German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) I is sponsored by German Federal Film Board (FFA) / German Federal Film Fund (DFFF). The DFFF I offers non-repayable grants for national and international co-productions with a German partner, where film projects are wholly or partly being realised in Germany.

German Federal Film Fund (DFFF I) - FFA en The DFFF I supports both national and international (co-)productions that are realised entirely or partly in Germany and will be released in german cinemas. Producers based in Germany are eligible to apply for the programme.

Funding is available for feature films, documentaries and animated films, whereby the total production costs must be at least 1 million euros for feature films, 200,000 euros for documentaries, and 2 million euros for animated films. In the case of international co-productions, at least 25 per cent of the total production costs must be spent in Germany and the German financing share (including DFFF I) must be at least 20 per cent.

The grant amounts to up to 30 per cent of the eligible German production costs, capped at 5 million euros. The exact grant and approval requirements can be found in the current guidelines. The funding consultants will be happy to answer any further questions you may have.

The following are answers to frequently asked questions, from filing an application to the final audit of your project. 1. Are you eligible to apply?

The producer or co-producer of a film is eligible to apply. If, in the case of a co-production, several co-producers fulfil the application requirements, they must agree on who will submit the application. The applying producer must present a reference project as an entrepreneur or person.

One of the following references must have been submitted within the last ten years prior to the application: Cinema reference film: At least one feature-length film has been commercially exploited in cinemas in Germany. The reference film must have been exploited with at least 20 prints if production costs exceed EUR 2 million , and with at least 10 prints if production costs are less than EUR 2 million.

Four copies are sufficient for documentary films. TV/VoD reference film or reference series: A film or series has been produced that fulfils the special funding requirements for films and series in accordance with § 5 and 6 of the BKM "German Motion Picture Fund" guidelines: Fictional min. 4 episodes, 240 minutes Documentary min.

3 episodes, 180 minutes Min. 59 minutes for children's films Fictional: at least € 30,000 per minute or min. € 1.

2 million per episode and min. 7. 2 million per season Documentary: min.

€9,000 per minute or min. €360,000 per episode and min. €1.

65 million per season, with at least €7,000 per Minute German minimum production costs Student graduation films exploited in the cinema and films whose total production costs are below the minimum production costs for DFFF funding are not considered as reference films, so that the applicant falls under the following regulation of the first film.

If you are applying for funding for a first film, the award of funding by the BKM, FFA or a film funding organisation of the federal states is sufficient as a reference. If the applicant company is not based in Germany and is only planning to establish a branch in Germany, proof of the German branch must be provided by the time the grant is paid out at the latest.

For companies that have their headquarters outside the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, the authorisation requirements (e.g. proof of the reference film) must be met by the subsidiary or branch in Germany. Since leaving the EU, this also includes companies from the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.

In particularly justified exceptional cases, the FFA Executive Board may authorise exceptions to the requirements for the reference film, especially if it was not possible to exploit the reference film to the required extent due to force majeure or comparable circumstances. 2. Does your film meet the application requirements?

§ 8 Film-related requirements You can receive funding for your film if it fulfils the following criteria: The film has a screening time of at least 79 minutes. For children's films, 59 minutes is sufficient. The total production costs (excluding provisions and supplies) are at least 1 million euros (feature film) or 200,000 euros (documentary film) or 2 million euros (animated film).

Filming or animation work has not yet begun. At least one final version of the film must be produced in German. A subtitled version is sufficient.

In addition, a barrier-free final version must be produced. The film does not glorify violence or pornography, nor does it violate any laws in force in the Federal Republic of Germany. There is a binding rental commitment from a lender that fulfils the necessary reference.

At least 25 per cent of the costs are actually spent in Germany. At least 20 per cent of the funding comes from Germany. The required points and criteria of the cultural characteristics test are fulfilled.

Ecological standards are observed in the production of the film. Further information can be found here and under question 23. You cannot receive funding from DFFF I for your film if it fulfils the project-related requirements for funding under DFFF II at the time of approval.

Exceeding the minimum total production costs of 20 million euros by up to 10 per cent can be disregarded if an application for DFFF I is preferred. 3. When must the application be submitted?

§17 (2) Application and application procedure A project can be submitted at any time, but the application must be received electronically by the FFA at least six weeks before the start of the measure. The measure begins on the first real or virtual day of filming. Applications may not be submitted after the start of the measure.

Funding does not have to be 65 per cent secured at this point; we recommend that funding of between 40-50 per cent be secured by means of binding evidence. If a distribution agreement is not yet available at this time, a binding letter of commitment (LOC) or a deal memo can be submitted as proof of cinema exploitation. A letter of intent (LoI) is not sufficient.

