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SARAJEVO 2014

Sarajevo Film Festival launches global co-production fund

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- A film fund aimed at generating first co-production and then distribution between Southeast Europe and international partners has been launched in conjunction with the SFF’s 20th anniversary

Sarajevo Film Festival launches global co-production fund
SFF director Mirsad Purivatra (centre) at the Sarajevo City of Film Fund's presentation

The newly announced fund builds on the structure and experiences from Sarajevo City of Film – the Sarajevo Film Festival's production support scheme that invested €350,000 in cash and services for the production of up to 25 micro-budget shorts between 2008 and 2013. Last year, the scheme was stirred towards support to feature films, starting with omnibus films A Quintet [+see also:
film review
film profile
]
(which has just world-premiered in Sarajevo), and Bridges of Sarajevo [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
(opening film in Sarajevo this year).

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The fund will be open for Southeast European feature film projects willing to co-produce with and having the potential to raise funding in new markets outside the Eurimages/Creative Europe territories, as well as projects from these territories seeking a partner in the region. The Middle East, North Africa, the Americas, India and East Asia are intended as the primary geographical focus.

The fund is looking to support production of up to 8 features, for which it has already secured a budget of €400,000 over the next two years. Two schemes - co-production and P&A - will each offer up to €60,000 per project in the form of soft loans.

Mirsad Purivatra, director of the Sarajevo Film Festival, said: “We have spent the past 20 years developing a major international film festival, but also helping rebuild our regional film industry. With our region full of talent that is constantly being recognised internationally, and with Doha Film Institute, Mexican IMCINE, the Indian NFDC and other global partners already coming to Sarajevo, this is the next logical step.”

The main partners and funders are the European Commission’s Co-Production Funds in the framework of the new Creative Europe MEDIA programme, and the major Croatian private company ATLANTIC Grupa.

The Sarajevo Film Festival administers the Fund. The first call for applications is expected to be announced by the end of this year.

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