European funds will finance promotional campaigns for proMOTION participants’ films
This year, as part of the proMOTION programme, the Ukrainian Institute will ensure the international promotion of five Ukrainian films, despite the lack of state funding. Thanks to the cooperation with foreign partners, each of 5 films will receive financing in the amount of up to 300,000 hryvnias.
Memorandums of cooperation have already been signed with Göteborg Film Fund/Göteborg Film Festival (Sweden) and German Films (Germany).
The Ukrainian institute launched a long-term programme proMOTION in 2020 to support the international promotion of Ukrainian films and increase the presence of Ukrainian cinema on the international market. The programme also aims at developing the marketing skills of Ukrainian filmmakers and fostering systematic international collaboration, in particular with foreign promotion agencies.
In the spring of 2022, a competition for participation was held and 5 winning films were selected. According to the terms of the programme, the Ukrainian Institute was to provide support for winners’ international promotion. The financing of campaigns will be implemented thanks to the involvement of international funds.
The agreements were reached with Göteborg Film Fund/ Göteborg Film Festival, whose activities are aimed at strengthening the film industry in countries with a high level of film production, but with various economic or political challenges. The fund will finance the international promotion of the film Luxembourg, Luxembourg by Antonio Lukic, which will be presented at film festivals in Venice and Toronto, and the debut film Rock. Paper. Grenade by Iryna Tsilyk, according to the estimated budget submitted. Göteborg Film Fund also partially supported the promotion of Pamfir by Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk, which after a successful premiere in Cannes, and Karlovy Vary, travels around the world, collecting awards.
“We are very happy to accompany one of our residency guests Antonio Lukich to Venice and Toronto and support the promotional activities for the film within a cooperation with the Ukrainian Institute and their programme proMOTION. As well as projects by Iryna Tsilyk, premiering during the autumn. We are also excited to be a little bit more engaged in Pamfir by Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk which received our postproduction support last year and premiered in Cannes this May. Our goal is to keep the industry within Ukraine active as much as possible, under these really tough circumstances, that’s why Göteborg Film Fund also launched development grants for filmmakers working in Ukraine,” says Camilla Larsson, Fund Manager at Göteborg Film Festival
A memorandum is also signed with German Films, the national information and advisory center for the promotion of German films worldwide. The company allocated half of the required amount for the international promotion of the film Pamfir by Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk, created in co-production of Ukraine, France, Poland, Chile, Luxembourg, and Germany. The world premiere of the film took place at the Directors’ Fortnight programme of Cannes Film Festival.
“German Films is happy to support Ukrainian filmmakers in this difficult situation. Pamfir by Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk is a European coproduction and Ukrainian cinema is a part of our European culture and heritage. We are thrilled to help promote it on the international market and get recognition it deserves. We all need to make sure Ukrainian film industry not only survives but has a future,” — notes Simone Baumann, Managing Director at German Films
Within the agreements between the Ukrainian Institute and the European Film Promotion network, Pamfir has also received Film Sales Support (FSS) for promotional campaign. The Ukrainian Institute continues negotiations with potential partners to cover the costs of the promotion of two more films participating in this year’s proMOTION programme.
Five winners of the proMOTION 2022 programme are the films with high international potential: Company of Steel directed by Yuliia Hontaruk, Luxembourg, Luxembourg by Antonio Lukic, Mountains and Heaven in Between by Dmytro Hreshko, Pamfir by Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk and Rock. Paper. Grenade by Iryna Tsilyk. For more information about the films: link.
German Films Service + Marketing GmbH is the national information and advisory center for the promotion of German films worldwide. It was established in 1954 under the name Export-Union of German Cinema as the umbrella association for the Association of German Feature Film Producers, the Association of New German Feature Film Producers and the Association of German Film Exporters, and operates today in the legal form of a limited company. In 2004, the company was reorganized and now operates under the name: German Films Service + Marketing GmbH.
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. During 2021, the fund targeted four different regions. These were Brazil, Sudan, Ukraine and Kurdish filmmakers in Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey. 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. 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.