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Serbia’s state film funding body Film Center Serbia (FCS) says its pause on new funding rounds is due to a focus on completing outstanding projects, which have been paid €13m of public money.
The organisation has published a letter in response to a statement from Serbia’s major film associations from Sunday, February 15, which alleged “a coordinated campaign of state-sponsored censorship.”
Scroll down for the full letter
“The letter contains several inaccurate statements and tendentious allegations concerning the work of the Film Center Serbia and the state’s policy in the field of cinematography,” read the FCS response, first published on Thursday, February 26.
A main point of contention for the banded associations was the lack of public funding calls for “more than 14 months”. FCS states that this is because 53 projects that have received approximately €13m “have not been completed, or will not be filmed at all.”
“The €13m paid to the projects is funded by taxpayers in the Republic of Serbia, which makes it a significant issue,” notes the FCS response. The FCS letter says that it, along with the Ministry of Culture, is “currently focused on completing the projects”.
“The goal is to establish a sustainable framework that will help preserve long-term stability.” Screen has asked FCS for clarity on whether new funding rounds will open, and if so when that might be.
The FCS letter also says that investment in Serbian audiovisual production has increased by a factor of 130 since 2012; with the budget for the FCS 46 times higher than it was in 2012.
It also references the country’s tax incentive, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, and offers a cash rebate of up to 25% of eligible local expenditure, with a 30% rebate for projects investing more than €5m in Serbia.
“The Film Center Serbia, as always, remains committed to supporting domestic cinematography for the benefit of all filmmakers, producers, and audiences,” concludes the letter. “We believe that constructive dialogue and collaborative work to stabilize the film sector and ensure its further development are the only proper way forward.
“We remain committed to transparency, legality and the support of artistic freedom in accordance with the law.”
Recent titles backed by Film Center Serbia include Petar Glomazic and Biljana Tutorov’s To Hold A Mountain, which won the World Cinema – Documentary Grand Jury Prize at Sundance this year; and Kosara Mitic’s 17, a minority co-production for FCS which launched in Berlinale’s Perspectives section last month.
Film Center Serbia letter
Dear members of the press and media,
The Film Center Serbia has taken note of an open letter addressed to the media by several professional associations of film workers. This letter contains several inaccurate statements and tendentious allegations concerning the work of the Film Center Serbia and the state’s policy in the field of cinematography. We consider it our duty to inform the public of the facts and the actual reasons behind the current situation.
The main reason FCS did not announce new public calls is that 53 projects for which FCS has paid approximately €13 million have not been completed, or will not be filmed at all. The €13 million paid to the projects is funded by taxpayers in the Republic of Serbia, which makes it a significant issue.
The joint efforts of FCS and the Ministry of Culture are currently focused on completing the projects, protecting previously disbursed non-refundable public funds, and ensuring their responsible use. The goal is to establish a sustainable framework that will help preserve long-term stability.
Cinematography in Serbia has enormous potential, and over the past decade, the state has demonstrated record support.
Since 2012, investments in audiovisual production have increased by approximately 130 times. Taking the Film Center Serbia’s 2024 budget as an example, it is nearly 46 times higher than in 2012. These facts clearly indicate one of the most impressive increases in support for cinematography in the country. This has enabled the production of numerous domestic films and TV series, successful co-productions, international festival awards, and has made Serbia an attractive location for foreign productions.
FCS regularly supports projects of various genres, including those critically engaged with social issues, without any political selection. In addition, FCS continuously promotes Serbian cinema at international markets and festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival and the Berlinale.
The Republic of Serbia also implemented a government-supported film and TV incentive program in 2016, one of the most competitive in the region, which attracts foreign investment and employs thousands of local film professionals.
The incentive program is administered by the Film Center Serbia, in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Serbia. It offers a cash rebate of up to 25% of eligible local expenditure, with a 30% rebate for projects investing more than €5 million in Serbia.
The program has resulted in numerous benefits. It has generated significant economic impact, created employment opportunities for local crews, and supported the long-term development of the domestic audiovisual sector. The Government, recognizing the benefits of this program, is working on implementing new regulations that will make it easier and faster.
This year, the program is celebrating its 10th anniversary. It paid a rebate on over 200 international and local projects. It started with small ones where many crew came from abroad, and now the local crew is so skilled that even HODs are local. Productions filmed partly or entirely in Serbia are Machine, Robin Hood, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Crawl, Heads of State and many others.
The Film Center Serbia, as always, remains committed to supporting domestic cinematography for the benefit of all filmmakers, producers, and audiences. We believe that constructive dialogue and collaborative work to stabilize the film sector and ensure its further development are the only proper way forward.
We remain committed to transparency, legality and the support of artistic freedom in accordance with the law.
Sincerely,
Film Center Serbia
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