III. Grants» MEDIA»

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The Czech Republic became one of the member countries of the European Union MEDIA in 2002, and in 2003 national representation of this community programme was opened – MEDIA Desk Czech Republic office. The Czech Film Chamber provides for the office’s activities based on the decisions of the Czech Ministry of Culture and European Commission.

Presently already the fourth generation of the programme entitled MEDIA 2007 is being carried out with a budget of EUR 755 million. In 2010 a new programme was created to support the collaboration of MEDIA member states with third countries. This programme, MEDIA Mundus, is linked to the prepared MEDIA International action. MEDIA Mundus will operate until 2013 with a budget of EUR 15 million.

As in previous years, in 2010 MEDIA Desk performed its main task – to serve as an information and consultation centre for those interested in receiving financial support from the MEDIA funds or in participating in other activities financed by the programme. Most of the Czech entities such as festivals, distributors or educational projects are already regularly supported by the MEDIA programme. It could be said that support in these segments is drawn proportionally to the possibilities of the Czech audiovisual market.

Therefore, over the years the focal point of activities has moved toward companies just beginning and toward young professionals, especially in the area of MEDIA Development and in providing information on new trends in the audiovisual industry. Efforts in 2010 were thus geared toward expanding the spectrum of projects and improving the quality of requests, as well as increasing the chances of Czech entities in European competition, which, owing to the entrance of new countries into the MEDIA programme, has significantly intensified. In comparison with past years an emphasis was also placed on digitising and new technologies.

The most important events in 2010 included the Digitising of Czech Film Works seminar that was organized in conjunction with the Czech Ministry of Culture and The Days of European Film Festival. A novelty was also the GDS license forum that was prepared in collaboration with the Czech Games civic association. For the first time in history, film producers and computer game creators met here. The miniMIDPOINT workshop for screenwriters that MEDIA Desk organized in conjunction with the new educational programme MIDPOINT and RWE & Barrandov Studio Foundation met with a big response.

Nine Czech Lion film awards for 2009 belong to the biggest successes of the MEDIA programme in the Czech Republic in 2010: Protector (Protektor, dir. Marek Najbrt, 2009, CR) and Three Seasons in Hell (3 sezóny v pekle, dir. Tomáš Mašín, 2009, CR/Germany/SR) – both supported by the MEDIA Development programme. In 2010 another two films that received this support were introduced in Czech cinemas – the documentary film Eye Over Prague (Oko nad Prahou, dir. Olga Špátová, 2010, CR) and feature film Mamas & Papas (dir. Alice Nellis, 2010, CR).

Cooperating as partners with the MEDIA Desk office were the Czech Film Center, the MEDIA Desk Slovakia and Hungary offices, the Film and TV School of Academy of Performing Arts in Prague – FAMU, Audiovisual Producers’ Association – APA and organizers of film festivals. The office's operation was financially supported by institutions that act as benefactors to the MEDIA Desk's activities – the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and the European Commission, without whom the office would not be able to operate.

The European Union MEDIA programme also played in 2010 an important and, in the case of some projects, essential role in the support of the Czech audiovisual industry. Czech projects from the MEDIA programme in 2010 received EUR 2,019,015.*

The most support of EUR 570,753 went to film producers for the development of new films. Compared with previous years more projects of slate financing were supported. Altogether the Czech Republic received financing for the preparation of 12 mostly feature films. The highest amount – EUR 165,000, which is the highest support in the history of the MEDIA programme in the Czech Republic, went to the company IN FILM Praha s. r. o. for the development of a set of 3 feature films.

Distributors received a total of EUR 390,418. A lower amount than in past years is given by the fact that for the first time ever data was available on the amounts actually reinvested in the system of automatic support, which is more precise data than the amount of the potential fund, which a distributor does not have to use in the end. Distributors reinvested in the 25 projects EUR 285,918, in a vast majority to minimum guarantees for new European films (18 films, EUR 197,182 ) and to the promotion of introducing European films in cinemas (7 films, EUR 88,736). The company SPI International Czech republic, which uses a total of EUR 67,003 from the potential fund, had the highest reinvestment. Within the framework of the selective support of distribution, Czech distributors received EUR 104,500 for twenty projects; the allotted support ranged from EUR 2,000 to 15,000 EUR (the company 35mm for the film L´arnacoeur (dir. Pascal Chaumeil, 2010, FR/UK).

Also high is the support for MEDIA Training – EUR 458,960. All projects from past year received support – IDF, CIANT, FAMU and ANOMALIA. The highest amounts – EUR 150,000 – went to CIANT for its TransISTor programme and the MIDPOINT screenwriter programme coordinated by FAMU.

In the MEDIA Festivals programme there were 6 Czech film festivals supported; the highest amount went to the organizers of The Summer Film School in Uherské Hradiště. Three festivals are supported within the framework of multi-year contracts. In the new technology programme – Video-on-Demand (VoD) also again receiving support was the documentary film portal DocAlliance.com, while the IDF East European Forum project, which has been ongoing for many years, also received support within the MEDIA Promotion project.

