02/10/2018 - Launching a new scheme, the institute will provide funding for international distributors that wish to release Swedish movies overseas

During the Toronto International Film Festival, the Swedish Film Institute launched International Distribution Support, a scheme intended to bolster the distribution of Swedish films worldwide. Film distributors, but not sales agents, that are based outside of Sweden are eligible to apply.

The funding, which will cover the costs of P&A (promotional materials, campaigns and marketing-related expenses) for the release, is applicable only to feature-length fiction and documentary films. More precisely, the films should have been completed in the past three years, have a duration of over 60 minutes, and be Swedish majority productions. The distributors should release the movies either in a single or in numerous markets outside of Sweden. Also, the Swedish Film Institute should be credited as a distribution support agent in all funded markets.

The first round of applications is open until mid-October, and all platforms are eligible. The plan is to run the scheme four times a year, with deadlines set one month after the end of the major film markets: Berlinale’s European Film Market in February, Cannes’ Film Market in May, the Toronto International Film Festival in September, and the American Film Market in November.

Regarding the amount of funding, according to the official press release, the minimum support that a distributor may receive for each film is SEK 50,000 (€4,800), and this can reach a maximum of SEK 250,000 (€24,300) for each country or territory. It should be noted, though, that the total financing that can be granted for each film and for all territories may not exceed SEK 600,000 (€58,200).

According to the original plans, selected applicants will receive their grant in two instalments payable to the Swedish production company, and subsequently transferred to each distributor. The first instalment, of 75%, will be payable within 14 days of the agreement being finalised, and the remaining 25% will be paid once the Swedish Film Institute has received an approved tax declaration of the grant.