Hot Docs. FSS covers two additional nights for the travelling sales agent in another city on the continent where the respective festival or market takes place to encourage more visits to buyers in their offices.
how much
1. Single Applications
Festivals
Maximum reimbursement per film per company and festival
(limited to three films)
€5,000 for one film
€2,500 per additional film
The support for the individual films may be split in a different way but may not exceed €7,500 for two films, €10,000 for three films.
Minimum reimbursement: €1,000 per film
Markets
Maximum reimbursement per film per company and market
(limited to two films)
€5,000 for one film
€2,500 for a second film
The reimbursement for the individual films may be split in a different way but may not exceed €7,500 for two films.
Minimum reimbursement: €1,000 per film
Reimbursements may not exceed 50 per cent of the costs incurred by the sales company for the promotion or marketing of the respective film(s) participating in the respective festival or market. They may also not exceed the maximum amounts available.
2. Slate Funding
Maximum reimbursement per film per company
€8,000 for one film at two events
Minimum reimbursement: €1,000 per event
If the beneficiary spends less than calculated, the reimbursement is adjusted accordingly. If the beneficiary spends more than calculated the reimbursement will not exceed the reserved amount based on the submitted calculation. The beneficiary has to inform EFP if he has received or will receive additional subsidies for the promotion of the respective film(s) at the respective festival or market.
Reimbursements are disbursed after the festival or market and after the beneficiary presents EFP with proof of payment (signature) of all eligible costs in relation to the promotion/marketing activities for the film(s) at the respective festival or market. The beneficiary has to prove that a sales representative attended the respective festival or market. Completed proof of expenses and payment of invoices has to be presented to EFP within one month of the end of the respective festival or market. EFP requires copies of all paid invoices of the real costs from the beneficiary. The actual reimbursement paid to the beneficiary will be published on EFP's website.
In case of support, the sales company agrees that any film stills and trailer links submitted may be used by EFP on its website, for press releases and social media campaigns.
annex
1. Countries belonging to the EU, the EEA and to Creative Europe – MEDIA:
Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Cyprus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo*, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Serbia, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the Ukraine and the UK.
*It should be noted that the agreement will still have to be ratified by the Kosovar Assembly before applicants from Kosovo become eligible to participate in the 2018 Creative Europe calls for proposals.
Films which are majority produced by countries which are candidates to join the European Union are only eligible for FSS subject to the coming into force of their country's participation in Creative Europe – MEDIA and subject to EFP admitting a member organisation from the respective country. The same applies to the country of origin of the world sales company.
Exception: As EFP currently does not have member organisations from Malta, Moldova and the Ukraine, films which have been majority produced by these countries are not eligible for FSS.
2. Countries not participating in Creative Europe – MEDIA
Countries outside the EU, the EEA and those not associated with Creative Europe – MEDIA.
3. Countries with a low audiovisual production capacity:
Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Cyprus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Kosovo*, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Serbia, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Sweden and the Ukraine.
maximum travel and accommodation/subsistence costs per country:
Maximum travel costs: €1,200 relating to an economy ticket.
Maximum accommodation/subsistence costs: costs for the hotel must not exceed the daily per diem as stipulated by the EU.
Charts related to the per diem covering maximum accommodation/subsistence costs can be found on the following website:
https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sites/devco/files/perdiems-2017-03-17_en.pdf
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