17/03/2003

Three regional film centres and a regional film archive in Grängesberg have been identified by the Swedish Film Institute as the “two areas with serious need” to be supported by the 2004 Film Agreement.
The SFI will be asking the government to consider a total grant of SEK 1,2m (Euros130.356,8519) to be shared between the three film and video centres of Jönköpings län (Southern Province of Jönköping), Gävleborgs län (Central province of Gävle) and Östergötland län (north of the Province of Jönköping); and an extra SEK2m (Euros217.261,4198) would be necessary for the Grängesberg Film Archive to cover its annual running costs estimated at a total of SEK7m (Euros760.414,9693 ).
“Last year, intensive discussions took place regarding the need to raise subsidies for Swedish film production, especially towards the public-related subsidies that were in serious crisis,” said the SFI. “This all ended up with the government injecting an extra SEK 80 million (Euros8.690.456,7921) for this year, which helped alleviate the crisis, at least up till now. During the whole of last year, the Institute also pointed at areas that had been neglected, but as we are coming closer to a period of negotiations before a new Film Agreement, the Film Institute has decided to ask for a limited basic support that will concentrate on two areas (mentioned above) with serious need”.
The Film Agreement signed in 2000 between the industry and the government provided the film sector with a total of SEK100m (Euros10.863.070,9902) and the new Agreement should be implemented early 2004.

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