Production Service in Poland

Film Incentives

Features, animation, and documentary projects are eligible for state subsidy 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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