III. Grants» MEDIA»

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 EUR. The European Commission has planned a new programme, Creative Europe, which will begin in 2014 and covers the MEDIA, MEDIA Mundus and Culture programmes. It will contain financial instruments for providing loans to small and mid-size companies dealing in culture. According to the Commission’s plan, the MEDIA programme is to focus on supporting the development of digital distribution, new technologies, attracting new viewers and film literacy. The proposed budget for the Creative Europe programme is EUR 1.8 billion, which represent an increase of 37% compared to current budgets. EUR 900 million will be earmarked for the MEDIA programme.

As in previous years, in 2011 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 in the area of MEDIA Development and in providing information on new trends in the audiovisual industry. In 2011, efforts were mainly geared toward increasing the spectrum of projects and improving the quality of applications in the MEDIA Development programme, thereby increasing the chances of Czech entities in the steep European competition. Attention was also devoted to the matter of new technologies – especially transmedia and the informing the professional public of the latest trends in this area.

Clearly the largest activity was the panel discussion entitled Audio-Visual Production and Distribution in the digital era: Changes in Current Business Models. This discussion was held in November 2011 and was organized in conjunction with the Screenleaders EU educational programme and FAMUFest festival. Other important events in 2011 included the Digital Age of Cinemas seminar that was organized in collaboration with the Pro Digi association and European Film Days festival. The second annual workshop for screenwriters, miniMIDPOINT, which MEDIA Desk organized in conjunction with the MIDPOINT educational programme and Czech Film Center, met with a strong response.

The year 2011 was extremely successful for the Czech Republic in the MEDIA programme. We received the largest amount of support to date - EUR 2,214,605. Support was received for the first time for the application within the framework of the Pilot Projects – the In Vitro project of the company Artcam, which received more than EUR 125,000. The next biggest success of the MEDIA programme in the Czech Republic in 2011 belongs to the film House (Dům/Dom) supported by MEDIA Development at Berlinale 2011. In 2011 other films that had received past support were launched in Czech cinemas, including the feature films Perfect Days (Perfect Days), Innocence (Nevinnost), Alois Nebel (Alois Nebel) and Flower Buds (Poupata).

MEDIA PROGRAMME IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN 2011

As in previous years, the European Union MEDIA programme also played in 2011 an important and, in the case of some projects, essential role in the support of the Czech audiovisual industry. Czech projects received in 2011 from the MEDIA programme the highest amount ever for the programme in the Czech Republic – EUR 2,214,605.

Film producers received a total of EUR 351,250 for the development of ten new projects. Most of the support was granted to individual projects and most of the projects were for documentary films. The highest sum – EUR 75,000 went to Helena Třeštíková to develop a set of three time-lapse documentary films. The Czech rate of success is slightly above the European average. Documentary or animated films have a higher chance of receiving support in this programme.

Distributors received a total of EUR 404,107. As part of the selective support of distribution, EUR 104,600 was distributed to twenty-seven projects; support ranged from EUR 1,000 to 12,000. On average the support for presenting individual films is lower than in the past. This is due to the rise in the number of new distributors on the market. Verbascum Imago is one example in the Czech Republic. In the programme of automatic support, distributors reinvested up to 18 projects of EUR 299,507, which was EUR 14,000 more than in 2010. Distributor investment was injected to minimum guarantees for new European films (9 films, EUR 68,705) and to promoting the presentation of European films in cinemas (9 films EUR 230,802). The largest reinvestment was made by SPI International Czech Republic, which used a total EUR 179,022 from the potential fund, of which over EUR 121,000 was used to present the children's animated film Sammy's Adventures.

Applicants in the MEDIA Training programme received the highest share of support this time – EUR 569,563. All projects from past year received support – IDF, CIANT, FAMU and ANOMALIA. The highest sum – EUR 150,000 – went to the MIDPOINT screenwriting programme coordinated by the Film and Television Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU).

Seven Czech film festivals received EUR 334,251 as part of the MEDIA Festivals programme. The highest amount - nearly EUR 75,000 went to organizers of the Zlín International Film Festival for Children and Youth. The Festival Over the River newly received support; three festivals are supported as part of multi-year contracts.

In the VoD (video-on-demand) programme the documentary film portal DocAlliance.com received support again this year. The Czech Republic also received support for the first time ever in the Pilot Projects. Artcam received EUR 125,00 for its InVitro online platform for creating content for alternative platforms.

