15/11/2007

At the 2007 Munich Media Days, discussions organised by the Bavarian regional film fund FFF Bayern focused on the forthcoming renewal of film financing laws. The Minister of Culture and Media, Bernd Neumann – who has, incidentally, just presented several awards (the Award for Best German Screenplay 2007 and the Innovation Award) – demonstrated his interest in film by taking part in the event.

The minister first of all announced that all media (especially those using digital support, such as telecom media) that utilise films must contribute to the financing of the FFA (as is already the case for video users and publishers). Angelika Krüger-Leißner, of the SPD, was in full agreement with this move, referring in particular to television channels Tele 5 and Das Vierte and insisting upon the need to set fixed contribution rates for broadcasters as of 2009 (although some pointed out that this could discourage channels from showing smaller German titles).

The Munich-based director-producer-distributor Peter Sehr drew attention to the fact that in Spain, 3.5% of broadcasters’ total budget was automatically invested in national productions.

Whatever the conclusion may be, Eberhard Junkersdorf, president of the FFA and the management committee of New German Producers, stated that the financial support given to the FFA for screenplay development and the production of new films had decreased and he said that it was not only necessary to increase the FFA’s budget but also ensure that the forthcoming law establishes "distribution keys" for the different areas of financing.

Despite the evident need for regulation of the new methods of film distribution, Neumann is adamant: there is no cinema without theatres. In this respect, he hopes that as many movie theatres as possible will swiftly make the transition to digital, a project that will cost a total of €300-500m and require those exhibitors to clearly define their financing needs, making it necessary to draw up "a community agreement between cinemas, distributors and the authorities".

The lively debates drew to a close on this note of solidarity expressed by the minister, ending with a profession of faith formulated by Klaus Schaefer, director of FFF Bayern: “We must all work together more closely, because only then can the industry as a whole move forward".

(Translated from French)