MIDPOINT´s feature-length film orientated program Feature Launch offered the post-production follow-up for its alumni project ZANA (writer and director Antoneta Kastrati).
This project was developed within MIDPOINT Feature Launch and has been awarded by the MIDPOINT Development Award of 8.000 EUR.
Moreover, ZANA has been selected to this year´s Works in Progress presentation at connecting cottbus.
First intensive 5-day session of “MIDPOINT Feature Launch 2018 – Editing Residency” has been organized in Prague the first week of December in collaboration with Studio FAMU.
Click here to find out more information about the Editing Residency.
Lithuanian parliament has approved a boost to the country’s film production tax incentive, increasing it from 20% to 30%. The new level will take effect from January 1, 2019 and the legislation has been renewed for the next five-year period.
Country‘s filming profile has been rising in recent years, with high-profile, big-budget. dramas. Lithuania has hosted numerous major international productions in recent years, including HBO‘s Chernobyl, BBC‘s War and Peace, Netflix’s Tokyo Trial and many more. During the first 4 year period until 2018, Lithuania received €24.4 million worth of investment from foreign film producers. A total of 68 filmmakers made use of the tax incentive, and 23 international movies benefited from the scheme.
2018 has been a grand year to Lithuanian film industry - expenditure on film production is expected to be total €27 million with more than €5 million of that amount coming from local businesses.
During the 4 year period when the tax incentive for film production was offered Lithuania managed to entrench itself in the market of audiovisual services exports and successfully compete with both neighbouring and Western European countries. Local film professionals have earned trust of the most prominent film production companies. This enhances the image of the Lithuanian film industry as a reliable partner.
The updated tax incentive is available for fiction films, TV films, documentaries and animation films. At least 80% of eligible film production costs must be incurred in Lithuania and the total amount of eligible spend in Lithuania has to be no less than 43,000 EUR. The incentives has been extended until the end of 2023.
Film Center Serbia announced the latest round of 2018 grants on 5 December 2018.
BUCHAREST: The Austrian company Cineplexx, one of the most important operators in the CEE region, enters the Romanian market and plans to open eight cinemas with an investment of 25 m EUR until 2021. Moreover the company is prospecting a refurbishment project.
The 8th day of HUNGER STRIKE of Armenian producer, who protests against government injustice
Press releases 11-12-2018On December 3rd at 15:00 Armenian producer Hovhanness Galstyan has started the Huger Strike to show a protest against government injustice towards film project "My Grandma's Locks" - coproduction between Armenia, Bulgaria and Germany.
The Government of Republic of Armenia didn't give promised financing for the film and this fact damaged production plan and stopped the whole production process.
According to the agreement (13.11.2015 , number 329) signed by National Cinema Center of Armenia and Parallels Film Production Company the film project “My Grandma's Locks “ should get all the financings till the end of 2018 and this didn't happen. In 2018, the Cinema Center has adopted a new Regulation and cancelled its previous responsibilities of financially supporting the film by breaking the law.
The company has filed a lawsuit against The National Cinema Center of Armenia. In case of no guarantees for the fulfillment of responsibilities that were taken by the National Cinema Center by the end of 2018, the international partners and investors of the film will also file a lawsuit against the Republic of Armenia demanding a compensation for the invested money and their losses.
Despite all these obstacles international co-producers from Bulgaria (Vasili Sharkevich, Jelfim) and Germany ( Laura Clever, Clever Production) support their Armenian colleague in this fight and continue to strive for justice.
Also, one of the main film distributors is the biggest Russian distribution company, who is very interested in implementation of the project and continue to cooperate with production team.
This Hunger Strike is the 1st phase of the consistent battle to publicize the vicious things that have been happening in the State regulation of the Culture for decades and to reform the system of the Film Management in Armenia.
The following grants were announced by the Czech Film Fund on 10 December 2018.
The Macedonian Film Agency announced the second deadline decision for production grants for feature, short, animation films and documentaries on 7 December 2018.
BERLIN: Actors from Estonia, Macedonia, Poland and Serbia are among the ten European Shooting Stars 2019, who will be presented during the Berlinale from 8 to 11 February 2019.
EFP (European Film Promotion) proudly presents the ten best up-and-coming actors from Europe who will be honoured at the Berlin International Film Festival 2019.
EUROPEAN SHOOTING STARS (ESS) – now in its 22nd year – will present ten of the best up-and-coming acting talents from Europe who are deemed ready to step out onto the international film scene by a jury of industry experts. The event taking place between 8th – 11th February 2019 during the 69th Berlin International Film Festival will introduce five actresses and five actors to the film industry, public and international press. In addition to the public exposure, the pro-gramme provides a special platform for the Stars to meet casting directors, producers and filmmakers in one-on-one meetings, offering a unique opportunity to create the personal con-tacts and networks needed to embark upon an international career. The busy weekend culmi-nates in an awards ceremony at the Berlinale Palast on Monday 11th February, where each ac-tor will be honoured with the EUROPEAN SHOOTING STARS Award donated by Leysen1855. EFP’s prolific talent platform is financially supported by the Creative Europe – MEDIA Pro-gramme of the European Union and the respective EFP member organisations.
Click HERE for the full press release.
FNE asked Rolandas Kvietkauskas, Director of the Lithuanian Film Centre, about the effectiveness of the Lithuanian tax incentives and what will be new in 2019.
