“Ten or 15 years ago we spoke about the end of Slovak filmmaking. It was a really, really difficult period,” Smatlak told FNE. Financial strictures and crony capitalism in the first decade of freedom following the 17 November 1989 demonstrations resulted in a struggling film industry without even a film studio and post-production facilities. Slovakia was barely turning out two films a year at its worst.

Compare that to the current situation, when the annual output has risen to 10-12 Slovak films with theatrical distribution, and signs that Slovak audiences are beginning to embrace domestic films.

“Slovak film has been resurrected,” Smatlak said. “I’m happy that Slovak filmmaking is able to join an international context.”

Attendance for Slovak films has risen to 6-7 percent, compared to 1 percent during its dark period. Slovak decision makers are looking at ways to build on that. Smatlak was on his way to meet with small cinema operators in the Central Slovak city of Martin to discuss giving automatic support to cinemas that screen Slovak films. At hand is a proposal to give 1 EUR for each ticket sold to a Slovak film. The funds would be distributed to cinema operators at the end of the year. “It’s a motivation to show Slovak films and attract audiences,” Smatlak said.

Slovakia has also approved a new scheme to provide soft loans for film production beginning in 2015. Eligible films must be approved for a grant from the Slovak Audiovisual Fund. Also under discussion is an increase in the fund’s budget. The government is expected to provide an addition of 500,000 EUR in 2015, and beginning in 2016 VOD operators will be obliged to contribute a percentage of sales to the fund. There is also talk of increased support from private TV and an increase in the amount collected from the sale of cinema tickets, rising from .03 EUR per ticket to .05 EUR. Altogether, that could amount to over 7m EUR for the fund to distribute, an increase of approximately 1m EUR.