Former Oscar winner Mike van Diem’s The Surprise and BBC backed series The White Queen [pictured] are among the recipients in the first funding round from the new Screen Flanders economic fund.

A total amount of €4,995,000 ($6,678,685) is to be distributed in the fund’s inaugural call.

The next call for projects closes on 28 June. The final call for 2013 opens from Sept 1 and closes on Oct 25. Another €5 million will be divided among applicants in both remaining calls.

Sitting alongside the Belgian Tax Shelter, the new fund is bound to boost the region’s appeal for coproduction and inward investment yet further. The aim of the selective system is to support (co-) productions that are made, in part or entirely, in the Flanders region. One of the conditions is that the project spends a minimum of €250,000 ($334,205) in the region. The 20 supported titles together stand for well over €20 million ($26,7m)of audiovisual expenses in the Flanders region.

The Screen Flanders initiative was hatched by Kris Peeters, the Minister-President of Flanders who’s also responsible for Economic Affairs, and Flanders Cultural Affairs Minister Joke Schauvliege.

The 20 projects supported are:

Asterix: The Mansion of the Gods
Dir: Louis Clichy; Main prod: M6 (FR); Belgian co-prod: Grid Animation; FR-BE; animated feature

Cafard
Dir: Jan Bultheel; Main/Belgian prod: Panache/Tondo Films; BE-FR-NL; animated feature
 
Chicken Town II
Dir: Niko Meulemans; Main/Belgian prod: 1st Day; BE-FR; animated series

Jack and the Cuckoo-clock Heart
Dir: Mathias Malzieu and Stéphane Berla; Main prod: Europacorp (FR); Belgian co-prod: Walking The Dog; FR-BE; animated feature

Kampioen zijn blijft plezant!
Dir: Eric Wirix; Main/Belgian producer: Skyline Entertainment; BE; feature

Kidnep
Dir: Anna van der Heide; Main prod: Topkapi Films (NL); Belgian Co-prod: Menuet; NL-BE-CH; feature

Kika & Bob 2: The Flight of the Pigeon
Dir: Paul De Blieck; Main/Belgian prod: Walking The Dog; BE-NL-FR; animated series
 
The Labyrinth (De dwaaltuin)
Dir: Douglas Boswell; Main/Belgian prod: Savage Film; BE-NL; feature

Het leven volgens Nino
Dir: Simone Van Dusseldorp; Main prod: Waterland/Family Affair Films (NL); Belgian co-prod: Savage Film; NL-BE; feature

Oops Noah Is Gone
Dir: Toby Genkel; Main prod: Ulysses (GER); Belgian co-prod: Skyline Entertainment; DE-IRL-LUX-BE; animated feature

Phantom Boy
Dir: Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli; Main prod: Folimage (FR); Belgian co-prod: Lunanime; FR-BE; animated feature

Rintje
Dir: Patrick Raats and Ben Tesseur; Main/Belgian prod: A Private View; NL-BE; animated series

Roadgames
Dir: Abner Pastoll; Main prod: February Films (UK); Belgian co-prod: Potemkino; GB-BE-FR; feature

Schone handen
Dir: Tjebbo Penning; Main prod: Mullholland Pictures (NL); Belgian co-prod: Eyeworks; NL-BE; feature

The surprise
Dir: Mike Van Diem; Main prod: Isabella/Fatt Production (NL); Belgian co-prod: Prime Time; NL-DE-BE-GB; feature
 
The Treatment (De behandeling)
Dir: Hans Herbots; Main/Belgian prod: Eyeworks; BE-NL; feature

Trippel Trappel
Dir: Albert ‘t Hooft and Paco Vink; Main prod: il Luster Productions (NL); Belgian co-prod: Vivi Film; NL-BE; animatiefilm

Tussen 10.00 en 12.00
Dir: Peter Hoogendoorn; Main prod: Phanta Vision Development (NL); Belgian co-prod: Minds Meet; NL-BE-FR; feature film

The White Queen
Dir: James Kent, Jamie Payne and Colin Teague; Main prod: Company Pictures (UK); Belgian co-prod: CzarTV; GB-US-BE; TV series

Wiplala
Dir: Tim Oliehoek; Main prod: Bosbros (NL); Belgian co-prod: Ciné Cri de Coeur; NL-BE-LUX; feature