12/07/2002 - As international interest grows in Austrian films, the government earmarks €2m for production

Although Austria produces between 14 and 20 films per year, many recent productions have turned out to be major international hits. Michael Haneke walked away with this year´s Gran Prix of the Jury at Cannes for The Pianist while Ulrich Seidl´s controversial Hundstage - Dog Days won a the same award but from the Venice Film Festival jury this year. As a consequence, the Austrian government has decided to beef up funds available to national producers and directors by €2m to €10m, a sum that is more than doubled when added to the monies available from the country´s numerous film institutions and commissions like the Vienna Film Fund and l´Austrian Film Commission.