Eurimages (European Support Fund for the Co-Production and Distribution of Creative Cinematographic and Audiovisual Works) is the Fund of the Council of Europe created in 1989 to support the production, distribution, and projection of European films. It currently has 38 Member States, plus Canada.
Its purpose is to promote European cinema by stimulating the production and circulation of works but also by strengthening the cooperation between professionals.
The majority (about 90%) of the Fund is dedicated to the production support. Since its establishment, Eurimages has supported the co-production of 1700 films and documentaries, some of whom have received prestigious awards (Oscars, Golden Palm, Golden Lion …). For example, “The Great Beauty” (La grande bellezza), the Italian film that got the Oscar for best foreign film in 2014, was produced with support from the fund. The rules and procedures for allocating funds are reviewed annually to take account of film production in Member States and better meet the needs of professionals.
The Fund also supports the distribution of films, documentaries and cartoons, for a total amount of aid to the distribution of about € 1,200,000 per year.
Finally, Eurimages supports, in collaboration with Europa Cinemas, about 70 cinemas, with a contribution of 800,000 per year.
The main objective of Eurimages is cultural. The Fund aims to support works that can reflect a European society with a thousand different faces, but which demonstrate the common roots of the same culture.
The Fund also has an economic objective, by providing financial support to a sector that seeks not only a commercial success, but also wants to show that cinema is an art and should be treated as such.
The Fund is managed by a Board of Management where each member State is represented. It defines the policy of the Fund, the conditions for granting aid and selects the projects for support. It meets four times a year.
The Board shall elect its chairman from among the representatives of Member States. Its role is to represent the Fund in terms of audiovisual policy, to lead the debate and engage in active dialogue with the film industry.
The Secretariat is headed by an Executive Director, which operates under the authority of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe and ensures the Fund’s management. It controls the application of eligibility criteria for support requests, examines these requests in close collaboration with producers and controls until full repayment of the aid received.