Grant announcement: Additional production support for film productions (Covid-19 pandemic)

Application period

The application period ends on October 20, 2020, at midnight.

The aim of the support

The aim of the Finnish Film Foundation is to promote the diverse, professional and consistent production of films in Finland. The Foundation’s values include participation, pluralism, cultural diversity and artistic freedom.

The aim of the additional production support for film productions is to cover the financial deficit of the films supported by The Finnish Film Foundation that are shot or will be shot during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In this grant announcement, film refers to a feature-length, short or serial fictional, documentary, animation or children’s film, or a combination thereof, that is based on an artistic plan.

The total sum of additional production support is 1 million euros.

Support can be applied for covering realized additional costs caused by the Covid-19 pandemic between March 15 – September 30, 2020, that have been paid, are in the production’s bookkeeping, and do not include VAT. The additional costs may include realized and paid costs from postponing the shoot or increased hygiene demands.

If the applicant has received or will receive support or additional support from other sources (incl. financers) to cover the costs, that sum will be cut from the additional support granted by The Finnish Film Foundation.

To whom?

The additional production support can be granted to a production company registered in Finland (a registered corporation or association) which has received production support from The Finnish Film Foundation for the same project.

For what purpose and how much?

Support is an additional production support for a project that has received production support from The Finnish Film Foundation and that has accumulated unforeseen additional costs during March 15 – September 30, 2020, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

How to apply?

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

Applicants fill in an application in the online application system that consists of an electronic application form and the necessary appendices that are uploaded into the system.

Instructions for the application system

Prior to submitting an application, the applicant must read the relevant grant announcement.

Appendices

The following appendices are necessary for the evaluation of the application. Other appendices that will clarify the situation may be added to the application.

Obligatory application appendices:

• An itemised cost clarification for costs caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, and realized and paid between March 15 – September 30, 2020.
  • The cost clarification should be verified and signed by an authorised accountant if the sum applied is 20 000 euros or more.
  • The cost clarification should be verified by an accountant and signed by the accountant and the applicant if the sum applied is less than 20 000 euros.
• A written report on the measures taken by the applicant in the production that were caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and that the cost clarification of the application is based on.
• A financing plan for covering the additional costs
• A written report on all the financial aid and payment reliefs given to the production/project for covering the additional costs caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

NOTE: The appendices are uploaded to the application system. You must select the right type of appendix for each appendix. If there is no suitable type, choose “Muut liitteet” (“Other appendices”).

Forms

How are the applications evaluated?

The additional production support is discretionary. The evaluation and comparison of the applications is based on an overall assessment that considers the purpose of the funds, the grounds mentioned in the grant announcement, the appendices of the application and available funds in the budget.

It is also evaluated how well-founded the additional costs have been and how directly they are linked to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Special conditions

Decision on the additional production support will made based on the cost clarification and other appendices.

Acceptable costs in the cost clarification include, for example, additional costs from increased hygiene demands or the postponing of the shoot.

• The project’s expenses are approved without regard to VAT. If the grant recipient does not have the right to VAT deductions, the costs may be approved with VAT.
• The Film Foundation may request further information if it deems it necessary for the decision-making process.
• A prerequisite for granting the support is that the recipient has complied with possible earlier support agreements and met their conditions.
• The Film Foundation oversees the use of the support and it has the right to audit the recipient’s finances and operations.
• The actualised overall funding of the additional costs caused by the Covid-19 pandemic must not exceed the project’s actualised costs.

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

Final report

The additional production support does not require a final report. The support recipient must however add all the additional costs caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the funding received for those costs to the final report of the production support received initially for the production.

Decisions

The Board of the Finnish Film Foundation decides on the additional production support for film productions based on the presentation of the Film Commissioner.

Applicants receive a written notification.

Grant decisions are made on week 47.

The decision is based on the act of government funding for the advancement of cinema (56/2018), the Act on Discretionary Government Transfers (688/2001) and the Administrative Procedure Act (434/2003).

Payment
The additional production support for film productions will be paid in one instalment to the applicants Finnish bank account after the support has been granted.