Funding of Development Projects for Feature Films by the South Eastern European Cinema Network (SEE)

ANNOUNCEMENT

Funding of Development Projects for Feature Films

by the South Eastern European Cinema Network (SEE)

The Deputy Ministry of Culture - Department of Modern and Contemporary

Culture announces that the South Eastern European Cinema Network (SEE)

launches a contest between its member-states for the funding of Development

Projects for Feature Films. In its next meeting, to be held this coming

November 2023, the Network will examine the submitted proposals and select

the best among them to be funded.

SELECTION CRITERIA

 Feature films with a minimum running time of 70 minutes and aimed at

theatrical release are accepted for examination. These projects must have

assumed the form of co-productions between at least two producers from

two SEE CINEMA Network member-states (Cyprus, Greece, Serbia,

Albania, Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Romania,

Bulgaria). The participation of third co-producers from other countries is

not excluded. Proof of the participation of co-producers should be in the

form of agreements or at least memorandums between the parties

involved in the project. The files submitted must have secured the services

of a delegate producer, director and scriptwriter, all three from the

Network’s member-states.

 As they progress, the submitted development projects should also assume

the final form of co-production in compliance with the general principles

and conditions stipulated by the European Convention on Co-productions.

 The artistic and technical contributors to the film must, should the project

become a feature film, as much as possible come from the Network’s

member-states.

 The applications are submitted by the producer to his/her own country.

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EVALUATION CRITERIA

The evaluation of the development projects and the selection of those to be

funded will be carried out by the General Assembly of SEE CINEMA Network

representatives.

The evaluation is carried out based on the following criteria:

 The dynamic demonstrated by the dramaturgical idea

 The dramaturgical integrity of the script

 The project’s artistic potential

 The project’s commercial potential

 The recognition received by the artistic team’s (scriptwriter and director)

earlier projects from critics, the public and festivals

 Proof of financing that the production may have already secured

 The thoroughness of the strategic plan mapped out by the executive

producer regarding the management and promotion of the project

PROCEDURE FOR SUBMISSION AND EVALUATION OF THE PROJECTS

Cypriot producers must submit the following:

 Two identical bound copies must be submitted by the applicants until

Μonday, 11 September 2023, in two identical files, to the Department of

Modern and Contemporary Culture of the Deputy Ministry of Culture, care

of Mr Diomedes Nikitas or Ms Elena Christodoulidou (27, Iphigeneias Str.,

Acropolis 2007, Nicosia, Offices 110 (1 st floor) and 403 (4 th floor), Tel:

22809811, 22809812 and 22809846). The file (see CONTENT OF

CANDIDATES’ FILES) must also be sent to this email address:

cypruscinema.gov@cytanet.com.cy in one single PDF file.

CONTENT OF CANDIDATES’ FILES

The candidates’ files should contain the following documentation:

 Duly completed application form

 Biographical note of the scriptwriter, director, producer, and information on

the production company

 Synopsis in Greek/English (2 pages)

 Treatment in Greek/English (approx. 10-15 pages)

 A copy of the complete script in Greek/English

 Statement of intent regarding the artistic and commercial dynamic of the

project written jointly by the director and the producer

 Strategy for managing and marketing the project by the producer (up to 3

pages)

 Analytical budget of the development project which will include expenses

directly and specifically linked to the project

 Summary of the production budget and breakdown for the co-producers

 Any other documentation that may be useful in evaluating the project

The amount of funding usually rises to €6.000-€10.000 and will depend on the

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Network’s financial ability.

The synopsis, treatment and script must be written in English and Greek. The

rest of the documentation must be written in one of the two official languages of

the Network (either English or French).

Interested parties may obtain application forms and the analytical regulation

from the Announcements section of www.filmingincyprus.gov.cy and by

contacting Department of Modern and Contemporary Culture (tel: 22809811,

22809812 and 22809846 and email cypruscinema.gov@cytanet.com.cy ).

DEPUTY MINISTRY OF CULTURE

Department of Modern and Contemporary Culture

7 July 2023

SEE CINEMA NETWORK

RULES AND REGULATIONS

For the funding of Development projects for Feature Films

 SELECTION CRITERIA

 EVALUATION CRITERIA

 PROCESS FOR SUBMISSION AND HANDLING OF THE PROJECTS

 CONTENT OF CANDIDATES’ FILES

 TYPES OF FUNDING

 AGREEMENT COVERING FUNDING-PAYMENT

 FUNDING SOURCES TO COVER SEE CINEMA NETWORK - DEVELOPMENT

SELECTION CRITERIA

 Feature films with a minimum running time of 70΄ and aimed in

principle at theatrical release are accepted for examination. These

projects must have assumed the form of co-productions between at

least two producers from two SEE CINEMA NETWORK member-

states (Cyprus, Greece, Serbia, Albania, Republic of North

Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Romania, Bulgaria). The

participation of third co-producers from other countries is not

excluded. Proof of the participation of co-producers should be in

the form of agreements or at least memorandums between the

parties involved in the project. The files submitted must have

secured the services of a delegate producer, director and

scriptwriter, all three from the Network’s member-states.

 As they progress, the development projects submitted should also

assume the final form of a co-production, respecting the general

conditions and terms stipulated by the European Convention on Co-

productions.

