Feature films, series – fiction, animation, and documentary projects are eligible for state rebate of 30% of qualified expenditure in Poland. Here are some notes on the application process to provide guidance for eligibility.
• Producers may apply for up to four projects per application round, including projects from previous application rounds with a pending decision;
• To be eligible for consideration, applications must contain every single piece of accompanying information that is requested (script, director’s explication, synopsis, budget, estimated production costs, script rights agreement, etc.);
• All applications are to be submitted in Polish;
• Important: Applicants must provide proof (letters of intent, memorandum, or co-production agreement) of the remaining sources of financing (i.e. excluding the grant requested from the Institute);
• The submitted project budget must comply with the cost limits set for a given year;
• The project review process lasts 90 days;
• The final decision is at the discretion of the General Director of the Polish Film Institute and takes into account the opinions of appointed experts;
• The grant decision remains valid for six months. This can be extended by a maximum of another six months;
• During this period, the producer must finalise an agreement with the PFI (having completed the budget and signed the remaining production agreements);
• If the film makes a profit, the grant is to be reimbursed (applicable only in the first six years after the film’s premiere).
Majority Co-Production:
• The project in general must follow the requirements set in the European Convention on Co-production;
• Co-production projects are evaluated based on artistic potential and must compete against domestic projects (same funding sources);
• The maximum subsidy for a contemporary full-length feature film is set at 4 million PLN (approx. 1 million Euro) or no more than 50% of the budget;
• If the director of the film is of Polish nationality, rules of a majority co-production apply even if Polish financing accounts for less than 50% of the budget;
• For international co-productions, the application must include details on the total amount to be spent on Polish territory, as well as a list of creative and production elements contributed by the Polish side;
• When applying for a subsidy for film production, the producer’s own contribution must amount to no less than 5% of the total expected cost of the project.
Minority Co-Productions:
• In bilateral co-productions, the Polish contribution must account for at least 20% of the total budget;
• In multilateral co-productions, the Polish contribution must account for at least 10% of the total budget;
• For a Polish co-producer of a European feature film, the maximum subsidy is 2 million PLN (approx. 500,000 Euros), which cannot exceed 50% of the Polish financing;
• For a Polish co-producer of a non-European feature film, the maximum subsidy is 1.5 million PLN (approx. 375,000 Euros), which cannot exceed 50% of the Polish financing;
• For minority international co-productions, the summary page of the global production budget must be included with the application, with totals converted into Polish zlotys (PLN), and including the exchange rates, as well as a detailed budget of the Polish side, indicating expenditures on Polish territory;
• For minority co-productions, when applying for a subsidy for film production, the Polish producer’s own contribution must amount to no less than 5% of the total expected cost of the project;
• The artistic contribution must be adequate to the requested subsidy and meet the minimum requirements listed below:
Features: At least one Polish head of department (DoP, set designer, editor, composer);
Animation: Producing part of the animation in Poland, and at least one Polish artist (director of animation, storyboard writer, author of artistic project, composer);
Documentaries: At least one of the following: Use of Polish archives, Polish character or subject, Polish artist (DoP, composer, editor)
• At least 80% of the subsidy must be spent in Poland.
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