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EUROPE

The European film industry picks up the pace again

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- A look at the measures being implemented by European countries' authorities in order to get shoots, gatherings and screenings in cinemas back on track after the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic

The European film industry picks up the pace again

A couple of months after the COVID-19 pandemic started to afflict Europe, forcing the countries' authorities to implement social confinement rules and therefore resulting in the shut-down of most of the industry and a slowdown in the economy, the first measures intended to allow activity to resume during the first phase of the lockdown-easing period are being put in place. After having suffered cancellations, postponements and the reorganisation of film festivals, markets and other events (see the news) owing to the measures being adopted by the governments, as well as the total closure of cinemas, the national film industries are now looking to the future, in their first step towards the so-called "new normal". Each country is now trying to find a way to resume film shoots, hold physical gatherings and events, and reopen cinemas.

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Our partners EFAD and EUFCN are providing us with information on the measures taken by the different countries. The European Audiovisual Observatory is also tracking daily the specific national measures aimed at supporting the audiovisual sector, which you can access to here.

This list also includes now the events that have been postponed and are aiming to celebrate a physical edition in the coming months.

Here is the list of measures known as of 10 August:

Austria

Measures from the Austrian Film Institute and the government (read here)

Comeback work concept for filming in the field of film and television during the COVID-19 crisis written by the Austrian film associations in coordination with the Ministry of Health (read here)

Short statement regarding a Rescue Package for COVID-19-related Interruptions and Delays in Shooting Films in Austria (read here)

Belgium

Measures from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation Film and Audiovisual Centre (read news)

Good practices for filming in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic by screen.brussels (read more)

Covid-19 sector-specific guidelines for the Television & Media Industry (JC 227) and Film Production Protocol for the Flemish-speaking Community of Belgium by Screen Flanders (read more)

Cinemas reopened on 1 July

20th Brussels Mediterranean Film Festival - Cinémamed (confirmed dates 26 November-5 December)

35th Festival International du Film Francophone de Namur (confirmed dates 2-9 October)

3rd Brussels International Film Festival (original dates 24 June-4 July, postponed to 3-13 September)

23rd Brussels Short Film Festival (original dates 22 April-3 May, postponed to 2-12 September)

12th Millenium Documentary Film Festival (original dates 27 March-4 April, postponed to 16-25 October)

Bulgaria

Measures from the Bulgarian National Film Centre

Bulgarian Film Guide (read here)
Site created from the input of over 20 of the largest production companies and studios working in Bulgaria along with adapting rules and procedures from the "EU Guidelines on Basic Safety Rules for Risk Protection Against Contagion of SARS-COV-2 During Filming" as well as other industry sources

Film productions restarted (read news)

Cinemas set to reopen on 18 May, selling tickets for up to 30% of capacity and observing strict rules for social distancing

24th Sofia International Film Festival (original dates 12-31 March, postponed to 25 June-6 July) (read news)
17th Sofia Meetings (moved online to 3-8 July) (read news)

Croatia

The Center for Public Health (ZJZ) should be issuing broad "guidelines/recommendations" for our sector in May. HAVC is also developing a more detailed "Protocol" elaborating on the ZJZ text which is likely to be pretty basic (social distancing, hygiene, monitoring)

Independent cinemas set to reopen on 25 May, with a 30% capacity. Multiplexes still closed at least until 1 June.

67th Pula Film Festival (new confirmed dates 29 August-4 September)

Czech Republic

Measures from the Czech Film Fund (read news)

Czech Film Commission Self-Regulatory Guidelines (read here)
Protection against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Basic safety rules for preproduction and production of audiovisual works

Film productions restarted (read news)

Cinemas set to reopen on 25 May (with restrictions)

60th International Film Festival for Children and Youth Zlín Film Festival (postponed to 4-10 September) (read news)

33th Finále Plzeň (original dates 16-22 April, postponed to 24-29 September)

Cyprus

Health and safety protocol for film, television and commercial productions to prevent the spread of Covid-19 by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Cyprus (read here)

Denmark

Measures from the Danish Film Institute (read news)

Full report by Nordisk Film & TV Fond on official measures to go back filming safely in the Nordics under COVID-19, including plans for foreign shoots (read here)