Also important is the participation of Czech cinemas in the Europa Cinemas network, which currently includes 27 Czech cinemas both in Prague and in the regions and can thus receive support from the programme.

With the size of the Czech market, it is gratifying and interesting that Czech projects receive support in all main MEDIA programmes and that in the Training, Promotion and Festivals programmes all Czech projects are among the regular recipients of support. Among comparable countries we are, in this regard, exceptional.

An interesting trend can also be seen in the MEDIA Development programme. In recent years many individual projects did not receive support, but projects that are supported receive higher amounts. This is mainly given by the fact that there has been an increase in the number of successful applicants in the area of slate financing. On the other hand, barely any support is received in the area of TV Broadcasting, despite the fact that there is a considerably high level of information on this possibility. This is also a long-term trend and appears practically in all new countries. In the Czech conditions it is mainly given by the fact that production companies specialising purely in television production are just now beginning to profile themselves, and there is little demand from television for international projects – either documentary or feature.

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* In 2010 the methodology for calculating results was made uniform for all MEDIA member countries. While previously support granted to projects submitted in a given year was included in the results for the given year, from 2010 the results include amounts whose allotment was decided in the given calendar year. Therefore in 2009 and 2010 some results (e.g. from the Development programme) will overlap.

| (EUR)
1. MEDIA Development |
a) Single Projects |
Art And Animation studio s. r. o. – Jan Tománek |
– Goat Story with Cheese! (Kozí příběh se sýrem) – animated film | 60,000
Film & Sociologie s. r. o. |
– Summerhouses (Chatařství) – documentary | 25,000
Ivan Vojnár Film, s. r. o. |
– Without a Peep, with Just a Shadow of a Smile (Bez hlesu, jen s úsměvem) – feature film | 25,000
b) Slate Funding |
CINEART TV Prague, spol. s r. o. |
– My Dog Killer (Můj pes Killer), The Day of Happiness (Den štěstí), Late Blooms (Poupata) – films | 125,000
DAWSON production s. r. o. |
– Ferrari Dino Girl (Ferrari Dino Girl), So Far So Good (Zatím dobrý), In from the Cold – films | 170,753
IN FILM Praha, s. r. o. |
– Perfect Days, Tales for Tired Parents (Pohádky pro unavené rodiče), Innocence (Nevinnost) – films | 165,000
Total EUR | 570,753
2. MEDIA Distribution | (EUR)
a) Automatic Support – reinvestment – minimum guarantee |
35mm s. r. o. |
– Buried (dir. Rodrigo Cortés, 2010, SP/USA/FR) | 7,500
– L’illusionniste/The Illusionist (dir. Sylvain Chomet, 2010, UK/FR) | 8,000
– L’arnacoeur (dir. Pascal Chaumeil, 2010, UK/FR) | 8,000
– Le petit Nicolas (dir. Laurent Tirard, 2009, FR/BE) | 8,000
– Les aventures extraordinaires d’Ad ele Blanc-Sec (dir. Luc Besson, 2010, FR) | 12,000
– We Want Sex/Made in Dagenham (dir. Nigel Cole, 2010, UK) | 2,800
– Sound of Noise (dir. Ola Simonsson, Johannes Stjärne, 2010, SW/FR) | 4,800
AEROFILMS s. r. o. |
– Melancholia (dir. Lars von Trier, 2011, DK/SW/FR/IT/Germany) | 13,440
– Miracle (Zázrak, dir. Juraj Lehotský, 2011, CR/SR) | 25,963
BONTONFILM a. s. |
– Perrier’s Bounty (dir. Ian Fitzgibbon, 2009, IE/UK) | 20,985
| 7,680
Cinemart, a. s. |
– Desert Flower (dir. Sherry Hormann, 2009, UK/Germany/AU) | 5,368
– Mammoth (dir. Lukas Moodysson, 2009, SW/Germany/DK) | 1,440
– Szelíd teremtés – A Frankenstein-terv/Tender Son – The Frankenstein Project (dir. Kornél Mundruczó, 2010, HU/Germany/AU) | 1,920
– Submarino (dir. Thomas Vinterberg, 2010, DK) | 814
– Whisky mit Wodka (dir. Andreas Dresen, 2009, Germany) | 2,526
FILM DISTRIBUTION ARTCAM, s. r. o.
– Antichrist (dir. Lars von Trier, 2009, DK/Germany/FR/SW/IT/PL/BE) | 9,600
SPI International Czech republic s. r. o. |
