Hans W. Geissendoerfer, one of the co-producers of this year’s Golden Palm winner Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, has become one of the first film producers to benefit from a new regional fund based in South Tyrol.
The fund, which is being set up by the economic development agency Business Location Südtirol (BLS) of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, has given production support to Geissendörfer’s production of Marcus H. Rosenmüller’s comedy Der Sommer der Gaukler which was shooting in the region two weeks ago.
Based on Robert Hültner’s historical novel of the same name, Rosenmüller’s comedy is set in the summer of 1780 as theatre impresario Emanuel Schikaneder’s troupe gets held up in a small mountain village on the Austrian border with unexpected consequences.
During the Tyrolean fund’s start-up preparatory phase, the Bolzano Province has made Euros 2m available this year to support visiting projects, including Euros 1.5m for a 12-part TV series L’uomo dei Boschi, starring the veteran Italian actor Terence Hill.
As from next year when the film fund is officially launched, there will reportedly be a budget of Euros 3m for supporting film and television productions. Similar to the policy of other regional funds throughout Europe, it will be requiring funded projects to generate a “regional effect” – in the BLS fund’s case 150% - on the allocated subsidy.
Rosenmüller’s film will be released theatrically in Germany by Movienet – who also handled his debut. Telepool will serve as the € 3.5m production’s international sales agent.
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