Estonia

Measures from the Estonian Film Institute (read news)

Cinemas set to reopen on 1 June

Finland

Measures from the Finnish Film Foundation (read news + news)

APFI (Audiovisual Producers in Finland) Guidelines (read here)

France

Measures from the CNC (read news + news + news)

Recommendations prepared by CCHSCT (Unions) in cooperation with the CNC - "common prevention principles" (read here in French) To be validated by the Labour Ministry. Estimated extra-costs for shooting complying with the guidelines according to professionals: 10% to 30%

Film productions restarted (read news)

Cinemas set to reopen on 22 June (read news)

43th Festival du Film Italien de Villerupt (confirmed for 23 October-8 November)

29th Festival Biarritz Amérique Latine (confirmed for 28 Septembre-4 October)

38th Annecy Cinéma Italien (confirmed for 21-27 September, hybrid edition, physical and virtual screenings)

34th Cabourg Film Festival (confirmed for 29 June-1 July)

48th Festival La Rochelle Cinéma (original dates 26 June-5 July, confirmed for 3-5 July and 1-4 October, alongside an online version from 26 June-5 July)

31st FIDMarseille (Festival International de Cinéma de Marseille) (confirmed for 22-26 July)
FIDLab (moved online to 6-10 July)

13rd Festival du film francophone d’Angoulême (confirmed for 28 August-2 September)

12th Lumière Festival (confirmed for 10-18 October)

3rd Canneséries Festival (original dates 27 March-1 April, postponed to 9-14 October) (read news)

67th Cannes Lions festival (22-26 June, postponed for 26–30 October)

Germany

Measures from the German Federal Film Board (read news)

SARS-CoV-2 Occupational Health and Safety Standard Recommendations for film productions by the German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the energy, textile, electrical and media products sectors (BG ETEM) (read here)

Cinemas closed, set to reopen in some states on 30 May, with a 1,5 meters distance between spectators
(In Berlin, set to reopen on 30 June partly, and on 2 July completely)

63rd DOK Leipzig (set for 26 October-1 November, both physical and online)
DOK Industry (set to be moved online)

17th See the Sound Festival (original dates 22-26 April, postponed to 19-23 August)

Greece

Measures from the Greek Film Centre

Recommended Safety Guidelines for filming in Greece issued by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports (read here)

Film productions set to restart on 18 May

Open air cinemas set to open on 1 June, the seats should be at a distance of 1.5m and the capacity can't be over 60%

Hungary

Measures from the Hungarian National Film Institute

Some independent cinemas reopened since 20 June, Budapest Film cinema chain reopen on June 25, Cinema City cinema chain (the biggest Hungarian group of multiplexes) reopen on the first or the second week of July

Iceland

Measures from the Icelandic Film Centre (read news)

Film productions restarted on 15 May, including new quarantine procedures for filming, and permissions to international shoots (read Iceland's Directorate of Health statement through Film in Iceland here)

Full report by Nordisk Film & TV Fond on official measures to go back filming safely in the Nordics under COVID-19, including plans for foreign shoots (read here)

Cinemas open since 4 May

Ireland

Measures from Screen Ireland

Return to live-action film and television production planning update (read here)

Return to Production Guidelines for the Creative Screen Industry by Screen Producers Ireland (read here)

Cinemas set to reopen on 20 July, with social distancing measures and restrictions

Italy

Measures from the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Activities and Tourism (MIBACT) - Directorate General for Cinema and Audiovisual (read news)

General work environment under COVID-19 protocol (read here)
Draft prepared by producers associations (ANICA, APA and APE) - not a final version

Cinemas set to reopen on 15 June (read news)

77th Venice Film Festival (confirmed for 2-12 September)

11th Bif&st - Bari International Film Festival (original dates 21-28 March, postponed to 22-30 August)

10th Rendez-vous, le Festival du Nouveau Cinéma Français - Rome, Bologna, Florence, Milan, Naples, Palermo and Turin (original dates 1-6 April, postponed to 1-6 July)

15th Festa del Cinema di Roma (confirmed for 15-25 October)

12th SiciliAmbiente Film Festival (original dates July, postponed to 4-8 August)

56th Mostra Internazional del Nuovo Cinema di Pesaro (original dates 13-20 June, postponed to 22-29 August)

