On the occasion of the 74th Berlinale, the 20 contributors to the European Solidarity Fund for Ukrainian Films made official its renewal for a second year on 20th February.
Endowed with €1.5 million, i.e. €300,000 more than in 2023, this multilateral programme, coordinated by the CNC, aims to support works by Ukrainian filmmakers whose projects have been interrupted since the outbreak of Russian aggression on Ukrainian soil or for whom it is difficult to launch new projects in this context.
The Fund also aims to encourage creative and technical exchanges between professionals from the contributing countries and Ukrainian professionals through co-productions.
When it was launched a year ago at the 73rd Berlinale, the Fund was financed by thirteen European countries and the EFAD association (European Film Agency Directors). Today, the association and 19 European ministries and national film funds participate in its financing. In December 2023, four new members joined as contributors: the Bulgarian National Film Center, the National Film Institute of Hungary, the National Film Center of Latvia and the Spanish ICAA.
Three films supported by the Fund in competition at the Berlinale
In its first year, the Fund issued two calls for entries and supported 29 projects announced at the last Cannes Film Festival. Three of these works will be presented at the Berlinale: The Editorial Office by Roman Bondarchuk (post-production), presented as part of the Berlinale Forum; Antonivka by Kateryna Gornostai (development), presented at the co-production market and Screaming Girl by Antonio Lukich (development), presented at the co-production market and winner of the Eurimages prize.
In order to continue to encourage co-productions between Ukrainian companies and those established in a contributing country, two specific calls are being launched from 21st February 2024: the first is dedicated to projects in the development phase (application from 21st February to 5th April) and the second concerns projects in the finalisation phase (application from 21st February to 15th March). The projects selected will be chosen by a committee of seven independent experts.
FULL LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS
