Lithuania

[LT] National Film Centre Established

IRIS 2012-6:1/25

Jurgita Iešmantaitė

Radio and Television Commission of Lithuania

On 18 April 2012 the Government of the Republic of Lithuania adopted a Resolution by which it approved the formation of the Lithuanian Film Centre under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture.

The Lithuanian Film Centre will be established following the revised Law on Cinema of 22 December 2011, which will come into force on 1 May 2012 (see IRIS 2012-2/29).

The main aims of the activities of the Lithuanian Film Centre will be to form an effective State film policy and to foster long-term development and competitiveness in the Lithuanian cinema sector.

The Lithuanian Film Centre will perform the following functions:

- Allocate funds for the selected projects;

- Control the expenditure of funds;

- Consult with filmmakers;

- Maintain the film registry;

- Rate films according to viewers’ age;

- Organise the work of the Cinema Board;

- Invite tenders to support projects on film dissemination and presentation, cinema education and cinema heritage preservation;

- Cooperate with international film festivals and film markets in order to promote Lithuanian cinema;

- Promote the attraction of investments in Lithuanian cinema;

- Hold events focusing on children’s education in the cinema field;

- Perform any other foreseen functions.

The Ministry of Culture allocated LTL 0.5 million for the establishment and maintenance of the Lithuanian Film Centre for the year 2012 with an office in Vilnius and a staff of 15 persons.