International Co-Productions
The FFA is committed to an active exchange and strong co-operation with European and international funding institutions, participates in the policy-making processes of the European Union in the audiovisual sector and contributes to stimulating and enhancing interest in international co-productions.
Minority Co-Production Fund
In order to strengthen the global competitiveness of German cinema, the German Federal Film Board FFA provides 1 million Euros per year for the financing of international co-productions of exceptional quality with a minority participation from Germany.
Producers who are based in Germany can apply to the FFA for interest-free, conditionally repayable loans of up to 400,000 Euros. Funding is available for feature-length fiction, animation, and documentary films with a theatrical release in Germany and the country of origin.
The German minority contribution must be at least 10 percent. The total production costs of the feature film should be at least 2 million Euros with a German minimum share of 350,000 Euros. For documentaries, the budget should amount to at least 700,000 Euros with a minimum share of 150,000 Euros from Germany.
At least 50 percent of the financing in the country of origin must be secured at the time of application.
Principal photography may not have commenced before the application is submitted.
The FFA places particular emphasis on funding high-quality projects with strong potential to participate in international A-list festivals and to perform successfully at the German and international box-office.
Producers can submit their applications for the Minority Co-Production Fund via the FFA website. The committee for production and script funding usually takes decisions two times a year.
Funding according to the German-French “Minitraité”
A German producer may apply for a conditionally repayable loan of up to 20% of his co-production share, but no more than 300,000 Euros, for the production funding. The participation of third countries is allowed to a limited extent, the funding criteria for the FFA's project film funding apply.
Within the framework of the German-French Project Development Fund, producers who are resident in Germany and France may apply for up to 50,000 Euros of the costs for the development of a film project. The project should be the first or second film for one or both applicants.
Funding applications must be submitted at the same time by the German producer to the FFA and by the French producer to the CNC. From July 2023, the "Minitraité funding" will be subject to the nationwide uniform ecological standards as a funding requirement. They apply to those parts of a production that are realised in Germany.
The German-French Commission normally meets for three funding sessions each year.
German-Polish Film Fund
Since December 2016, the FFA has been involved in the German-Polish Film Fund together with the Polish Film Institute (PISF), Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung (MDM) and Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg (MBB). The aim of the German-Polish Film Fund (2005 - 2015 German-Polish Co-Development Fund) is to strengthen co-productions between Germany and Poland. The annual funding volume is 500,000 euros.
The FFA's main focus is on project development funding for feature-length fiction, animation and creative documentary films. It provides up to 100,000 euros annually for this purpose. Producers from all over Germany can apply for project development funding. The maximum funding amount for the development of a single project is usually 70,000 euros.
Bilateral production funding for feature-length low-budget films, debut films and innovative narrative approaches will continue to be funded by the two regional partners and the Polish Film Institute. Further information on production funding can be found at www.mdm-online.de and www.medienboard.de.
