A Working Group to Save Austrian Films From the Budget Axe
Discussion Gathering Hosted by Babler for the Movie
Dirty politics and budget cuts have hit Austrian cinema upside the head, but it's time to get gritty and form a working group to find some fresh funding avenues. That's right, folks—the powers that be announced a committee of Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Finance, and industry representatives, ready to dive deep and come up with new strategies to fuel film production in Austria.
The goal is clear: new ways to fund Austrian films. But what does the industry want? Well, unsurprisingly, a shift is in full swing - the call for ÖFI+ to become a tax credit, inspired by international models, has been echoed loud and clear.
The Film Incentive Model Goes on Hiatus: Evaluation and Industry Council
Whenever Babler can't seem to decide what move to make next, Austrians can expect a roundtable discussion. Such was the case with film funding. And while the winds of change were already sweeping across our website, now it's official:
- Selective funding: Money meant for capped location funding will instead flow into ÖFI's selective budget.
- Streaming levy: A future revenue source from streaming services will help beef up film financing.
But enough with the small talk—the film industry wants ÖFI+ transformed into a tax credit, a concept foreign to our Austrian brethren.
Funds on Ice: Refunds for Delayed or Canceled Projects
Good news for projects caught in a funding loop: refunds are on the table!
The refunds are issued due to production delays and cancellations, halting progress for many projects after the depletion of ÖFI+ and shifts in funding architecture. These funds will now be channelled toward selectively financed projects.
The Culture Ministry clarifies that the refunds are granted due to various reasons:
- Projects often have lower funding status when initially submitted, making them seeking other financing solutions.
- If a project can't secure financing within the deadline, the funding status may change, requiring budget updates.
- Funding promises are occasionally dropped by funding recipients when other financing components fail.
One example of a project that might stand to benefit from these refunds? Marie Kreutzers new film project, "Gentle Monster." The team was able to keep the film within Austria thanks to the refunds, despite large parts of the initially planned financing heading overseas.
Mixed Reactions to the Working Group
So, what's the verdict? While some hail the working group as constructive, others see it as predictably fruitless. For cinema projects, access to ÖFI+ funds remains elusive until further notice.
The Evaluation Hits Pause
The evaluation of ÖFI+ and the TV/Streaming funding scheme FISA+, due this week, has taken a detour, delayed by roughly 1.5 weeks according to insiders in the Culture and Economy Ministries. Stay tuned for more updates!
- The Working Group's strategies for fueling film production in Austria might involve restructuring the financing system, as the film industry is advocating for ÖFI+ to be transformed into a tax credit, similar to international models.
- Austrian politics and finance are intertwined in the film industry's fiscal matters, as the announcement of a working group including Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Finance, and industry representatives is aimed at finding new ways to fund Austrian films, particularly through the potential creation of a tax credit system for ÖFI+.
