Country Focus: Switzerland
Swiss film gets €1.1m in extra funding
by Anna Percival
22/12/2009 - In 2010, the Federal Office for Culture will have a budget of €30.8m for film funding, i.e. €1.1m more than in 2009.
Unexpected in a financial crisis, this small increase, agreed to by Parliament, is all the more appreciated. It is mainly allocated to the development of film projects and the extension of the Swiss Cinémathèque.
The total budget for film support is thus €16m, which is split between production funding (€12.85m) and backing for promotion and distribution (€2.26m). The rest of the budget is divided between the Swiss Film Prize, as well as a grant aimed at minority Romance-language regions and administrative costs.
The amount allocated for Swiss membership of the MEDIA programme, included in this budget, is €6.66m. Other European commitments (including Eurimages) have a credit facility of €670,000.
A sum of €3.2m is earmarked for promoting film culture (promotion of Swiss cinema, festivals, awareness-raising among audiences, specialist film press). Finally, €1.55m will be devoted to training.
