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Ref. DC 011(2017)

New Council of Europe Convention on Cinematographic Co-production at the International Film Festival in Rotterdam

Strasbourg, 30.01.2017 - In common with many other creative industries, the film industry now operates as part of a worldwide content market.  Digital technology has made this possible by reshaping not only how films are made, but how they reach their audience.

To respond to these challenges, the Council of Europe opens for signature today a new Convention on Cinematographic Co-Production.  The opening ceremony will take place during the 46^th edition of the International Film Festival in Rotterdam (De Doelen - Juarriaanse zaal, 17h15).

This new Convention builds on the success story of the 1992 European Convention on Cinematographic Co-production, and provides an updated legal and financial framework for producers from different countries wishing to co-operate on the production of a film.

The revised text aims to grant greater flexibility for film producers by making it easier to get involved in co-productions.  It also updates the procedures for obtaining recognition of a co-produced film from national authorities.  Moreover, in line with increasingly globalised ways of working, the scope of this revised Convention has been broadened to allow non-European countries to benefit from its provisions.  This mirrors the recent opening of the Council of Europe’s Eurimages Fund to countries outside Europe.  The revised Convention will be opened for signature by Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General, Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, in the presence of the Minister of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands, Jet Bussemaker.

The countries participating in the signature ceremony are the host country, the Netherlands, together with Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Background

Eurimages is the cultural support fund of the Council of Europe. Established in 1989, it currently numbers 37 of the 47 member states of the Strasbourg-based Organisation.

Eurimages promotes the European audiovisual industry by providing financial support to feature films, animations and documentaries.

To date Eurimages has supported 1,810 European co-productions for a total amount of approximately 540 million euros.

Nine co-productions supported by Eurimages have received the Oscar®:

Journey of Hope, Xavier Koller in 1990 ;

Belle Epoque, Fernando Trueba in 1993 ;

Antonia’s Line, Marleen Gorris in 1995 ;

Kolya, Jan Svěrák in 1996;

No Man’s Land, Danis Tanović in 2001 ;

Mar Adentro, Alejandro Amenábar in 2004;

Amour, Michael Haneke in 2012 ;

La Grande Bellezza, Paolo Sorrentino in 2013 ;

Ida, by Pawel Pawlikowski in 2015.

Eight co-productions supported by the Fund have received the Palme d’Or:

Underground, Emir Kusturica in 1995 ;

Eternity and a Day, Theo Angelopoulos in 1998 ;

Dancer in the Dark, Lars von Trier in 2000 ;

L’enfant, Dardenne brothers in 2005 ;

Das weisse Band, Michael Haneke in 2009; 

Amour, Michael Haneke in 2012 ;

La Vie d’Adèle - Chapitres 1 et 2, Abdellatif Kechiche in 2013

Winter Sleep (Kiş Uykusu), Nuri Bilge Ceylan in 2014.

Contact : Giuseppe Zaffuto, Spokesperson/Media officer Tel. +33 3 90 21 56 04