Screen Flanders invests $1.9m in eight projects

New films from directors Stijn Coninx, Alex van Warmerdam and Arthur Harari are among eight projects to receive support from the Screen Flanders Economic Fund.

In the Fund’s second round of 2014, a total of €1.57m ($1.93m) is to be distributed. The eight projects account for more than €7.5m ($9.2m) of spend in the Flanders region.

The films include Schneider vs. Bax from writer-director Alex van Warmerdam. The project is Van Warmerdam’s first since Borgman, which screened In Competition at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. Fortissimo Films has worldwide rights, outside Benelux and Scandinavia. The thriller centres on a contract killer and a writer, battling each other for survival.

The Flanders government provides financial support to productions that spend part or all of their budgets within the region. Belgian producers can apply for up to €400,000 (just under $500,000). Foreign producers can tap into the fund by co-producing with a Belgian producer who meets the selection criteria.

The main condition of the fund is that the (co-)production must invest a minimum of €250,000 ($307,000) in the region, and every euro awarded to a producer must generate at least €1 of audiovisual expenditure in the region.

Applications are assessed by a jury consisting of economic and cultural experts. The full rules and regulations can be found on www.screenflanders.com.

The eight projects that receive Screen Flanders support are:
 
Ay Ay Ramon!
Director: Stijn Coninx
Belgian producer: Sylvester TV
BE; fiction
 
d’Ardennen
Director: Robin Pront
Belgian producer: Savage Film
BE; fiction
 
Diamant noir
Director: Arthur Harari
Main producer: Les Films Pelléas (FR)
Belgian co-producer: Savage Film
FR, BE; fiction
 
Knielen op een bed violen
Director: Ben Sombogaart
Main producer: NL Film en TV (NL)
Belgian co-producer: Zilvermeer Productions
NL, BE; fiction
 
Mannenharten
Director: Filip Peeters
Main Belgian producer: Marmalade Films (BE)
BE, NL; fiction
 
Schneider versus Bax
Director: Alex van Warmerdam
Main producer: Graniet Film (NL)
Belgian co-producer: Czar TV
NL, BE; fiction
 
The Last Summer with Mum
Director: Steffan Strandberg
Main producer: Indie Film as (NO)
Belgian co-producer: Walking The Dog
BE, NO; documentary
 
Ziggy & the Zootram
Director: Tanguy de Kermel, Federico Milella
Main Belgian producer: Skyline Entertainment
BE, LU; animation series