Grant announcement: Film import support

Application period

The application period ends on March 7th, 2022 at 16:00.

The aim of the support

The aim of the Finnish Film Foundation is to promote an extensive and comprehensive range and distribution of films by supporting the broad availability and coverage of domestic films on different distribution channels and platforms, as well as a diverse range of international films in Finland.

The aim of film import support is to promote the import and effective distribution, marketing and presentation of high-quality, diverse film programmes that are broadly representative of world cinema culture and different film genres. The focus of the support is on those films that are not being distributed by international distribution companies, and that would not be imported without the support.

To whom?

Support may be granted to a film distribution company operating professionally, registered in Finland and managing film distribution rights in Finland.

For what purpose and how much?

Film import support is intended for the import and distribution of films that diversify the programmes shown in cinemas.

Support may be granted to the import of a film meant for cinema release, amounting to up to €15,000 and up to 70% of the actual import, distribution and marketing costs approved by the Foundation.

Support up to €19,000 and 70% of the actual costs approved by the Foundation may also be granted for the dubbing costs of children’s and family films in cinema distribution.

Import and dubbing support is applied with the same application.

Support is granted only for distribution in Finland. If the import costs of the film also include the costs of other countries, the applicant may include in the application only the part of the costs corresponding to the distribution in Finland.

The granted import support is intended exclusively for the applicant’s distribution and marketing costs in Finland, and it cannot be distributed to the film’s rightholders through distribution agreements or other agreements. The support is therefore not a return on film distribution that can be distributed to rightholders.

The total sum of the film import support from The Finnish Film Foundation and support from Nordisk Film & TV Fond for the same purpose cannot exceed 70% of the total cost of the project.

Previous support decisions can be viewed on the Film Foundation’s support decisions page.

How to apply?

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

The application consist of:

1. an application form
2. the application’s appendices
3. the applicant’s appendices

Instructions for the application system

Appendices

The applicant must submit the following appendices to the online application system by the final deadline.

Obligatory application appendices:

• the Foundation’s application form
• film distribution agreement
• the film’s marketing and distribution strategy (use the Foundation’s template)

Application forms can be found on the Foundation’s website:

Forms

Applicant’s obligatory appendices:

• A verified financial statement covering the latest financial period
• A valid extract from the Trade Register no older than six months
• A certificate of paid taxes no older than three months
• A certificate of paid pension insurance premiums no older than three months
• An up-to-date list of shareholders

For more details on the appendices, see the support guide:

Support guide

NB! The application appendices are uploaded to the relevant application appendices, and named according to the type of appendix. Documents pertaining to the corporation are uploaded into the Applicant appendices, and named according to the type of appendix.

NB! If it is not possible to submit certain appendices, an explanation of the missing appendices must be made and included in the application. Upload the explanation to the application system

All documents that require a signature can be signed using an electronic signature.

How are the applications evaluated?

Film import support support is discretionary. Granting the support is based on overall evaluation and comparison of the applications. The following guidelines are used to evaluate the applications:

The film enriches and diversifies the programmes of cinemas, and broad-mindedly represents new film countries, cultures or subcultures. The efficient, targeted distribution is evident from the film’s marketing and distribution strategies.

The available funds of the Foundation are also taken into account. Other funding and self-financing of the project are viewed as an advantage.

The focus of the support is on those films that are not being distributed by international distribution companies, and that would not be imported without the support.

Special conditions

Support may be granted for the import and distribution of a film that is considered a cultural product and that

1. forms an artistic whole;
2. that has content based on cultural values originating in cultural identity; and
3. that contains a significant input by creators and artists, and the share of production costs comprising salaries and fees payable to them is significant.

A film that receives support for cinema distribution must be subtitled in Finnish and Swedish.

The approvable costs of a cost survey submitted as an application appendix are the costs directly arising from the project that are in the recipient’s bookkeeping, paid net and exclusive of value added tax. If the grant recipient does not have the right to VAT deductions, the costs may be approved with VAT.

A cost survey submitted as a support application appendix must be authorised as accurate by a bookkeeper. The costs of a project that receives support must be booked to its own cost centre in the applicant’s bookkeeping. Purchases between affiliates must be entered without profit margin.

Once the Foundation has granted film import support to a film, the recipient must attach a mention of the film import support granted to the film’s press and marketing material and to its presentational information (including in the Filmikamari press service).

A prerequisite for processing a decision is that the film’s importer arranges a screening of the film for the party processing the support before the application is processed. The screening must be arranged in a DCP (Digital Cinema Package) copy. The copy must be subtitled either in the national languages or in English. If dubbing support is being sought for a film, the screening must be arranged dubbed in a DCP copy by which it will be distributed to cinemas. The viewing copy should be sent to the Foundation prior to the end of the application period.

A prerequisite for granting film import support is that the beneficiary has submitted the accurate and up-to-date information required to maintain film statistics.

A prerequisite for a favourable support decision is, for example, that the applicant has complied with possible previous support agreements and conditions set for the granting of support, and has submitted to the Foundation the outstanding final reports on support previously granted. If the applicant has several projects in a support relationship to the foundation, in this context these can be viewed as a single entity. For the purposes of making a decision, the Foundation may ask the applicant to supplement material that they previously submitted to the Foundation.

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, or the film has not been presented to the person processing the application. Applications submitted after the end of the application period will be processed in the following application round.

Payment

Film import support is paid to the recipient’s Finnish bank account in two instalments: the first instalment (50%) after the support decision has been made and the second instalment after the final report for the support has been approved by the Foundation.

Decisions

Board of the Finnish Film Foundation decides on film import support based on the CEO’s presentation.

Applicants receive the decision in writing.

Decisions are announced on week 18.

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).

Further information

Exhibition and Distribution Specialist Ilmari Arnkil, ilmari.arnkil@ses.fi, tel. 09 6220 3035