Nearly EUR 300,000 went to the IDF East European Promotional Program for Support of Documentary Film as part of the MEDIA Promotion programme. The project DOK.inkubator, geared toward the preparation of documentary films for distribution on alternative platforms of the applicant CIANT was again supported – this time to a tune of EUR 98,000.

Also important is the participation of Czech cinemas in the Europa Cinemas network, which currently includes 28 Czech cinemas both in Prague and in the regions that can thus receive support from the programme. The Sokolský dům cinema in Vyškov was the latest to be included in network.

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. We can say that the Czech Republic draws support proportionately to the size of its audio-visual market.

1. MEDIA Development | (EUR)
a) Single Projects |
ATHANOR – Film Production Company, Ltd. |
– Insect (Hmyz) – animated film | 60,000
AXMAN PRODUCTION, Ltd. |
– Café Louvre – feature film | 40,000
BIOGRAF JAN SVĚRÁK Ltd. |
– Albatross (Albatros) – feature film | 60,000
Film & Sociologie Ltd. |
– Disintegration (Rozpad) – documentary | 25,000
Fog'n'Desire Films Ltd. |
– Romanies Go to Vote (Romové jdou do voleb) – documentary | 16,250
Golden Dawn Ltd. |
– Sugar Blog (Cukr blog) – documentary | 15,000
SILVER SCREEN Ltd. |
– Painted Birds (Nabarvené ptáče) – feature film | 60,000
b) Slate Funding |
Helena Třeštíková |
– Nurses, Bára, Anna (Sestřičky, Bára, Anna) – documentaries | 75,000
Total EUR | 351,250
2. MEDIA Distribution | (EUR)
a) Automatic Support – reinvestment – minimum guarantee |
35mm Ltd. |
– De Vrais Mensonges/Soints Complets (dir. Pierre Salvadari, 2010, FR) | 8,000
– La piel que habito (dir. Pedro Almodóvar, 2011, SP/USA) | 10,000
– La Chance de ma Vie (dir. Nicolas Cuche, 2010, FR) | 3,000
– Pina (dir. Wim Wenders 2011, SRN/FR/UK) | 3,000
– Potiche (dir. François Ozon, 2010, FR/BE) | 8,000
AEROFILMS Ltd. |
– Les bien-aimés/Milovaní (dir. Christophe Honoré, 2011, FR/UK/CR) | 28,243
Cinemart, joint-stock company |
– The Good Heart (dir. Dagur Kári, 2009, IC/DK/FR) | 2,400
– Hjem til Jul (dir. Bent Hamer, 2010, NO/SRN/SW) | 3,031
– Mamma Gógó (dir. Fridrik Thór Fridriksson, 2009, IC/NO/SW/SRN/UK) | 3,031
b) Automatic Support – reinvestment – promotion |
Cinemart, joint-stock company |
– The Good Heart (dir. Dagur Kári, 2009, IC/DK/FR) | 6,837
– Hjem til Jul (dir. Bent Hamer, 2010, NO/SRN/SW) | 6,201
– Mamma Gógó (dir. Fridrik Thór Fridriksson, 2009, IC/NO/SW/SRN/UK) | 6,237
FILM DISTRIBUTION ARTCAM, Ltd. |
– H ævnen/In a Better World (dir. Susanne Bier, 2010, DK/SW) | 12,390
– Mammuth (dir. Benoît Delépine, Gustave Kervern, 2010, FR) | 8,372
– Film socialisme (dir. Jean-Luc Godard, 2010, SZ/FR) | 11,743
FILM EUROPE, Ltd. |
– La belle personne (dir. Christophe Honoré, 2008, FR) | 4,600
– Legenda o Lietajúcom Cyprianovi (dir. Mariana Čengel Solčanská, 2010, SR/PL) | 53,041
– Sammy's Adventures: The Secret Passage/Le voyage extraordinaire de Samy/Turtle's Tale – Sammy's Adventures (dir. Ben Stassen, 2009, BE/FR/USA) | 121,381
c) Selective Support |
35mm Ltd. |
– De Vrais Mensonges/Soints Complets (dir. Pierre Salvadari, 2010, FR) | 2,500
– La Chance de ma Vie (dir. Nicolas Cuche, 2010, FR) | 2,500
– Pina (dir. Wim Wenders 2011, SRNFR/UK) | 4,000
– Potiche (dir. François Ozon, 2010, FR/BE) | 2,500
– Sound of Noise (dir. Ola Simonsson, Johannes Stjärne Nilsson, 2010, SW/FR/DK) | 2,500
AEROFILMS Ltd. |
– Another Year (dir. Mike Leigh, 2010, UK) | 7,000
