German Film Fund is being cut!

The promotion of German cinema and the amount of funds allocated for this purpose is repeatedly the subject of heated debates in the Bundestag. In 2014, German film projects received a total of 60 million euros in support through the German Film Fund. These funds have now been substantially reduced.

The German Film Fund (DFFF) is a film promotion scheme established in 2007 on the initiative of the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media. The fund supports German film projects, provided that the productions applying for subsidies meet the criteria set for funding. Up to 20% of production costs incurred in Germany can be reimbursed through the DFFF.

The Budget Committee of the Bundestag has now approved a reduction in funding for 2015 from 60 to 50 million euros, as proposed in the financial report of the Federal Ministry of Finance.

A study of the macroeconomic effects of German cinema film productions conducted by the management consultancy Roland Berger and published as early as September 2014 concluded that the average market share of German films not only increased from 16% to 23% as a result of film promotion, but also triggered follow-on investments by the film industry in the amount of approximately 2.5 billion euros in total.

Conclusion

In view of these figures, a reduction in the funds provided by the government for the German Film Fund is incomprehensible. After all, a better (macroeconomic) return is hardly conceivable.