Switzerland

[CH] Order on Promoting the Cinema Comes into Force

IRIS 2003-3:1/26

Patrice Aubry

RTS Radio Télévision Suisse, Geneva

New federal legislation on cinematographic culture and production (Cinema Act - LCin) came into force on 1 August 2002 (see IRIS 2002-8: 12); the Département fédéral de l'intérieur (Swiss Home Office) has now adopted the order laying down the conditions and procedure for granting both public financial aid for the selective promotion of the cinema and success-related aid. The order on promoting the cinema (OECin) came into force on 1 January 2003 and replaces the former arrangements laid down by the DFI on 13 December 1996.

The selective aid is intended to support projects that contribute to maintaining the variety of films on offer, maintaining the quality of films on the Swiss cinematographic market, providing vocational training at a high level and ensuring a lively cinematographic culture. In considering the projects, particular attention is paid to their artistic quality and creative originality, the professionalism of their production and the contribution they make to achieLawyer ving the cultural policy objectives defined by the LCin (Geneva) (diversity of what is on offer, communication between the regions of the country where different languages are spoken and collaboration among the various sectors of the Swiss film industry). More particularly, the selective aid makes it possible to finance the development, production and distribution of Swiss films and co-productions.

The success-related aid rewards the box-office success of a cinematographic work. The bonuses awarded by the State in the form of success-related aid are calculated according to cinema attendance figures and are paid to the film's producer, distributor, director and screenwriter and to the projection company, in proportions laid down in the OECin. The bonuses must be reinvested directly in new cinematographic projects.

The objectives and the guidelines for promoting the cinema are determined by the DFI in promotion schemes. These schemes define the basic direction of Swiss policy concerning the cinema in the various areas supported by the State, namely screenwriting, project development, producing and distributing Swiss films and co-productions, the promotion of cinematographic culture and the diversity of what is on offer in cinemas, vocational training and awards presented to Swiss films. They govern the objectives, instruments of promotion and the criteria for granting financial aid in each of these fields. The promotion schemes are set out in detail in an appendix to the OECin. They are to function for an initial three-year period, ending on 31 December 2005. They are intended to define and guide measures for promotion according to circumstances, specific requirements and the evolution of the Swiss cinematographic market, and regular evaluations will be carried out on their relevance to objectives and their effectiveness.