22-04-2020

Polish Film Institute Issues First Batch of Support for Filmmakers

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    WARSAW: Polish Film Institute's director Radosław Śmigulski awarded 187 grants to filmmakers seeking financial support. The Polish Film Institute received a total of 281 applications for financial help within ten days of the launch of the support programme in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

    The committee overseeing the programme is composed of: Łukasz Ronduda (recommended by the Guild of Polish Directors), Robert Kaczmarek (representing the Association of Artists for Rzeczpospolita), Ilona Łepkowska (representing the Polish Film Academy), Michał Szcześniak (representing the Polish Filmmakers Association) and Małgorzata Szczepkowska-Kalemba (representing the Polish Film Institute.) PISF director Radosław Śmigulski also attended the meeting. Of the 281 applications submitted, 187 received a positive opinion, 78 a negative opinion, and 16 applications were sent for verification.


    The support programme was established on 7 April 2020 by the director of the Polish Film Institute, in cooperation with the Polish Filmmakers Association, the Polish Film Academy, the Guild of Polish Directors and the Association of Artists for Rzeczpospolita. 

    "This situation is extraordinary; therefore, measures to counter the spread of the pandemic must be unprecedented and extraordinary. The effects of these restrictions are felt by all - although there are indeed sectors of the economy that have suffered particularly severely. The sphere of culture is one of the first to be affected by restrictions and will probably take the longest time to recover," the Polish Minister of Culture Piotr Gliński commented when the programme was established.

    Under the programme, filmmakers who are in difficult financial situations due to COVID-19 can apply for support in the amount of 530 EUR / 2,400 PLN. A person can apply for support once per quarter and the aid can be received up to three times.