– My Husband's Women (Ženy mého muže/Ženy môjho muža, dir. Ivan Vojnár, 2009, CR/SR/HU) | 56,346
b) Automatic Support – reinvestment – promotion |
AEROFILMS s. r. o. |
– En ganske snill mann (dir. Hans Petter Moland, 2009, NO) | 12,000
Asociace českých filmových klubů – AČFK |
– Ein Augenbl ück Freiheit (dir. Arash T. Riahi, 2008, AU/FR/TU) | 3,623
– Mr. Nobody (dir. Jaco Van Dormael, 2009, FR/Germany/CN/BE) | 7,171
Cinemart, a. s. |
– Whisky mit Wodka (dir. Andreas Dresen, 2009, Germany) | 5,484
FILM DISTRIBUTION ARTCAM, s. r. o. |
– Enter the Void/Soudain le vide (dir. Gaspar Noé, 2009, FR/Germany/IT) | 11,252
Magic Box, a. s. |
– Jánošík. The True Story (Jánošík. Pravdivá historie/Janosik. Prawdziwa historia/Jánošík. Pravdivá história, dir. Kasia Adamik, Agnieszka Holland, 2009, ČR/SR/PL/HU) | 38,549
SPI International Czech republic s. r. o. |
– Ne te retourne pas (dir. Marina de Vanov, 2009, FR/LU/BE/IT) | 10,657
c) Selective Support |
35mm s. r. o. |
– Buriet (dir. Rodrigo Cortés, 2010, SP/USA/FR) | 3,000
– L’arnacoeur (dir. Pascal Chaumeil, 2010, UK/FR) | 15,000
– Bébés (dir. Thomas Balm es, 2009, FR) | 4,000
– Serge Gainsbourg: Je t’aime (Gainsbourg /Vie héro ique/, dir. Joann Sfar, 2010, FR) | 2,500
Asociace českých filmových klubů – AČFK |
– Fish Tank (dir. Andrea Arnold, 2009, UK) | 5,000
– Yo, también (dir. Álvaro Pastor, Antonio Naharro, 2009, SP) | 7,000
– Panique au village (dir. Stéphane Aubier, Vincent Patar, 2009, BE/LU/FR) | 6,000
ATLANTIS entertainment CZ, s.r.o. |
– Cosa voglio di pi u (dir. Silvio Soldini, 2010, IT/SW) | 10,000
– Le refuge (dir. Fran çois Ozon, 2009, FR) | 10,000
Cinemart, a. s. |
– Desert Flower (dir. Sherry Hormann, 2009, UK/Germany/AU) | 5,000
– Szelíd teremtés – A Frankenstein-terv/Tender Son – The Frankenstein Project (dir. Kornél Mundruczó, 2010, HU/Germany/AU) | 4,000
– Submarino (dir. Thomas Vinterberg, 2010, DK) | 3,500
FILM DISTRIBUTION ARTCAM, s. r. o. |
– Antichrist (dir. Lars von Trier, 2009, DK/Germany/FR/SW/IT/PL/BE) | 7,000
– Deux de la vague (dir. Emmanuel Laurent, 2010, FR) | 5,000
– Marti, dupa craciun (dir. Radu Muntean, 2010, RO) | 6,000
FILM EUROPE, s.r.o. |
– Haarautuvan rakkauden talo (dir. Mika Kaurismäki, 2009, FI) | 1,000
– Videocracy (dir. Erik Gandini, SW/DK/UK/FI) | 3,000
– Wszystko, co kocham (dir. Jacek Borcuch, 2009, PL) | 2,500
Magic Box, a. s. |
– You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (dir. Woody Allen, 2010, SP) | 3,000
Verbascum Imago, s.r.o. |
– Miss Kicki (dir. Hakon Liu, 2009, SW/TZ) | 2,000
Total EUR | 390,418
3. MEDIA Festivals | (EUR)
AniFest s. r. o. |
– The International Festival of Animated Films – ANIFEST 2010 | 66,370
Asociace českých filmových klubů – AČFK |
– The Summer Film School 2010 | 73,868
Člověk v tísni, o. p. s. |
– The International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival – One World 2010 | 35,782
Filmfest s. r. o. |
– The International Film Festival for Children and Youth Zlín 2010 | 74,980
FRESH FILMS, s. r. o. |
– The International Festival of First Features and Student Films – FRESH FILM FEST | 35,000
Jihlavský spolek amatérských filmařů /JSAF/, o.s. |
– The International Documentary Film Festival Jihlava | 35,000
Total RUR | 321,000
4. MEDIA Promotion – Access to Markets | (EUR)
Institut dokumentárního filmu /IDF/ |
– East European Promotional Programme for Support of Documentary Film | 130,000
Total EUR | 130,000
5. MEDIA Training | (EUR)
a) Professional Continuos Training |
Bohemian Multimedia, spol. s r. o. |
– ANOMALIA, professional training in 3D Animation | 46,160
CIANT – International Centre for Arts and New Technologies in Prague |
– TransISTor 2011 | 150,000
Institute of Documentary Film /IDF/ |
– Ex Oriente Film 2011. Workshop of Creative Documentary | 112,800
b) Cooperation and mobility of schools |
FAMU – Film and TV School of Academy of Performing Arts in Prague |
– MIDPOINT – Central European Script Center | 150,000
Total EUR | 458,960
6. MEDIA New Technologies, video-on-demand and digital cinema distribution | (EUR)
Doc-Air, o.s. |
– Doc Alliance Films | 147,884
Total EUR | 147,884
TOTAL EUR | 2,019,015