Support fund for the production of short films in sub-saharan Africa

Regulations
Eligibility criteria
Appraisal criteria
The Fonds Courts Métrages Afrique subsidy
French Foreign Ministry broadcasting rights
Application contents

This action is part of the global framework of the Plan Images Afrique set up by the French Foreign Ministry in 2003.

The support fund for the production of short films in sub-Saharan Africa aims to encourage the emergence of new talent. Short films are a perfect field for learning, a priority space for encouraging vocations and the transmission of knowledge and therefore the renewal of skills in all image-making professions (producers, scriptwriters, directors, performers and technicians).

In addition, the lack of any real economic stakes for short films makes this a fully-fledged creative domain that allows powerful and innovative artistic projects to emerge.

Supported by the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Festival des 3 Continents organisation is setting up, from 2007, a direct aid measure for production of short films in sub-Saharan Africa

Production aid is allocated to producers based in sub-Saharan Africa. Decisions are made by an independent committee (Commission Fonds Courts Métrages Afrique) consisting of audiovisual professionals from Northern and Southern countries (appointed for one year. Appointments can be renewed once). The aid amount is approximately €10,000 per project, and is capped at €15,000.

Regulations

Aid requests must be presented by production companies located in countries in the Priority Solidarity Zone in sub-Saharan Africa. Each company may present one or several projects to the committee. Eight copies of the application must be sent to the Co-operation and Cultural Action Department of the French embassy in the company’s country of business. The deadline for receipt of applications by the embassy is set for May 31st 2007.

The Co-operation and Cultural Action Department will then send the eligible applications, with its comments, to the Festival des 3 Continents in Nantes.

The Commission Fonds Courts Métrages Afrique is the sole decision-maker concerning allocation of production aid to projects and the amount of this aid. The committee may also decide to provide support for rewriting.

Applications not selected by the Commission Fonds Courts Métrages Afrique may be re-submitted if they have been reworked and substantially modified. A summary note concerning the changes made must be included with the application.

Eligibility criteria

 The following must come from one of the African countries concerned:

• Director
• The majority of the technical and artistic team
• The delegated production company

 The director must be under 35.

 Eligible projects: drama, animation films lasting less than 30 minutes, shot on film or digital media.

 At least 75% of scenes must be shot in eligible countries.

Composition of the committee

The committee, consisting of five recognised professionals in the audiovisual sector (three from the South and two from the North), will consist of scriptwriters, directors, producers, technicians and actors.

Appraisal criteria

The following in particular will be taken into account:

 Content

• Originality (idea, theme developed)
• Quality of the audiovisual or cinematographic work

 Career path of the project sponsors

 Production

• Production company’s potential
• Co-production agreement(s)
• Financial elements that guarantee successful completion of the project
• Realistic nature of the budget
• Budgetary contribution in cash and in terms of the industry of the country(ies) concerned

The Fonds Courts Métrages Afrique subsidy

The aid contributed to selected projects will be in the form of a subsidy paid directly by the Festival des 3 Continents-Produire au Sud into the account of the locally registered production company, after signing of an agreement between the festival and the company.

For all short film projects, the subsidy, for an amount of €15,000 euros maximum, will be paid in two parts:
 Payment of 60% on signing of the agreement
 Payment of 40% on receipt of the master video subtitled in French

French Foreign Ministry broadcasting rights

For all short films supported, this subsidy releases, for the French Foreign Ministry, the rights to reproduce and broadcast for non-commercial purposes abroad, within French cultural establishments, and for France, in the “Cinémathèque Afrique” (Culturesfrance) network of the French Foreign Ministry. These rights are acquired for all media (except television) for a period of seven years for all versions of the work.

Application contents

Production aid:

The eight copies of the application must include:

 A registration form
 A note from the director in French
 The synopsis in French
 The script in French
 The director’s curriculum vitae
 The detailed production budget (including production of an international version)
 The funding plan (acquired and planned)
 The execution schedule including the provisional date for the start of production
 The status of the production company, its capital stock and references
 Copy of the copyright assignment contract
 The list of technicians with their functions
 Copies of the co-production agreements, if any
 Commitment from a broadcaster or distributor, if there is one

Contacts:

Festival des 3 Continents, Guillaume Marion: + 33(0) 2 40 69 74 14
E-mail: produireausud@3continents.fr

Ministère des Affaires Etrangères - Bureau de la coopération cinématographique: François Bélorgey: + 33 (0) 1 43 17 99 48
E-mail: francois.belorgey@diplomatie.gouv.fr

Regulations - (PDF, 38.6 kb)

Application form - (PDF, 18.9 kb)