02/04/2020 - The PISF has subsidised eight minority co-productions in its first slate of funding for 2020

The Polish Film Institute (PISF) has vowed to make a decision on financial grants, despite the COVID-19 crisis, and while the commissions assessing Polish projects are still debating, the one for minority co-productions has already given its verdict. Eight international projects have therefore received a generous subsidy amounting to PLN 5.5 million (€1.28 million), which is around PLN 1.5 million (€348,000) more than the sum handed out in the previous funding slate.

The biggest amount of money – PLN 2 million (€465,116) – will serve to bolster the budget of the upcoming Jonathan Glazer project The Zone of Interest [+see also:
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film profile], co-produced on the Polish side by Extreme Emotions Bis. Meanwhile, Oleg Sencow’s Nosorożec (Rhino) can count on PLN 1 million (€232,558). The Ukrainian director is once again teaming up with Warsaw-based Apple Film Production. Film Produkcja, which is co-producing Robert Hloz’s Restore Point [+see also:
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interview: Robert Hloz
film profile], got PLN 650,000 (€151,162), while two projects will be supported with a sum of PLN 500,000 (€116,279) apiece: Norwegian Dream by Leiv Igor Devold (the Polish co-producer of which is Impakt Film) and Severed Head by Lofti Achour (with ShipsBoy on board as its local partner). Makbul Mubarak’s Autobiography, which is being co-produced by Staron-Film, was offered PLN 350,000 (€81,395), and Emre Kayis’ Anatolian Leopard [+see also:
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film profile] (the Polish partner on which is Donten & Lacroix Films) will get PLN 300,000 (€69,767). Also, Sonia Kronlund’s Człowiek o tysiącu twarzy (Man with a Thousand Faces) and production company Madants will be supported with a grant of PLN 200,000 (€46,511).

Additionally, the Polish-German Film Fund – formed by the PISF, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Mitteldeutsche Medienfoerderung and FFA – has also announced the recipients of its grants. Wika by Agnieszka Zwiefka (producers: My Way Studio and Ma.ja.de Filmproduktions) received €85,000, Asaf Saban’s The Delegation [+see also:
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film profile] (production companies: Koi Studio for Poland and In Good Company for Germany) was offered €93,200, and Olga Delane’s Czarna Dziura Karabash (Black Hole Karabash) will be subsidised to the tune of €30,000: its producers are Arkana Studio Filmowe and Doppelplusultra Film and TV Production. The last (but not least) project to receive a grant (of €20,000) from the fund is Królowa Thule (Queen Thule), directed by Ewa Wikieł and produced by Koi Studio and Heartwake Films.

The PISF has two funding slates for minority co-productions and has announced the deadline for submissions for the second session, which is 9 September 2020.