08/02/2007

Last year, Czech filmmakers went on strike, criticising the then Minister of Culture’s failure to push a new film law through Parliament, which, among other things, would have guaranteed improved financing conditions for their work. This year, it is unlikely they will repeat such an extreme action as the Public Fund for the Development of Czech Cinema announced the allocation €5m in state financing for local filmmakers for 2007.

While the money is to be divided between features, documentaries, festivals and promotional projects, 80% is reserved for cinema works.

Protector (Protektor), directed by Marek Najbrt (Champions) and produced by Negativ, was given the largest backing, nearly €500,000.

Another €250,000 went to Negativ for Venkovsky ucitel (lit. “Countryside Teacher”) by Bohdan Slama ( Something Like Happiness [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Bohdan Slama
interview: Pavel Strnad
film profile]). Production outfit Negativ, which works with the country’s up-and-coming directorial talent, has received the lion’s share of the Fund for its projects - €1m.

A total of 18 feature films in progress were chosen for support. “We wanted to give more money to fewer films so the support can be significant. We also wanted to give more to festivals and promotion projects”, explains Fund Chairman Tomás Baldnýnsky.

The current €5m is exactly double what Czech film projects received in recent years and industry experts welcome the improvement. However, the Czech Republic is still lagging behind with regard to state funding support already in place in neighbouring Central European countries. In Hungary, for example, the state monies for film production last year were almost five times the new Czech amount.