Apply for funding for the production of feature-length children's films and children's short films

You must apply for funding in writing to the Federal Archive:

• Download the application form Antrag auf Gewährung von Zuwendungen aus Mitteln für den Bereich Kinderfilmförderung Produktion from the BKM website on the Federal Government's website or from the website of the Kuratorium junger deutscher Film.
• Complete the application form in full and enclose the required documents.
• Send the complete application to the Federal Archives' mailroom and send a complete copy of the application with the required documents in PDF format by e-mail (antrag@kjdf.org).
• The Federal Archives will forward your application accordingly.
• The decision on funding will be made after assessment by a jury.
• If your application is not approved, you will receive a rejection letter.
• If the requirements for funding are met, you will be notified by the BKM and further processing of your application will be carried out by the German Federal Film Board (FFA).
• If all requirements are met (such as securing the overall financing of the film project), you will receive a grant notification from the FFA and the funding will be paid out in installments as the project progresses.
  

You as the producer are eligible to apply for funding for full-length children's films or children's short films. A producer is anyone who is responsible for the realization of the film project.

• You are a producer with your place of residence or business in Germany.
• If your place of residence or business is in a member state of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, you must have a branch in Germany.

The production of your film project can be funded if the following requirements are met:

• It is a full-length children's film (screening time of at least 59 minutes) or a short children's film of a maximum duration of 30 minutes.
• The film has a significant German cultural character as defined by the BKM Film Funding Guidelines
• The production costs of the full-length children's film do not exceed EUR 5,000,000, unless there is a justified exception
• Funding should not exceed a total of 80 percent of the eligible production costs estimated in the preliminary calculation
• You participate in the financing of the film with an appropriate own contribution according to the scope of production, your capital resources and previous production activities within the meaning of the Film Subsidy Act. Your own contribution must amount to at least 5 percent of the recognized costs. In the case of international co-productions, the German producer's financing share must be used as the basis for calculating the own contribution.
• You are financing the film predominantly in German as defined by the BKM Film Funding Guidelines
• You may only begin shooting or animation work after the grant has been awarded, unless you have made an exception with the BKM.
• You will produce at least one final version of the film in German, apart from dialog passages for which a different language is specified in the script. In the case of documentaries and short films, a German subtitled version suitable for theatrical screening is sufficient.
• You will provide at least one final version of the film until the start of the regular theatrical release in a version
  • with German subtitles for people with hearing impairments and
  • with German audio description for people with visual impairments
  • in a quality suitable for the market and theaters.
  • Their costs for this are recognized by the BKM and must be taken into account in the calculation. In particularly justified cases, exceptions may be granted at the request of the producer.
• if one or more television broadcasters are involved in the production of your film project:
• Proof that a reversion of the television exploitation rights to the applicant has been agreed in the exploitation contract with the television broadcaster, in accordance with the provisions of the FFG and the guidelines issued on the basis of the FFG. The same applies to television exploitation rights that the producer has granted to a distributor or distributor.

The decision on funding is made by a jury. In addition to the primary criterion of artistic quality, the feasibility of the project within a reasonable period of time and the expected distribution of the film, particularly in the case of theatrical exploitation, are taken into account.
If you receive funding, you must fulfill certain conditions even after the film has been completed, otherwise the funding may be reclaimed:

• Compliance with embargo periods:
  • You must ensure the regular first release in theaters. Under certain conditions, you can submit an application to shorten the embargo period.
• Registration and archiving in the Federal Archives:
  • Within 12 months of the first public screening, you must register your film in accordance with the Federal Archives Act. At the time of registration, but at the latest within twelve months thereafter, you must notify the Federal Archives of the location of a technically flawless, archivable copy of the theatrical film.
  • No later than 12 months after the first public screening of your film, you must provide the Federal Archives with a technically flawless copy of the film in an archivable format free of charge. Further details, in particular the technical specifications of the archivable copy, are governed by the regulations of the Federal Archives.
• Documentation and reporting obligations to the BKM:
  • After completion of the film, you must provide the BKM with two voucher DVDs and inform them immediately of the distribution title, date of theatrical release, participation and any awards at German and international film festivals as well as other nominations and prizes.

Notes:

If, in the case of a co-production, several producers fulfill the approval requirements, the application can only be submitted by one of the producers.

The resubmission of an unsuccessful project is only possible once. The prerequisite is that the project has been changed in significant respects compared to the project already submitted for funding. A change is not required if formal reasons for the rejection no longer exist.

• Short description (maximum 1 page)
• Screenplay, for animated films also storyboard (enclose separately, screenplay printed on both sides)
• Proof of the closed rights chain (contract on the acquisition of the filming rights to the book, material, title, etc.)
• Company profile with details of previous films of the production company, producer or producer)
• Information on the director's professional career to date (filmography, nationality)
• Staff list with residence details (letter of intent from director, camera)
• Cast list, including letters of intent from the main actors/key supporting actors
• Financing plan, including status of financing, funding meeting dates and calculation of own contribution, as well as proof of financing
• Preliminary calculation in a form customary in the industry, the maximum fee rates are based on the guidelines of the German Federal Film Board for project film funding
• Presentation of the distribution plans/exploitation concept or distribution contract
• Explanations of the changes made to the project upon resubmission
• If applicable, samples of the director's work or completed films as a link or in DVD format (fifteen copies)

In the event of a generally positive funding decision following the vote of the selection jury:

• Provisional project certificate from the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) stating that the film is mainly financed in German. You must submit the final BAFA certificate before the final installment is paid.
• If one or more television broadcasters are involved in the production of the film project, you must provide proof that the exploitation agreement with the television broadcaster includes a reversion of the television exploitation rights to you that complies with the provisions of the FFG and the guidelines issued on the basis of the FFG. The same applies to television exploitation rights that you have granted to a distributor or distributor.
  

You do not have to pay a fee for the funding application.

Funding for your film must be applied for before the start of filming or animation work and approved with a grant notification. The first day of filming is considered the start of filming.

The current submission deadlines (usually twice a year) can be found on the BKM website.

The processing time from application to the decision as to whether your film project is eligible for funding is approximately 11 weeks. The German Federal Film Board then needs additional time for processing. This depends largely on when all the requirements for issuing the decision have been met.

• §§ Sections 3 to 4, 14, 16 to 17 of the Guidelines for Cultural Film Funding of the BKM
• § 51 Film Subsidies Act

Lawsuit

- Form: yes

- Online procedure possible: no

- Personal appearance necessary: no

- Written form required: yes

• Application for children's film funding on the BKM website

13.07.2021