Grant announcement: Additional film production grant (COVID-19 pandemic)

Application period

The application period ends on November 1, 2021 at 23:59.

The aim of the support

The aim of the Finnish Film Foundation is to promote the diverse, professional production of films in Finland and to ensure its continuity. The values of participation, pluralism, cultural diversity and artistic freedom are the starting points for fulfilment of the aim.

The aim of the additional film production support is to cover some of the financial deficit of films shot during the COVID-19 pandemic that have received support from the Finnish Film Foundation.

For the purposes of this grant announcement, ‘film’ means a feature film, short film, documentary film, animated film or children’s film, or a combination thereof, based on an artistic plan.

The support may be applied for to cover additional costs not including VAT arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, incurred, accounted for and paid between May 1 – September 30, 2021. The additional costs may include, for example, additional costs incurred and paid as a result of the rescheduling of shoots or increased hygiene requirements.

If the applicant has received or is receiving support or additional funding from other parties to cover the increased costs, this will reduce the support granted on the basis of this application by the amount of additional funding received.

The total sum of public funding given due to the Covid-19 pandemic cannot exceed 1 800 000 euros for one applicant or group of companies. (The Finnish temporary state aid scheme, approved by the European Commission)

For whom?

The additional film production support may be granted to a production company/association registered in Finland that has received support from the Finnish Film Foundation for the project covered by the application.

What is the support for?

The support is additional production support for a film production that has received support from the Finnish Film Foundation and has suffered and incurred unforeseen additional costs between May 1 – September 30, 2021 due to restrictions and recommendations arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Support may be granted for additional costs insofar as they exceed the incidental costs referred to in the production support agreement.

For ongoing productions, support can be granted for additional costs insofar as they have exceeded the reservation for incidental costs mentioned in the production support agreement in ratio to the stage of completion of the film. The applicant should clarify the stage of completion both in writing and as a percentage in the written explanation.

Support may be awarded only for additional direct costs linked to the project.

How to apply?

Applications are submitted to the application system by submitting the application and all of the appendices to the Finnish Film Foundation before the deadline noted in the grant announcement.

Applicants fill in an application in the application system that consists of an application form and the required appendices of 1) the applicant and 2) the application that must be uploaded into the system.

Before applying for the support, the applicant must carefully read the grant announcement.

Appendices

The appendices listed below are necessary for the evaluation of the application; other appendices clarifying the situation of the applicant may also be added to the application.

Obligatory application appendices:

• A detailed breakdown of the additional costs incurred and paid in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic between May 1 – September 30, 2021.
• The cost statement must be verified by an authorised accountant and signed by the authorised accountant and the applicant if the support amount requested is €20,000 or more.
• The cost statement must be verified by an accountant and signed by the accountant and the applicant if the support amount applied for is less than €20,000.
• Written explanation of the measures taken by the applicant in the production covered by the application resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic on which the cost statement of the application is based
• Financial plan to cover the additional costs
• Written explanation of any other funding or payment relief granted to the production/project due to the additional costs of the COVID-19 pandemic

PLEASE NOTE! The application appendices are uploaded to the relevant application appendices. The correct type must be selected for each appendix. If a suitable type is not available, select “Other appendix”.

How are the applications evaluated?

The additional film production support is discretionary. The evaluation and comparison of the applications are based on an overall assessment that considers the intended use of the funds, the grounds mentioned in the grant announcement, the appendices provided by the applicant and available funds in the budget.

The evaluation also takes into account how well justified the incurring costs has been and how directly related they are to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Special conditions

The decision on additional film production support will be taken on the basis of a cost statement submitted to the Film Foundation and other appendices.

Acceptable costs of the cost statement submitted as an application appendix are, for example, additional costs caused by increased hygiene requirements or rescheduling of shoots.

• Expenses of the additional production support are approved exclusive of VAT. If the applicant does not have the right to VAT deductions, the costs may be approved inclusive of VAT.
• The Film Foundation may request further information if it deems it necessary for the decision-making process.
• A prerequisite for awarding the support is that the applicant has complied with possible earlier support agreements and met their conditions.
• The Film Foundation oversees the use of the support and has the right to audit the recipient’s finances and operations.
• The actual overall funding of the additional costs of the COVID-19 pandemic must not exceed the actual additional costs.

Support cannot be awarded if the application is insufficient and the required information is not uploaded into the online application system despite requests to do so.

Final report

A separate final report of the additional production support is not required. However, the applicant must include in the final report of the original production support for the film covered by the application all the additional costs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the funding received.

Decisions

The Board of Directors of the Finnish Film Foundation decides on the additional film production support according to a presentation by the CEO.

Once the decision can be seen in the application system, you will receive a notification to the email address you have given in the applicant’s information.

You may set a meeting for spoken feedback by emailing the presenter of the support.

Decisions are made on week 50.

The decision is based on the Act on the Government’s Support for the Promotion of Film Culture (1174/2018), the Act on Discretionary Government Transfers (688/2001) and the Administrative Procedure Act (434/2003).

Payment of the support
The additional film production support is paid in one instalment to a Finnish bank account used by the applicant after the decision.

Further information

Lasse Saarinen (lasse.saarinen@ses.fi)

Matti Paunio (matti.paunio@ses.fi)