Göteborg Film Fund

Artistic freedom and free speech

Göteborg Film Fund is an initiative with the aim to strengthen the film industry in countries or regions with an interesting cinema on a high artistic level, but with different economic or political challenges and preconditions. Thus contributing to a diversified culture and media landscape, with increased artistic freedom and free speech. It started as a one year pilot project – supported by the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs within the government’s “drive for” democracy – with the goal to establish a permanent international film fund.

During 2021, the fund targeted four different regions. These were Brazil, Sudan, Ukraine and Kurdish filmmakers in Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey. The funding schemes were announced with two different deadlines, in May (development and post-production) and July (innovative distribution) 2021. Over 1100 applications (800 from Brazil) were submitted. During the year the fund distributed SEK 4 000 0000 (≈ € 400 000) to 36 different projects.

During 2022, due to the war, Göteborg Film Fund is focusing on Ukraine, with a residency programme for Ukrainian filmmakers, financed by Region Västra Götaland, consisting of three months stay in Gothenburg, with apartment, a work scholarship and access to office space. During the autumn of 2022 and spring of 2023 the fund will additionally support international dissemination and launching of urgent and independent Ukrainian films, as well as filmmakers still active inside Ukraine, with development grants and equipment. The support programme also includes screenings of Ukrainians films in Sweden as well as panels and discussions around the role of moving images in relation to democracy, artistic freedom and free speech, taking place at Göteborg Film Festival, physically and online, and on the festival’s streaming platform Draken Film. The project is supported by The Swedish Postcode Foundation, within the frame of their focus on artistic freedom, and by the Swedish Institute and their emergency support for Ukraine.

Contact

Camilla Larsson
Fund Manager
camilla.larsson@goteborgfilmfestival.se
info.fund@goteborgfilmfestival.se
application.fund@goteborgfilmfestival.se