At the 37th Max Ophüls Prize Film Festival, six media partners representing the four countries of the Greater Region signed a cross-border agreement for the establishment of a film development fund.
Saarland Medien GmbH, Deutsche Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA), Région Alsace Champagne-Ardenne Lorraine (ACAL), Centre national du cinéma de l'image animée (CNC), Film Fund Luxembourg and Deutschprachige Gemeinschaft Belgien have all come together under the new fund partnership, which will have an annual allocation of €55,000 and will target writers and producers whose projects are linked to the Greater Region.
"Today cinema professionals can enjoy a new development means to realise their projects," commented Dr. Gerd Bauer, representative of Saarland Medien and instigator of the agreement. "Through this fund, money will again be injected into the Greater Region."
"As a native of the Saar region, I am very well aware that for the people of this region, it is normal for decades to lead a life beyond borders," continued Deter Dinges, representative of the FFA, the regulatory body for German cinema. "And what is true in everyday life, can be applied to the world of culture. It's not about putting ourselves at the same level as Berlin or Paris, but this agreement signed today will allow us to take the first step towards the development of more joint projects in the SaarLorLux Greater Region! Although the allocation of this fund pales in comparison to the high costs involved in the production of a film, it is no less realistic that €55,000 will allow us to support two to three screenplays annually, written by young authors."
Guy Daleiden, Director of Film Fund Luxembourg, has had a significant amount of experience in international co-productions: "In recent years we have supported a large number of international co-productions. This agreement will ultimately only improve the financial conditions of development in the Greater Region and strengthen our ties with our German, Belgian and Lorraine neighbours as well as existing interregional Location Guide and Production Guide projects. The aim of this agreement is to boost film production by supporting the development of projects from the Greater Region."
"The participation of the German-speaking community of Belgium in this partnership - however small - will allow good visibility and perception of the audiovisual sector," added Belgian Minister, Isabelle Weykmans. "The arts and culture bind the partners of this agreement. We have high potential here in terms of cultural diversity and of influences that offer an ideal environment for the development of exciting stories which will be translated into future screenplays."
The French partner was represented by the new Région Alsace Champagne-Ardenne Lorraine (ACAL) alongside the CDC. Representative of Région ACAL, Patrick Thil, stated he was particularly confident in the new project and welcomed the agreement as a source for collaboration with the Lorraine border and the audiovisual sector.
Photo by Jennifer Weyland (Top L-R: Guy Daleiden (Film Fund Luxembourg); Patrick Thil (Région Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine); Peter Dinger (Filmförderungsanstalt Deutschland); Dr. Gerd Bauer (Saarland Medien GmbH); Isabelle Weykmans (DG Belgien))
