WARSAW: The Polish Film Institute, a key component of the successful film funding system established in 2005 via a tax on cinema tickets and TV revenues, is at the heart of non-commercial project development. Its new director, , former director of Syrena Films, says the organization’s approval process needs streamlining, a stronger commitment to new directors and more diverse input on evaluating film pitches.
We need to ensure better opportunities for first-time directors and facilitate their entry into professional life. I want to enable around 10 first-time directors, especially film-school graduates, to make their debuts within a micro-budget scheme. We plan to launch this program in cooperation with broadcasters in order to secure the other half of the budget.
Without a doubt, the animation industry needs a whole new incentives setup in order to be competitive in the market and to continue to develop. We also need new operational programs for documentary films in order to remain innovative. We hope that the expected introduction of production incentives in Poland will provide a significant push for the whole industry, which will not only boost feature film investment but also profit the entire sector. Polish cinema is already closely connected to the European film industry and we will certainly continue to strengthen those ties.The financing system of the PFI remains the same. Our budget is based on the levy placed upon commercial entities within the industry, and this year it will be bigger compared to previous years at approximately €34 million ($37 million). On top of that, we plan to cooperate closely with other public funds, which can provide support for the industry, not only in financing particular projects but also in improving the infrastructure. The introduction of the cash rebate this year will boost production with an additional €25 million ($30 million), which will have a significant impact on the whole industry.
