Cannes

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 The Apulia Film Commission Foundation is proud to present its new international fund in Cannes in support of foreign film productions, the APULIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FUND.
On Sunday 20 May at 4:30pm at the Plage Goéland (opposite the Hotel Majestic Barriere), the Apulia Region has organised a cocktail reception where representatives of the APULIA FILM COMMISSION will present details of this fund and other services offered by the Foundation to producers and journalists.
Five years since it was set up and with over 160 productions already supported, the Apulia Film Commission Foundation is now increasing its funding programme for film production companies shooting in Apulia with three grant schemes which offer total funding of €2,500,000. A substantial share of this total is dedicated to a new grant aimed exclusively towards international productions filming in Apulia.

This is the Apulia International Film Fund, direct financial support in the form of a free grant to cover the costs of production for European and non-European audiovisual, film and TV production companies presenting projects for full-length fiction films, TV films and TV series.
Funding is available for European and non-European audiovisual, film and TV productions with an executive Italian production company or with a minority Italian co-production company. The total endowment of the new fund for 2012 is €500,000 and each applying film project may receive a maximum grant of €200,000.
The amount of allowable grant, also when added to other forms of funding (including tax credit and tax shelter), may not exceed 50% of total production costs. The Apulia International Film Fund will reimburse 15% of the production costs incurred in Apulia, thus allowing non-Italian producers to obtain a further 25% tax credit provided for F

In addition, production companies will enjoy a VAT-free status following international legislation which excludes VAT for agreements between Italian executive producers and foreign producers.

As a result, a total saving of 61% is available for non-Italian production companies filming in Apulia. Projects are accepted from companies in possession of a distribution contract (full length films) and / or broadcasting contract (TV films and series) from the country of origin of the majority production company.
The Apulia International Film Fund is accumulable with the Hospitality Fund also offered by the Apulia Film Commission. The fund comes as an addition to increasingly competitive services for production companies which now range from immediate solutions to all logistical problems, the services of professional location managers, a lowering of costs for the use of public areas, studios for casting and office space, access to the Production Guide (a database of local companies and skilled workers in the audiovisual field) and two Cineport Hubs, in Bari and Lecce.  
Company profile

The Apulia Film Commission Foundation was established in 2007 with the aim of attracting audiovisual production companies to the area; this would be achieved due to the competitiveness of its facilities, the professionalism of its skilled personnel and the lowering of costs for travel, cast, crew and location scouting in the region.
The Foundation supports and co-ordinates all links in the film and audiovisual production chain with its three funding programmes, the Apulia National Film Fund, the Apulia International Film Fund and Hospitality Funding.

It also promotes the development of film culture in the region and supports the audiovisual industry through the centre for study, learning and research on film and audiovisual prodution, established to encourage training, networking and the promotion of film studies in collaboration with local universities and institutions.
A strategic role in the Apulian audiovisual production chain is carried out by the "Creative Apulia" Centre for Production, a group of productive and cultural hubs that collaborate with national and international institutions to develop systems which encourage competitiveness as well as to exchange good practice models. The Apulia Film Commission also directs the new Apulia Regional Multimedia Library, which together with the two Cineport Hubs in Bari and Lecce, is set to become a centre for learning and research for future film-makers and Apulian residents alike. These initiatives complement the numerous facilties already offered to production companies such as immediate solutions to all logistical problems, the services of professional location managers, a lowering of costs for the use of public areas, studios for casting and office space.

The two Cineport Hubs are the centre of operations for these services. In 2011 and 2012 the Foundation organised training courses for European film producers entitled Closing the Gap: Investment for 360° Content in collaboration with Peacefulfish, the Western Norway Film Centre, the Maiorca Film Commission and Programma MEDIA. This full immersion course focuses on working with business angel networks, regional equity funds, mediatech funding and creative industry investors. The AFC's strategic use of funds has today made it a model of good practices to follow from local to European level. Among over 160 productions hosted and supported since 2008 there have been "Ne te retourne Pas" directed by Marina de Van (2008), "Bachna Ae aseeno" directed by Siddarth Anand (2008), "Maria, ihm schmeckt´s nicht" directed by Leene Vollmar (2009),  Housefull" directed by Sajid Khan (2009), "Loose Cannons" directed by Ferzan Ozpetek (2010), "Il Villaggio di Cartone" directed by Ermanno Olmi (2011) and "E' stato il figlio" directed by Daniele Ciprì (2012). The Apulia Film Commission has also produced film projects by young film-makers on well-known Apulian figures through the Remembrance Project which finances shorts on historical characters and events from 20th century Apulia. Some of these AFC-produced shorts have gone on to international success with critical acclaim and special mentions at the most prestigious European film festivals.

BOARD
President : Antonella Gaeta
Director : Silvio Maselli

CONTACTS Apulia Film Commission Foundation
CEO: Silvio Maselli mobile phone: +39 340 3161 293 Silvio.maselli@apuliafilmcommission.it
www.apuliafilmcommission.it