Open Call: NFVF/NFF “Thuthuka” Funding Scheme

Through Thuthuka it is possible to apply for a development grant for writing a screenplay and creating a pitch book for a feature film, long documentary or animated film aimed at cinema release that is created in co-production.

Funding Information

• The development contribution amounts to €40,000, taking into account the guideline contributions that the Netherlands Film Fund uses for development. This contribution includes 15% for producer fee & overhead on the total development costs deemed eligible by the Fund, including contributions to the screenwriter and any costs for coaching and translation, among other things.
• Each year, a development grant is awarded to a maximum of 4 projects: 2 to majority Dutch film productions and 2 to majority South African film productions.

Who is eligible?

• A production company (a legal entity, not a sole proprietorship or general partnership) that has been established in the Netherlands, a member state of the EU, EEA or Switzerland for at least two years and that produces and exploits films and other audiovisual productions on a continuous basis.
• The production company is represented by a producer who, as majority producer, has been primarily responsible for the realisation of at least one feature film, long documentary or animated film within the same category as the application with a cinema release in the Netherlands.
• An application for a majority South African film production is submitted to the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) by a production company based in South Africa.

Conditions

• In addition, the following conditions apply to qualify for a contribution:
  • This concerns a film plan for a script for a long documentary (> 60 min) or (animated) feature film (> 80 min) by a South African or Dutch writer;
  • The creative partnership between the Netherlands and South Africa should be central;
  • A screenwriter and a co-producer from the other country must be associated with the film plan by a written commitment;
  • This concerns a new film plan for which no (development) contribution has previously been requested from the NFVF or the NFF;
  • None of the core team members (producer, co-producer, writer, director) have been involved in any project selected for Thuthuka in the past two years.
  • The film production must be primarily aimed at cinema release. The content will determine whether the project is capable of reaching an audience in both countries.

For more information, visit Netherlands Film Fund.