Tiger Award winner 2011 from Thailand, Eternity, by director Sivaroj Kongsakul is ready for the 21st Films from the South Festival in Oslo. This is a film that potentially could have been supported by SØRFOND, says Artistic Director Lasse Skagen.
A new European filmproduction fund is emerging inside the borders of Norway these days. Following the steps of funds like Hubert Bals Fund (HBF) in the Netherlands and Fonds Süd Cinema in France, SØRFOND is dedicated to support producers and directors from countries in the south where the infrastructure of filmproduction is weak for political or economical reasons. Strong artistic content and a high degree a cultural identity in the project is essential. SØRFOND strongly encourages directors and producers dealing with issues of freedom of expression to apply for grants.
– Kongsakul's Eternity was supported by the HBF, explains Skagen and underscores that this is a kind of movie that could have been supported by SØRFOND. The Films from the South foundation and The Norwegian Film Institute will be in charge of running the fund's work.
Production Support Fund
– SØRFOND is a production-support-only fund with a requirement of 50 % of the budget in place at the point of sending the application with deadline December 15, 2011, says Skagen. He continues:
– We have looked into how the other European funds are modelled and found that our contribution is best applied in the more final stages of the financing of a film. Getting those last euros in place can often be a challenge, says Skagen. Co-financed by The Norwegian Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Culture, SØRFOND will grant about NOK 4 million (500 000 euroes) in support for 2012.
Eligibility and basic requirements
Producers or Directors that are based in, living in or have a citizenship in a country on the OECD Dac-list (www.oecd.org/dataoecd/32/40/43540882.pdf ) are eligible for support.
– SØRFOND encourages directors and producers dealing with freedom of expression to apply for support. Having a Norwegian co-producer is an essential requirement, says Skagen and adds:
– At the point of sending the main application with deadline December 15, a Norwegian co-producer must be in place. The 21st edition of The Oslo Films from the South Festival (Oct 6-16) gives an opportunity to meet with potential Norwegian co-producers.
SØRFOND Forum 2011
– SØRFOND Forum 2011 will be organized during this years edition of the Oslo Films from the South Festival (Oct 6-16), Lasse Skagen continues.
– The dates for the forum are October 13 and 14 and will include a pitching forum where eligible producers/directors can pitch there projects and meet with potential Norwegian co-producers. Deadline for applying for participation in the forum is August 15, 2011. Producers and directors selected for invitation to the forum will be given a fee covering some of their travel expenses, says Skagen, hoping that many will use the opportunity to apply for participation in the forum.
– Both language and locations of the film must mainly be from within a country on the OECD Dac-list, preferrably from the director's own homecountry, says Skagen, but underscore that of course minor parts of the film can be shot in western countries.
– Exceptions can be made in cases where a director is not able to visit or shoot in his or her homecountry without being persecuted. Regarding the size of support, one production can get a maximum grant of 120.000 euro. We hope to be able to grant the last euros in the budget of films that have gone through other financial institutions on its way to realization, Skagen continues.
– What kind of films are eligible for support and for which media platforms?
– Fictions and documetaries (including creative docs) with a screening time of minimum 50 minutes is eligible for support, says Skagen. And they can be aimed towards a variety of mediaplatforms, such as cinema venues, TV or the Internet.
– Where can applicants find more information about SØRFOND?
I assume there are many producers and directors that would be interested in applying both for participation in the forum and for support from the fund.
– Where can they find more information about the requirements and what has to be included in the applications?
– Our website www.sorfond.com offers more information about the specifics in applying for SØRFOND forum participation and more information about the requirements for the main application. We are still in an early phase regarding the final guidelines, so all the technical information regarding the main application with deadline December 15 is not finished and posted on the website yet. But this information will be posted no later than september 1st, says Lasse Skagen.
The future of SØRFOND
– From the point of view during the early phase of building SØRFOND as a new possibility of support for producers/directors from developing countries, what are your expecations for the future?
– Well, I hope we can represent making a difference for a few productions that otherwise would have had problems getting finalized. I also see building networks between producers and directors in the South and Norway as a great opportunity. Crosscultural connections are more important than ever, not at least after the great tragedy we recently have experienced in Norway. Extremist attitudes are best fought by letting stories from other parts of the world be known among the audiences in our small part of the world.
This concludes our small interview with Artistic Director Lasse Skagen, at the Oslo Films from the South Festival, about SØRFOND – a new fund with the target to support productions from developing countries.
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
