WCF Europe is sponsored by Berlinale World Cinema Fund. Provides funding for European film production companies pursuing international co-productions with partners from regions with lower production capacity.

World Cinema Fund - Kulturstiftung des Bundes Show the full version of this element's decorative background image. Since 2004 the World Cinema Fund has been promoting the production and distribution of non-European feature and documentary films, and in so doing, has strengthened the film industries in those regions.

The funded films intensively explore the reality of life in the corresponding countries, bear the individual signature of their directors, and are distinguished by their unique cinematic style and high degree of political-historic sensitivity.

Many of the films financed by the World Cinema Fund take top prizes at international festivals, e.g. the Golden Palm at the Cannes International Film Festival (“Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Thailand, 2010), the Golden Leopard in Locarno (“Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash” by Edwin, Indonesia, 2021) as well as numerous awards at film festivals in Toronto, Venice and the Berlinale in Berlin.

Over the past 20 years, the World Cinema Fund has received more than 5,600 funding applications and awarded funding to over 350 productions from 67 different countries. In the future, the World Cinema Fund aims to improve the visibility of the funded productions in Germany. To this end, it will expand its activities beyond the international film festivals by partnering with film series and events (e.g. “Around the World in 14 Films”).

Ultimately, the goal is to strengthen cinema as a “venue” and community-building experience. To improve outreach in the countries of origin, the World Cinema Fund plans to offer consulting to help develop new audience concepts. Application Deadlines 2024 Distribution funding: Open submission for films with German release within 6 months.

Apply at least 12 weeks before release. Guidelines and Submission Forms on WCF’s website (external link, opens in a new window) Priority regions for funding The WCF concentrates on backing the production and distribution of films from Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific region, Africa, the Middle East, Central and Southeast Asia, the Caucasus, as well as Bangladesh, Nepal, Mongolia and Sri Lanka.

Country overview sheet (external link, opens in a new window) What does the WCF support? Open all sections Close all sections In which areas does the WCF provide support? The WCF provides support in the fields of production, post-production and distribution for feature length films and creative documentary features.

In cooperation with other institutions, new initiatives were established to develop activities beyond the own funding programme. Production Support by the World Cinema Fund Production companies with directors from the aforementioned regions are eligible to apply, as are German production companies that can provide evidence of a collaboration with a director from the aforementioned regions.

Only production companies based in Germany are eligible for funding, i.e. in the case of applications from foreign producers, proof of co-operation with a German partner must be provided. However, this can also be done after the application has been submitted. Maximum funding amount: 60,000 euros per project The funding amount may not exceed 50% of the total production costs.

The total production costs of the projects to be funded should be between 200,000 euros and 1,400,000 euros. The funding amount must be spent on the production of the film in the above-mentioned regions.

More information about production support on the WCF website (external link, opens in a new window) WCF Classic Distribution Support German distributors can apply for distribution funding not exceeding 10,000 Euros for the distribution of films from the WCF regions/countries in Germany. The funding cannot exceed 50 percent of the total distribution costs.

More about WCF Classic Distribution Support (external link, opens in a new window) In addition to the WCF Classic regions/countries, projects from Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine are also eligible for funding under the WCF Europe programme if they submit projects for production funding in cooperation with a company from the MEDIA member countries, and vice versa.

The European partner is the administrative recipient of the WCF Europe funding. Maximum funding: 60,000 Euros per project and 40,000 Euros for post-production funding The total production costs of the supported projects should range between 200,000 Euros and 1,400,000 Euros. The funding must be spent on the production of the film in the WCF Europe eligible regions/countries.

The financing shares of the participating countriesof the MEDIA sub-programme must total at least 20 percent and may not exceed 70 percent. At the time of submission, the 20 percent share must already be secured. The final share must be confirmed at least one week prior to the jury meeting.

More information about WCF Europe (external link, opens in a new window) In cooperation with the German Federal Foreign Office the World Cinema Fund launched a special funding opportunity for projects from sub-Saharan Africa in 2016. All WCF submissions with projects from sub-Saharan Africa will automatically also be considered for the special funding by the WCF Africa programme.

WCF submission deadlines and WCF guidelines for production funding apply. The usual form for WCF production funding should be used for submission. The funding is provided by the German Federal Foreign Office.

More about WCF Africa (external link, opens in a new window) WCF ACP – with the support of the Organisation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and of the European Union – enables additional support for projects from regions that have already been recommended for funding within the framework of WCF / WCF Africa.

This involves the optimisation of the respective projects funded by the WCF as well as the development of a targeted strategy that welcomes and enables internal cooperation within these regions. Supported Films 2004–2023 World Cinema Fund has launched its new “booklet” presenting funded films since 2004. Berlin International Film Festival Tel.

: +49 (0)30 2592 0516 World Cinema Fund website (external link, opens in a new window) Confirm selection Accept all