Selective Support
Distribution
Within the specific objective of promoting non-national circulation, one of the priorities of the MEDIA Sub-programme shall be the following: supporting theatrical distribution through non-national marketing, branding, distribution and exhibition of audiovisual works.
The MEDIA Sub-programme shall provide support for the following: establishing systems of support for the distribution of non-national European films through theatrical distribution and on all other platforms as well as for international sale
The aim of the “Selective scheme” is to encourage and support the wider distribution of recent non-national European films by encouraging sales agents and theatrical distributors to invest in promotion and adequate distribution of non-national European films.
The scheme also aims to encourage the development of links between the production and distribution sector thus improving the competitive position of non-national European films and the competitiveness of European companies.
Eligible Applicants
The applicants shall be a European sales agent company:
A European company acting as an intermediary agent for the producer, who specialises in the commercial exploitation of a film by marketing and licensing a film to distributors or other purchasers for foreign countries.
European company is owned, whether directly or by majority participation (i.e. majority of shares), by nationals of Member States of the European Union or nationals of the other European countries participating in the MEDIA Sub-programme and registered in one of these countries.
The sales agent must have been over the last 3 years the appointed sales agent of at least 3 films that have been theatrically released in at least 5 countries.
The sales agent must be appointed by the producer of the film by way of an international sales agreement providing for the right to sell the film in at least 15 countries participating in the MEDIA Sub-programme.
Eligible Activities
The activities to be funded are campaigns for the pan-European distribution of eligible European films, outside their country of origin, coordinated by the sales agent of the film.
A minimum of 7 different distributors must be attached to the project. Out of the 7 distributors: at least 3 from high/medium capacity countries27 and at least 2 from small/very small capacity countries28
The film must be released for the costs to be eligible:
- between 1st April 2019 and 1st October 2020 (first deadline)
- between 1st October 2019 and 1st April 2021 (second deadline)
The film must comply with the following criteria:
- it must be a work of fiction (including animated films) or documentary, with a minimum duration of 60 minutes.
- it must have its first copyright established in 2018 at the earliest.
- it must not consist of alternative content (operas, concerts, performances, etc.), advertising, pornographic or racist material or advocate violence.
- The production budget of the film cannot exceed EUR 15M29
- it must be majority produced by a producer or producers established in the countries participating in the MEDIA Sub-programme. To be considered as the actual producers the production companies must be credited as such. Other elements such as copyright as appearing on the rolling credits, creative control, ownership of exploitation rights and share of profits may also be taken into account to determine who the actual producer is.
- it must be produced with the significant participation (as per the credits) of professionals who are nationals/residents of countries participating in the MEDIA Sub-programme. ‘Significant participation’ is defined as having more than 50% of the points on the basis of the table presented in the Guidelines.
The film must have a standard interoperable identifier, such as ISAN or EIDR.
If the film is produced at the time of submission, a hard copy (or an access to an online screening room) of the film for which support is sought must be provided. Failure to do so, will lead to the ineligibility of the proposal. This requirement is waived only if the film is not produced at the time of application. In such case, the applicant commits to submit the film as soon as it is available. In any event, it will be part of the deliverables of the final report.
European films will be considered as “national” in that country participating in the MEDIA Sub-programme whose nationals /residents have participated in the highest proportion in the making of the film. This country is considered as the country of origin of the film for the purpose of the scheme.
They will be considered as “non-national” outside the country of origin.
Budget
The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects is estimated at EUR 9.85 M. A maximum of 25% of the budget will be allocated to films with a production budget superior to EUR 10M.