 It is necessary for applicants to make it clear that should their

project become a feature film, artistic and technical contributors will

come in principle from the Network member-states.

 The applications are submitted by the producer to his/her own

country.

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EVALUATION CRITERIA

The evaluation of the development projects and the selection of those to be

funded will be carried out by the General Meeting of SEE CINEMA NETWORK

representatives.

The members of the General Meeting’s priorities are as follows:

 The dynamic presented by the basic dramaturgical idea

 The dramaturgical integrity demonstrated by the script

 The project’s artistic potential

 The project’s commercial potential

 The recognition that the previous works of the creative team

(scriptwriter and director) received by critics, the public and

festivals

 Proof of financing that the production may have secured

 The thoroughness of the strategic plan mapped out by the

executive producer regarding the management and promotion of

the project.

PROCEDURE FOR SUBMISSION AND EVALUATION OF THE

PROJECTS

The development projects will be submitted and evaluated as follows:

 The contents of the project should be submitted via email to the

representative of the SEE CINEMA NETWORK country of the

applicant.

 The representative of each country collects the candidate projects

submitted by his country’s film professionals and proceeds with pre-

selection implementing the criteria of the present rules and

regulations. The representative may pre-select up to two projects

per submission period and may request assistance in the pre-

selection process from those representatives of the SEE CINEMA

NETWORK countries involved in the project as co-producers.

 Each national representative then sends via email the pre-selected

projects to the rest of the representatives as well as to the

Executive Secretary of the NETWORK (synopsis, script, C.V.,

director’s notes, application etc). The pre-selected projects must be

sent to the rest of the representatives at the definite date that will

be announced by the Secretariat.

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The selection of the projects to be funded takes place on the day of the

meeting of the General Assembly, by secret ballot and in the following

manner:

- Each representative expresses himself/herself only with a positive

vote, voting for the projects that are the frontrunners in his/her

opinion.

- Based on the results of the voting, a catalog is drawn up listing the

frontrunners in order of number of votes received by each project.

Projects that were rejected in their initial evaluation by the National Film

Centers or in their evaluation by the General Assembly, have the right to

submit a funding application once again and only in the next period, provided

that the shooting has not started yet. In this case, the new application should

be accompanied by notes specifying the changes made to the project after

the initial funding application

 Cypriot producers must submit the following:

Two identical bound copies must be submitted by the applicants

until Μonday, 11 September 2023, in two identical files, to the

Department of Modern and Contemporary Culture of the Deputy

Ministry of Culture, care of Mr Diomedes Nikitas or Ms Elena

Christodoulidou (Department of Modern and Contemporary Culture

Building: 27, Iphigeneias Str., Acropolis 2007, Nicosia, Offices 110

(1 st floor) and 403 (4 th floor), Tel: 22809811, 22809812 and

22809846. The file (see CONTENT OF CANDIDATES’ FILES)

must also be sent to this email address:

cypruscinema.gov@cytanet.com.cy in one single PDF file.

CONTENT OF CANDIDATES’ FILES

The candidates’ files should contain the following documentation:

 Duly filled in application form

 Biographical note of the scriptwriter, the director, the

producer and the production company

 Synopsis in Greek and English language (1 page)

 Treatment Greek and English language (approximately 10-

15 pages)

 The complete script in English and in Greek language

 Statement of intent regarding the artistic and commercial

dynamic of the project written jointly by the director and

the producer

 Strategy for managing and marketing the project by the

producer (up to 3 pages)

 Analytical budget of the development project, which will

include expenses directly and specifically linked to the

project

 Summary of the production budget. Breakdown for the co-

producers.

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 Any other documentation that may be useful in evaluating

the project.

Synopsis, treatment and the script must be written in English and Greek. The

rest of the documents must be written in English

TYPE OF FUNDING

The funding will have the form of a non-repayable loan, the only obligation

being that the name of the Network should appear in the film’s titles and all

the printed material, radio and television or other media and all the material

accompanying the project or the future work.

AGREEMENT COVERING FUNDING-PAYMENTS

 The SEE CINEMA NETWORK will draw up an agreement, which will be

co-signed by the Network and the beneficiaries delegate producer of

the project. For each project funded, the scriptwriter, the director and

the producer are considered jointly responsible, jointly answerable and

consequently obligated to work together for the success of the project.

It is preferred that these three capacities belong to three different

persons. An exception is made in the case of scriptwriter and director

who can be the same person.

 The delegate producer of the project is responsible and answerable to

the SEE CINEMA NETWORK for the adherence to the terms and

conditions of the agreement.

PAYMENT

Payment will be made in three installments, as follows:

First installment:

20 days after signature of the agreement (30%).

Second installment:

After submission by the producer of a report in which he/she describes the

manner the project will be administered and marketed and which will be

accompanied by documents proving the results obtained during the first 4

months after approval of the funding (30%).

Third installment:

An amount of 40% will be paid upon the submission to the Network

Secretariat of a definite contract for international co-production, involving at

least two producers coming from two different member-states of the

Network, and after the completion of the first week of shooting.

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The amount of funding usually rises to €6.000 - €10.000 and will depend on

the Network’s financial ability.

For further information please contact the following numbers: 22809811,

22809812 και 22809846.

DEPUTY MINISTRY OF CUTLURE

Department of Modern and Contemporary Culture