Further information is available under "Application". 4. Can filming or animation work be started before the grant notification is received?

§ 8 (7) Film-related requirements In principle, the measure or the filming or animation work can only be started after the grant notification has been issued. In justified exceptional cases, an application for an early start of the project can be submitted. You can find the form in the download area.

The application must be submitted in good time, but no later than one week before the start of the project. For approval, it is important that the 6-week deadline for submitting the funding application is met. The application must justify the compelling content-related and production-related circumstances for the early start of the measure and why the applicant producer is still dependent on DFFF funding.

Please also note that the application for an early start of production can only be approved if the basic requirements for access to the DFFF are met, e.g. passing the cultural quality test or submitting a binding distribution commitment. 5. When is a project certificate from the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) required?

§13 (4) Cultural Characteristics Test You only need a project certificate from BAFA if you are producing a film in accordance with the European Convention and wish to use the Convention's cultural characteristics test. The certificate is issued by the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control. Here you can also find out which member states have acceded to the European Convention.

6. What needs to be considered for theatrical release and what requirements apply to the distribution agreement? § 9 Obligation for theatrical release The conditions for theatrical releases have changed with the Guidelines of 1 January 2025.

If a grant notification was issued for your project before 1 January 2025, the conditions under point 8 of your notification apply. The film must be screened on at least seven consecutive days in a technical format suitable for cinemas in a cinema with regular screenings in Germany for a usual market fee.

The required number of prints is at least 20 copies for feature films and animated films, and at least 10 prints for grants of less than 320,000 euros. Documentary films must be released with at least 4 prints. For documentary and children's films, one screening on at least five days within a week is sufficient.

A legally binding, unconditional distribution agreement with a distributor who fulfils the necessary reference according to § 9a para. 4 of the DFFF guidelines is a prerequisite for funding the film. On our website you will find a list of distributors who fulfil the reference.

The list does not claim to be exhaustive. If a distribution agreement is not yet available at the time of application, a binding LOC or a deal memo can be submitted as proof of a theatrical release. A letter of intent or LOI is not sufficient.

When issuing contracts, please note that the cinema exploitation rights in Germany may not be sublicensed to third parties the holdback periods in accordance with FFG must be observed the minimum number of prints according to Section 9a of the DFFF Guidelines must be guaranteed. 7. How high may the producer's fee be?

Annex 1 point 9 producer's fee, special regulation for the producer's own services and for multiple actuation The maximum amount for the producer's fee is 5 per cent of the total production costs (without prior recognition of the fee), up to a maximum of EUR 250,000.

For projects with total production costs of up to 500,000 euros, the following scale applies: Projects with total production costs of up to 300,000 euros may calculate a flat-rate producer's fee of up to 15,000 euros, while projects with total production costs of between 300,000 and 500,000 euros may calculate a flat-rate fee of up to 25,000 euros. The following example illustrates the calculation: (3,250,000 € less 162,500.

00 €) * 5 per cent = In this example, the maximum producer's fee is 154. 375,00 euros and may only be calculated in this amount. As the maximum producer's fees and handling costs for international co-productions differ in the respective countries, these rates may initially be included in the total production costs.

However, when calculating the German manufacturing costs and the other calculations, the producer's fee may only be set to the maximum possible amount. In special cases, justified applications for exceptions may be submitted for producer's fees that exceed the maximum limits, on which the FFA Executive Board will decide. 8.

What must be considered in the event of multiple inputs by the producer? Annex 1 point 9 Manufacturer's fee, special regulations for the manufacturer's own services and for multiple actuation If the producer or co-producer or the owner, sole or majority shareholder of the producing company provides an additional service and is therefore active more than once, certain fee rates must be taken into account.

Director's fee: 4 per cent of the total production costs (without prior recognition of the fee); this regulation does not apply to documentary films up to a threshold value of 1. 5 million euros total production costs. Upon application, the FFA Executive Board may grant exceptions if this is justified by the particularly low production costs of the film and the complexity of the project.

Production Manager or Line Producer, Production Executive, Financial Producer: 2. 7 per cent of the total production costs (without prior recognition of the fee), up to a maximum of EUR 270,000 Cap of 20 per cent of the salary compared to the existing Discount of 25 per cent compared to existing list prices. The following example illustrates the calculation of the production levy: (€ 3,250,000 less € 90,000.

00) * 2. 7 per cent = In this example, the maximum HL fee is EUR 85,320. 00 and may only be calculated at this level.

If several production manager fees have been calculated, all calculated fees are considered together when checking the capping limits. Multiple activities of the producer in a consulting service, e.g. dramaturgical or commercial consulting, cannot be remunerated additionally and must be compensated via the producer's fee. 9.