7th Firenze Film Corti Festival (original dates 5-9 May, postponed to 27-30 October)

68th Trento Film Festival (original dates 25 April-3 May, postponed to 27 August-2 September)

21st Sottodiciotto Film Festival & Campus (original dates 28 March-3 April, postponed to 5-11 December)

18th Florence Korea Film Fest (original dates 19-27 March, postponed to 23-30 September)

21st Festival del Cinema Europeo di Lecce (original dates 18-25 April, postponed to 31 October-7 November)

Kosovo

12th PriFest (confirmed for 14-19 July)

19th Dokufest Prizren (moved online from 7-25 August, geo-blocked to Kosovo, Albania and parts of the Western Balkans)

Latvia

Measures from National Film Centre of Latvia

Shooting protocols approved in Latvia (read here in Latvian)

Lithuania

Measures from Lithuanian Film Centre (read news)

Recommendations for filming crews regarding the organization of operations during the quarantine by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania (read here)

Cinemas set to open (read news)

Malta

Measures from the government (read news)

Netherlands

Measures from Netherlands Film Fund (read news + news)

Netherlands Covid-19 Protocol for the Audiovisual Sector drawn up by a task force commissioned by NCP (Association of Dutch Content Producers) and NAPA (Netherlands Audiovisual Producers Alliance) for the entire audiovisual sector (read here)

Norway

Measures from the Norwegian Film Institute (read news)

Guidelines for an infection protection plan for audiovisual productions, developed with support from the Norwegian Film Institute (read here)
In addition to the Film Industry Council's general guidelines for safeguarding those involved in audiovisual productions against COVID-19

Full report by Nordisk Film & TV Fond on official measures to go back filming safely in the Nordics under COVID-19, including plans for foreign shoots (read here)

Cinemas open since 7 May, limited to 50 people per screen, with a minimum of one meter in between each patron

Poland

Measures from the Polish Film Institute

New safety rules on the film set by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage (read here)

Cinemas set to open on 6 June
Open air cinemas set to open on 18 May

45th Polish Film Festival (14-19 September, postponed to 9-15 November)

20th New Horizons International Film Festival (original dates 23 July-3 August, postponed to 10-15 November alongside 11th American Film Festival)
New Horizons International Film Festival Polish Days Industry section (set to be moved online)

13rd Animator Festival (original dates, 10-16 July, postponed to 3-9 October)

17th Millennium Docs Against Gravity Film Festival (original dates 8-22 May, postponed to 4-13 September)

Portugal

Measures from the Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual

COVID-19: Guidelines for filming in Portugal by Portugal Film Commission (read here)

Cinemas set to reopen on 1 June with restrictions (all rows can be occupied; the seats that are available will have to be identified and there will be one seat separating each spectator, they can only sit together if they live together)

Sophia Awards ceremony (original date 22 March, postponed to 17 September)

2nd FICLO - International Festival of Cinema and Literature of Olhão (original dates March 28-April 5, postponed to 15-21 July)

16th FEST - New Directors | New Films Festival Espinho (confirmed for 2-9 August)

18th DocLisboa (confirmed for 22 October-1 November, and extended in different screenings until March 2021)

28th Curtas Vila do Conde (original dates 11-19 July, postponed to 3-11 October)

17th IndieLisboa – International Film Festival (original dates 30 April-10 May, postponed to 25 August-5 September)

Romania

Measures from Romanian Film Centre

Shooting protocols approved in Romania (read here in Romanian)

Gopo Awards ceremony (original date 24 March, postponed to 29 June)

19th Transilvania International Film Festival (original dates 29 May-7 June, postponed to 31 July-9 August) (read news)

Serbia

COVID-19 Protocol for film crews by Serbia Film Commission, the Audio-visual Section of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Film Center Serbia (read here)

27th European Film Festival Palić (previously announced to take place from 8-14 August, now postponed to unconfirmed dates)

Slovakia

Measures from Slovak Audiovisual Fund (read news + news + news)

Regulations of the Public Health Authority regarding wearing face-masks for performing artists: Artists have been given an exception from wearing masks. News published by the Slovak Film Commission (read here)

Film productions restarted (read news)

