Cyprus

[CY] Legal Background of Film Funding

IRIS 2009-8:1/37

Christophoros Christophorou

Council of Europe expert in Media and Elections

Film funding in the Republic of Cyprus does not rely on any specific legislative framework; it is regulated by decisions of the Council of Ministers and European Union regulations on State aid. The Cinema Advisory Committee based at the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture and a three-member ministerial committee are the decision making bodies.

The Cinema Advisory Committee was initially set by a decision of the Council of Ministers in 1994 (Decision No. 40698) and was based at the Press and Information Office of the Ministry of Interior. With a new Decision (No. 56767/2002) responsibility came under the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture and funding is provided in the budget of the Ministry. Members of the Committee are representatives of the Cultural Services (Chairperson), the Press and Information Office, the Ministry of Finance, the Union of Film Directors, the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation and three honorary members appointed by the Council of Ministers. Representatives of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism and of the Media Desk Cyprus are observers.

The Advisory Committee decides by majority with its chairperson having the winning vote. Unless the requested sum is inferior to EUR 45,000, decisions for funding are taken by a three-member ministerial committee, on the basis of the Committee's recommendations. Members of the Committee are the Ministers of Education and Culture, of Finance and of the Interior.

In compliance with EU regulations on public subsidies, the Council of Ministers issued a regulation on Film Support Funding Projects for the period 2009-2015, subsequently approved by the European Commission.

The objective set by the regulation is to support and promote cinematographic art and culture by funding of all activities related to the production and distribution of film works. The regulation provides for the terms, conditions and procedures for such funding to take place. It sets also the criteria one should fulfil to be an applicant and the criteria that make a proposal eligible for funding. A script, any type of film excluding television serials and programmes, and distribution activities are eligible for funding. Productions are divided into different categories; thus, funding for low or high budget fiction films, short films, documentaries and cartoons is governed by different terms, conditions and criteria, and the Committee's percentage contribution to the budget varies also. The Committee follows the whole process and the progress of work until the whole project is completed with the deposit of a copy in 35 mm to the Cinema Archives.