World Cinema Fund Classic Programme

In 2004 the WCF started as an initiative of the German Federal Cultural Foundation in cooperation with the Berlin International Film Festival, with the goal of creating a unique funding structure based on an efficient production and cooperation model. The WCF Classic programme represents the initiative’s core. Throughout this programme the WCF has helped to give shape and visibility lo largely unseen cinema – by supporting film production in the WCF focus regions and countries.

The WCF aims to support films in the WCF regions/countries by developing active cooperations between producers and directors from these regions/countries and German partners. Therefore, German film companies play an important role in the structure of the WCF – in a cultural-political and in an economic way.

The producer from a WCF region/country can submit a project without having a German partner involved at the time of application. However, a German partner is needed as soon as a project is recommended for funding by the WCF jury. The WCF often serves as a bridge between producers from abroad and German companies, i. e. it can assist in finding an adequate partner. Once a cooperation is in place, the WCF jury’s funding recommendation can be turned into a funding contract between the WCF and the German partner.

The German partner is responsible for signing the funding agreement with the WCF and is the actual recipient of the WCF support. He is also held liable by the WCF for the project. For the final accounting, the German partner has to deliver an auditor’s report/certificate confirming that the WCF funding amount (minuspossible overheads of 7.5 percent maximum for the German partner) was entirely spent for the production of the film in a WCF region/country.

Funding Information

• Maximum funding: 60,000 Euros per project and 40,000 Euros for post-production funding.
• The total production costs of the supported projects should range between 200,000 Euros and 1,400,000 Euros.

Eligibility Criteria

• Funding is granted to cooperations between German production companies and filmmakers in WCF eligible regions/countries. The following constellations are possible at the moment of entering the application:
  • Film production companies from WCF-supported regions that can confirm their collaboration with a director from the WCF supported regions/countries, or
  • Registered film production companies based in Germany (in the commercial register or registered trade) that can prove a working relationship with a director from the regions/countries eligible for WCF funding or
  • Registered film production companies (in the commercial register or registered trade) from other EU member states, provided they have a branch or place of business in Germany and can prove a working relationship with a director from the regions/countries eligible for WCF funding.

For more information, visit World Cinema Fund.