The German state of Hessen is planning to launch a $7m (DM15m) fund to support commercial film and television production in the region from next year.

Herbert Hirschler, state secretary in the Economic Ministry, stressed that Hessen would "want to be an equal partner in the risk and success of the project".

"Unlike other regional states, they would not be interested in taking on risk, only to be put in the last position regarding the success of a production and to only have the subsidies or loans paid back at most," Hessen said.

Hessen's culturally-oriented film funding progamme with a budget of over $1.4m (DM3m) will continue to operate alongside this new initiative for commercially geared film and television projects.