– Submarine (dir. Richard Ayoade, 2010, UK) | 7,000
– Melancholia (dir. Lars von Trier, 2011, DK/SW/FR/SRN) | 12,000
– La solitudine dei numeri primi (dir. Saverio Costanzo, 2010, IT/SRN/FR) | 5,000
The Association of Czech Film Clubs, civic association |
– A Torinói Ió (dir. Béla Tarr, 2011, HU/FR/SRN/SZ/USA) | 6,000
ATLANTIS entertainment CZ, Ltd. |
– Ang èle et Tony (dir. Alix Delaporte, 2010, FR) | 4,000
– Polisse (dir. Ma ïwenn Le Besco, 2011, FR) | 5,000
– The Human Resources Manager (dir. Eran Riklis, 2010, SRN/FR/IS) | 4,000
– Tournée (dir. Mathieu Amalric, 2010, FR/BE) | 6,000
Cinemart, joint-stock company |
– 3 (dir. Tom Tykwer, 2010, SRN) | 3,500
FILM EUROPE, Ltd. |
– Bun ă a! Ce faci? (dir. Alexandru Maftei, 2010, RM) | 2,000
– The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (dir. Göran Olsson, 2011, SW) | 2,000
– Wer wenn nicht wir (dir. Andres Veiel, 2011, SRN) | 1,800
– Robert Mitchum est mort (dir. Olivier Babinet, Fred Kihn, 2011, BE/FR/NO/PL) | 2,000
– Lourdes (dir. Jessica Hausner, 2009, FR/SRN/AU) | 1,800
– Marieke, Marieke (dir. Sophie Schoukens, 2010, BE/SRN) | 2,000
– La fée (dir. Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon, Bruno Romy, 2011, BE/FR) | 2,000
– Mientras duermes (dir. Jaume Balagueró, 2011, SP) | 10,000
– Neka ostane medju nama (dir. Rajko Grlić, 2010, HR) | 2,500
Verbascum Imago, Ltd. |
– Au Voleur (dir. Sarah Leonor, 2009, FR) | 1,000
– L’ enfance d'Icare (dir. Alex Iordachescu, 2009, SZ/FR/RM) | 1,000
– Isolerad/Corridor (dir. Johan Lundborg, Johan Storm, 2010, SW) | 3,000
Total EUR | 404,107
3. MEDIA Festivals | (EUR)
AniFest Ltd. |
– The International Festival of Animated Films – ANIFEST 2011 | 65,500
The Association of Czech Film Clubs, civic association |
– The Summer Film School 2011 | 68,000
People in Need, n. g. o. |
– The International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival – One World 2011 | 35,782
Filmfest Ltd. |
– The International Film Festival for Children and Youth Zlín 2011 | 74,969
FRESH FILMS, Ltd. |
– The International Festival of First Features and Student Films – FRESH FILM FEST | 35,000
HEART of EUROPE, Ltd. |
– The River Film Fest | 20,000
Jihlava Association of Amateur Filmmakers/JSAF, civic association |
– The International Documentary Film Festival Jihlava | 35,000
Total EUR | 334,251
4. MEDIA Promotion – Access to Markets | (EUR)
Institute of Documentary Film – IDF |
– East European Promotional Programme for Support of Documentary Film – part 1 | 140,000
– East European Promotional Programme for Support of Documentary Film – 1 year | 150,000
Total EUR | 290,000
5. MEDIA Training | (EUR)
a) Professional Continuos Training |
Bohemian Multimedia, Ltd. |
– ANOMALIA, professional training in 3D Animation | 58,189
CIANT – International Centre for Arts and New Technologies in Prague |
– DOK.incubator 2012 | 98,500
– TransISTor 2012 | 130,000
Institute of Documentary Film – IDF |
– Ex Oriente Film 2012. Workshop of Creative Documentary | 132,875
b) Cooperation and mobility of schools |
Film and TV School of Academy of Performing Arts in Prague |
– MIDPOINT – Central European Script Center | 150,000
Total EUR | 569,564
6. MEDIA New Technologies | (EUR)
Doc-Air, civic association |
– Doc Alliance Films (VoD/DCD video-on-demand and digital cinema distribution) | 140,000
FILM DISTRIBUTION ARTCAM, Ltd. |
– InVitrO: The Talent incubator (pilot project) | 125,433
Total EUR | 265,433
TOTAL EUR | 2,214,605

Source materials provided by the MEDIA Desk Czech Republic office.