Zurich-basedproduction house Dschoint Ventschr and distributor Frenetic Films were theleading beneficiaries when Switzerland's Federal Office for Culture (BAK) paidout $3.6m (4.6m Swiss Francs) "reference" funding to producers,distributors and exhibitors of successful Swiss films in 2005.

DschointVentschr received $217,000 (276,000 Swiss Francs) for seven releases, includingSamir's Snow White, which was the second mostpopular Swiss film last year after Mein Name Ist Eugenwith 85,479 admissions, and Gabrielle Antosiewicz's documentary Matchmaker (14,500admissions).

Frenetic Films was awarded $215, 000 (271,000Swiss Francs) for eight releases including top Swiss film Mein Name IstEugen, Matchmaker and thedocumentary Jo Siffert.

The Neugass Kino inLucerne and Zurich was the most successful exhibitor of Swiss films in 2005,attracting $110,000 (139,000 Swiss Francs) for its screening of 31 localtitles.

With theexception of the "reference" funding allocated to the cinema-owners,these premiums must be re-invested by the production companies anddistributors in new Swiss film projects within the next two years.

In areview of 2005, BAK reported that Swiss films (including internationalco-productions) had been seen by almost one million cinema-goers and increased theirmarket share from 2004's 4.85% to 6% last year, although this had been largelythanks to the success of just one title - Mein Name ist Eugen- which constituted more than half of the local films' entries.

Over 90%of admissions for Swiss films had been registered in the German-speaking partof the country, with only 9% in the French-speaking region and less than 1% inthe Italian part.