How are the German production costs calculated? (Annex 11 of the DFFF I application) German production costs are all costs that are spent on production in Germany. These are all services and goods provided on German invoices or contracts.

This also includes the costs for the salaries of German cast and crew members as well as the personnel costs of foreign cast and crew for the time of filming in Germany.

Total production costs (total from Annex 10 of the application) minus all items with foreign invoices = German production costs German costs do not include: Foreign cast and crew abroad Foreign equipment in Germany When calculating the German production costs, the decisive factor is not who pays the costs, but whether they are German costs. 10. How are the approved German production costs calculated?

(Annex 12 of the DFFF I application) § Section 16 Amount of the grant; eligible production costs Approved German production costs (ADHK) are all German costs less the items listed in Section 16 (3) of the Guideline. In addition, the costs incurred in Germany for external shooting abroad may only be recognised up to 40 per cent of the total shooting days.

In the case of documentary films, the upper limit of 40 per cent of the total shooting days does not apply. Calculation method using the example of a feature film: German production costs (total from Annex 11 of the application) minus all items in § 16 para.

3 of the Guidelines minus the costs incurred in Germany for external shooting abroad that exceed the recognised shooting days = approved German production costs The costs for the German team, German actors, German technology, props, costumes, etc. incurred for filming abroad can only be subsidised for the recognised external filming abroad. Preparation, processing and travelling days abroad are not subsidised.

In accordance with Section 16 (3), the following costs do not count as approved.

Costs for rights to stock and to existing works (books, pieces of music, etc.) Travel and transport costs for actors (however, accommodation costs in Germany are approved) Actors' fees, insofar as these exceed 15 per cent of the German production costs Contributions and deferred fees for services provided by those involved in film production Contingency fund, provided it is not reversed to approved German production costs by the end of the project Costs for filming and other work abroad, insofar as these do not fulfil the requirements of Section 16 (5) of the Guideline (see question 14).

Contributions to the central service organisation of the German film industry for the representation of German films abroad.

The following costs can only be included in the approved German production costs up to a certain limit: Script up to 3 per cent of the German production costs or a maximum of 150,000 euros Actors' fees (main and supporting actors as well as day roles) up to 15 per cent of German production costs For documentary films only: Archive material up to 30 per cent of the German production costs Please note that travel and transport costs can only be approved for crew members if you take off or land in Germany and have a German invoice.

11. What are the production costs actually incurred in Germany or what is the so-called minimum amount? (Annex 13 of the DFFF I application) § Section 12 Minimum amount of production costs issued in Germany At least 25 per cent of the total production costs must actually be spent in Germany.

However, the costs incurred in Germany for filming abroad cannot be offset against this. If the total production costs are higher than EUR 20 million, the minimum amount must be at least 20 per cent. All costs incurred in Germany for filming abroad must be deducted from the German costs.

This includes all fees, film material and equipment that was rented in Germany and taken abroad. Travel expenses for filming abroad must also be deducted, as must the costs of travelling abroad during preparation and post-production. In addition, no returns and supplies can be counted as production costs actually spent in Germany.

German production costs (total from Annex 11) less all costs incurred in Germany for foreign filming and preparation/post-production less all returns and provisions = Actual amount German production costs spent in Germany 12. How is the grant calculated? The grant amounts to 30 percent of the recognised German production costs, up to a maximum of 5 million euros per film.

Projects that began shooting before 1 February 2025 will receive a grant depending on their German production costs of either 20 per cent with German production costs of up to 8 million euros or 25 per cent for projects with German production costs of over 8 million euros, up to a maximum of 4 million euros per film. There is a general upper limit of 80 per cent of the total budget on which the subsidy can be calculated.

Approved German production costs: (= 80 per cent of the production costs) Calculation threshold (upper limit): Approved German manufacturing costs: (= 80 per cent of the production costs) (approved German production costs) 13. Can the grant be increased retrospectively? Changes may still be made to the budget and financing during the review of the submitted documents and up to the time the grant notification is issued.

Once the grant decision has been issued, no increase in the grant stipulated in the decision is possible unless additional costs are incurred during production due to force majeure. Only in this case can these additional costs be subsidised upon application up to the amount of the respective permissible percentage grant. Subsequent approval is limited to a maximum of 30 per cent of the original grant.

14. What is the amount of the trustee and audit fees? Projects with grant notification from 1 April 2021: For projects whose grant notification is issued from 1 April 2021, the trustee fee for auditing the final costs is 1.

5 per cent of the grant up to a funding amount of 1. 5 million euros. In addition, a further 0.

