28/04/2016 - The VAF has presented its annual review of the past year’s activities: support for ten features in production and, more importantly, 2.4 million admissions for Flemish films

With 2,408,508 viewers, Flemish films set a new attendance record last year. This number represents a 17.8% growth compared to 2014. Since the creation of the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), admissions levels have only surpassed the 2 million mark on three occasions. Of the 2.4 million tickets sold, 2.026 million were for majority Flemish productions. For the most part, it was Jaco Van Dormael’s The Brand New Testament [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jaco van Dormael
film profile] that accounted for the rest (284,323). This new record is thanks to the success of FC De Kampionen 2 – Jubilee General [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (632,300), Safety First [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (327,685), as well as films like The Ardennes [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Robin Pront
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interview: Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fal…
interview: Martha Canga Antonio
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trailer
film profile] and Ay Ramon! [+see also:
trailer
film profile], which all attracted audiences of more than 100,000 people. This record-breaking attendance rate was achieved despite the mild weather and the terrorist threat, which had a very significant negative impact on cinema attendance towards the end of 2015. 

In terms of production, the VAF Film Fund gave production aid to 68 audiovisual creations, for a total sum of €8,851,855. Assistance was given to the production of nine features, nine shorts, eight animated films, ten documentaries and eight filmlab projects. If you include the budgets for coaching, scriptwriting and development assistance, and performance bonuses, the total value of support handed out by the VAF Film Fund increases to €10,383,364.

The VAF is also very active in supporting televisual creations. As such, the VAF Media Fund gave grants to 16 series, including four animated series, four documentary series and eight fiction series. The total amount of aid given to these kinds of projects was €5,523,000. 

Also in 2015, Screen Flanders, the economic support fund, gave out €4.5 million worth of subsidies to 21 Belgian and international projects.

(Translated from French)