Grant announcement: Production support

Application period

Application period ends on January 11, 2022 at 16:00.

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 purpose of the support is to promote high-quality, diverse and original Finnish film productions as well as the extensive supply and distribution of films.

To whom?

Production support may be granted to a film production company registered in Finland (registered company: limited liability company, general partnership, limited partnership, co-operative) with the professional and financial prerequisites to produce films and to manage their commercial rights in Finland.

For what purpose and how much?

The production support is aimed at the production of a fictional, documentary or animated short or feature film, documentary or animated series, or a combination thereof, based on an artistic plan.

Production support is not granted for completed films. A film is considered completed when its screening copy or digital master copy has been completed.

The amount of support
The maximum amount of production support is 1,200,000 euros.

Previous support decisions may be viewed from the Foundation’s support decisions page.

Development support for the film is considered part of production support.

How to apply?

Production support is applied for by submitting an application in the application system before the deadline given in the grant announcement.

The application consist of:

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

Prior to submitting an application, you must carefully read the relevant support guide.

The applicant is responsible for submitting the application within the deadline. Applications submitted after the deadline are transferred to the next application period.

Appendices to the application

Obligatory appendices to the application:

• Script
• One-page synopsis
• Production plan drafted according to the Foundation’s template
• Detailed budget (costs without VAT)
• Financing plan drafted according to the Foundation’s template
• Marketing and distribution plan drafted according to the Foundation’s template

Minority co-productions

If the support is applied for the Finnish minority share of an international co-production, the following appendices are required in addition to the appendices mentioned above:

• Deal memo for all joint producers or a joint production agreement with appendices
• Detailed budget of the Finnish co-producer’s share
• Detailed budget of the entire production
• Financing plan for the Finnish co-producer’s share
• Financing plan for the entire production itemised by country

The applicant’s appendices

Before the end of the application period, upload the documents of the production company to the Applicant’s 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 guides

The Foundation’s templates for the production plan and budgeting and reporting forms can be downloaded from the Foundation’s website:

Forms

How are the applications evaluated?

Support may be granted to develop a cultural product that

1. forms an artistic whole,
2. has content that is based on cultural values originating in cultural identity,
3. includes a significant contribution by significant creators and artists, and where the share of wages and salaries of the overall production costs is significant.

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 call for applications and available funds in the budget.

The film project’s content, artistry and production are evaluated as a whole, and the evaluation takes into consideration the applicant’s artistic and professional qualifications that contribute to the probability of completing the project.

Other support previously granted by the Foundation to the applicant is also taken into account.

Special conditions

• 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 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 Foundation signs a support agreement with the recipient.
• The Foundation oversees the use of the support and it has the right to audit the recipient’s finances and operations.
• The recipient must provide a written report and a financial report detailing the use of the support.
• The actualised overall funding of the project must not exceed the project’s actualised costs.

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

Decisions

The Board of the Finnish Film Foundation decides on the development and production support based on the presentation of the Film Commissioner.

Applicants receive a written notification.

Support decisions are made on week 10.

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).

Further information

Feature films: Production controller Pirjo Koskelo, pirjo.koskelo@ses.fi, tel. +358 9 6220 3031

Documentary and short films: Production coordinator Susanna Haarla, susanna.haarla@ses.fi, tel. +358 9 6220 3033