75 per cent audit fee is charged up to a funding amount of 3 million euros (cap). Projects with grant notification until 31 March 2021: If, in addition to the DFFF, the financing includes other production funding processed by the FFA (GMPF, BKM cultural film funding, Minitraité, FFA production funding, reference funding), the trustee fee for auditing the final costs is 1. 375 per cent of the approved grant.

If only the DFFF and none of the above-mentioned production funding processed by the FFA is included in the financing, the trustee fee is 1. 65 per cent of the grant. Trustee fees count as recognised German production costs.

15. What needs to be considered when filming abroad? In principle, a reasoned application for authorisation for filming abroad must be submitted for any planned filming abroad (Annex 20 of the application).

This application can be made informally and must be submitted together with the funding application. Depending on the type of film, external filming abroad may or may not be recognised. For feature films, a maximum of 40 per cent of the total shooting days can be approved.

This upper limit does not apply to documentary films. 100 per cent of external filming abroad can be approved No animation work abroad is approved for animated films This means that the German crew and cast as well as film material, equipment, props and costumes that were rented from Germany can be counted towards the recognised German production costs in the amount of the recognised outside shooting days abroad.

Preparation, handling and travelling days abroad are not subsidised. For the crew's flights to be recognised, they must take off or land in Germany and be booked through a German travel agency. Diets can only be recognised if they are paid into a German bank account or in Germany.

A German camerawoman is working on a feature film project with a total of 35 shooting days, 19 of which are in Germany and 16 abroad. Of these 16 shooting days abroad, 15 are 'predominantly' outdoor shooting days (the camera is mainly outdoors) and one indoor shooting day.

For feature films, the DFFF only subsidises German costs for external filming abroad up to a maximum of 40 per cent of the total shooting days (in Germany and abroad) of the project. In our example, there are 15 outdoor shooting days abroad, but only 40 per cent of 35 total shooting days can be approved, i.e. a maximum of 14. Fees for preparation and follow-up days and days spent travelling abroad are not eligible.

The camerawoman has a contract with a compensation of 46. 020 euros and a total of 78 days, which results in a daily fee of 590 euros. The breakdown is as follows: (40 per cent of the total shooting days) Processing/post-production How does this affect the German costs, approved German costs and minimum amount?

German costs: The German costs include 100 per cent of the fee, as the camerawoman pays tax here in Germany. Approved German costs: The approved German costs now include all German days, i.e. 56 PLUS the approved external shooting days abroad, i.e. 14. A total of 70 days can be subsidised.

Multiplied by the daily fee, 41,300. 00 euros can therefore be transferred to the approved German costs. Minimum amount: Only the German days are included in the minimum amount, i.e. 56 days.

Multiplied by the daily fee, 33. 040,00 euros can therefore be transferred to the minimum amount. Days of approved German costs 30 preparation days in Germany + 19 shooting days in Germany + 5 processing/post days in Germany + 2 travelling days in Germany + 14 approved field 30 preparation days in Germany + 19 shooting days in Germany + 5 processing/post days in Germany + 2 travelling days in Germany Approved German production costs 16.

What must be considered when working with a foreign cast and crew in Germany? Foreign cast and crew members are fully recognised for the time they work in Germany (fees and ancillary wage costs), as they are subject to limited tax liability in Germany in accordance with Section 49 of the German Income Tax Act (EStG). The place of performance is decisive for the recognition of these costs.

If the foreign co-producer employs cast and crew members who work for the filming in Germany, these costs can be recognised if the corresponding employment contracts and proof of payment are submitted for the final audit.

The French costume designer has a total of 78 working days, because she prepares 3 days in Germany and 30 abroad, she shoots 19 days in Germany and 16 abroad, has one day of processing/post in Germany and 5 days abroad, as well as 2 travelling days within Germany and two days in/abroad. With 78 working days and a fee of 30,000 euros, this results in a daily fee of 384. 62 euros.

Processing/post-production How does this affect the German costs, aproved German costs and minimum amount? All German days are included in the German costs, the approved German costs and the minimum amount, i.e. 3 + 19 + 1 + 2 = 25. Multiplied by the daily fee, this makes 9,615.

50 euros. 17. What needs to be considered in the case of insurance reimbursements after damage?

Insurance reimbursements must be deducted from the cost-reducing income in the calculation as part of the final cost audit. This also applies to the German production costs, approved German production costs and the actual German production costs - depending on how the insurance reimbursement is allocated to the individual cost types.

If, for example, the insurance company also reimburses part of the HUs or travel costs of actors, these are not to be deducted from the approved German costs - as they may not be included there in principle. 18. How much is the financial contribution and how is it calculated?

§ 11 financial contribution The financial contribution is calculated in accordance with §§ 77 and 78 FFG. Accordingly, an financial contribution of at least 5 per cent of the production costs must be proven. In the case of international co-productions, the German financing share is used as the basis for calculation.

If a public TV broadcaster is involved in the financing and a co-production share is stated in the broadcasting contract, the co-production share of the broadcaster may be deducted in order to obtain the calculation threshold for the financial contribution: - Share of international co-producers - TV share of co-production of the public broadcaster Of this calculation threshold, 5 per cent must be provided as a financial contribution.

Cash and cash equivalents of the German producer Third-party investments (cash investment with or without proceeds participation). Investments can also be made by foreign third parties, but the contract must be concluded with the German producer and the cash flow to the German project account must be verifiable.

Only loans with an unconditional repayment obligation Deferred payments by the producer or his permanent employees as creative producer, production manager, director, cameraman, leading actor and deferred payments for the producer's exploitation rights to his own works, such as the novel, screenplay or film music, as well as his own archive material.

This does not include overheads, non-cash contributions from the producer and non-cash credits from technical companies or other deferred services or rights. Minimum guarantees from distributors Minimum guarantees from sales agents Other presales for German rights (also abroad or to sales agents) Presales of broadcasting rights (private or public broadcasting licences).

In the case of public broadcasters, the broadcasting licence can only be counted as part of the financial contribution if it has been contractually specified or if the broadcaster has confirmed the corresponding amount of the licence. In the case of mixed contracts without a division into co-production and licence share, no licence share can be used for the calculation. 19.

What needs to be considered for international co-productions? § 14 International co-productions In the case of international co-productions, the applicant producer must make a financial contribution of at least 20 per cent of the production costs; for production costs of over 25 million euros, a financial contribution of at least 5 million euros is sufficient.

In the case of a co-production involving a producer based outside the European Economic Area, the applicant producer must provide evidence of a reference film that he has produced alone or as a co-producer with a majority shareholding. For co-productions made under the EU Treaty, the cultural characteristics test is conducted solely on the basis of the points system for which Annex II to the EU Treaty makes provision.

In the case of international co-productions, the production overheads (HUs) are calculated on basis of the German financing share. They will not receive a grant if the German contribution consists solely of a financial contribution without the German parties sharing any responsibility for the content or being actively involved in production. 20.

Can repeat applications be made? § 17 (5) Application and application procedure If you have to withdraw your funding application or your project has been formally rejected, you have the opportunity to submit a new application for this project twice. It is important that filming has not yet begun.

21. How are grants treated under fiscal law? DFFF grants are genuine subsidies within the meaning of the administrative regulation on the application of the VAT Act and are therefore not subject to VAT (Section 10.

2 UStAE on § 10 UStG). 22. What is an SME (KMU)?

Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are defined in EU Recommendation 2003/361. This definition can also be found in Annex 1 Block Exemption Regulation (BER) No 651/2014 of the European Commission. According to this, a company is an SME if it has no more than 249 employees and generates an annual turnover of no more than 50 million euros or has a balance sheet total of no more than 43 million euros.

These thresholds apply to individual companies. In the case of a company that is part of a larger group, the number of employees and the turnover or balance sheet total of the group must also be taken into account, depending on the size of the shareholding.

For statistical/empirical analyses, SMEs are usually defined according to the number of employees or the size of turnover: Micro-enterprise: up to 9 employees and up to 2 million euros turnover/year Small company: up to 49 employees and up to 10 million euros turnover/year and no smallest company Medium-sized company: up to 249 employees and up to 50 million euros turnover/year and not a micro or small company Interrelationships between SMEs and other companies cannot (yet) be taken into account in official statistics.

23. What requirements apply with regard to sustainability and compliance with ecological standards? § 8 (8) Film-related requirements The ecological standards must be complied with for all projects.

The information required as part of the application must be submitted using the digital tool for compliance with ecological standards. After submitting your application, you will receive a process number which must be stated on the DFFF application form. Compliance will also be checked by the FFA once the project has been completed.

FAQ after award of the grant 1. When will the grant be paid out? If a grant notification was issued before 1 February 2025, you can find the conditions for payment in your notification under point 9.

The grant is generally paid out after the final review of the project. If payment in instalments has been approved for the project, the grant is paid out in instalments as follows as standard: 1st instalment when filming begins: 25 per cent 2nd instalment mid-shoot: 25 per cent 3rd instalment rough cut: 25 per cent 4th instalment after audit of the final costs: 25 per cent The percentage distribution of the instalments can also be