Cinemas closed, set to reopen on 20 May, restricted to 100 attendees maximum (read news)

13th Fest Anča International Animation Festival (original dates 2-5 July, postponed to 27-30 August)

21st One World Film Festival Slovakia will be running from 5-11 November

Spain

Measures from ICAA (read news)

A grant of 7.3 million euros approved by the Council of Ministers to support various cultural entities and institutions, including the San Sebastian Film Festival (1.1 million euros), the Cultural Foundation Oficina Media España, the Association of Women Filmmakers and Audiovisual Media (CIMA), Fundación Centro Buñuel Calanda and the Academy of Arts and Sciences Cinematographic of Spain, as well as the festivals of Malaga, Huelva and Sitges, advancing its participation in their budgets for the sake of their viability

Special COVID-19 Aid Plan from Madrid City Council, endowed with 7.5 million euros, including 1.2 million euros for cinemas (read here in Spanish)

Regulatory bases of a new line approved by the Catalan Institute of Cultural Industries (ICEC), including an endowment of 8 million euros, of extraordinary aid, whose specific objective is to compensate the operating expenses incurred by cultural companies and entities during the situation of health crisis caused by COVID-19 and by the entry into force of Royal Decree 463/2020, of 14 March, by which the state of alarm was declared (read here in Catalan)

Audiovisual productions in times of Covid-19. Good practices guide for safe shootings by the Spain Film Commission (read here)

Film productions restarted on 11 May (read news)

Cinemas set to reopen from 25 May (in territories entering phase 2 of deconfinement, only those with less than 50 seats, at 1/3 capacity)
First cinemas reopening on 8 June (in principle, total reopening in the whole country is set for 26 June)

46th Festival de Huelva. Cine Iberoamericano (confirmed for 13-20 November, also hosting an online version)

4th Semana Internacional de Cine de Santander (original dates 21-26 April, postponed to 11-16 September)

3rd Festival Cine hecho por Mujeres de Madrid (original dates 15-26 April, postponed to 4-15 November)

11th S8 Cinema - Mostra de Cine Periférico (original dates 31 May-9 June, postponed to 27 September-3 October)

17th Festival Internacional de Cine de Alicante (original dates 23-30 May, postponed to 17-24 October)

3rd Oh La Là Festival de Cinema Francòfon de Barcelona (original dates 12-21 March, postponed 1-10 October)

23rd Málaga Film Festival (original dates 13-22 March, postponed to 24-30 August)

29th CineEurope (UNIC - International Union of Cinemas annual convention) (original dates 22-25 June, postponed to 3-6 August)

4th BCN Film Festival - Barcelona-Sant Jordi International Film Festival (original dates 17-24 April, postponed to 25 June-2 July)

Sweden

Measures from the Swedish Film Institute (read news)

Guidelines for film and TV productions in Sweden during the Corona / Covid-19 epidemic, issued by The Swedish Film & TV Producers Association, Media Industries Employer Association, and The Swedish Union for Performing Arts and Film (read here)

Cinemas open with a maximum of 50 persons in the theatre, with disinfection and restriction rules

Full report by Nordisk Film & TV Fond on official measures to go back filming safely in the Nordics under COVID-19, including plans for foreign shoots (read here)

Switzerland

Measures from the Federal Office for Culture (read news)

Ukraine

Recommendations for shoots in Ukraine by Film Industry Association of Ukraine (read here)

49th Molodist Kyiv International Film Festival (original dates 30 May-7 June, postponed to 22-30 August)

UK

Measures from the British Film Institute (read news)

Draft guidelines put out for consultation by the British Film Commission, in partnership with the BFI COVID-19 Task Force (read here)

COVID-19 Guidance for Location Filming in London by Film London (read here)

Working Safely During COVID-19 in Film and High-end TV Drama Production. Guidelines by the British Film Commission (read here)

Film productions restarted (read news)

Cinemas set to reopen on 4 July with social distancing measures

20th Belfast Film Festival (original dates 1-9 April, postponed to be merged with Foyle Film Festival, November)

Out of Europe

(Israel) 22nd Tel Aviv's International Documentary Film Festival Docaviv (original dates 21-30 May, postponed to 3-12 September) (read news)

General

European Producers Club (EPC) recommendations on safety rules on the film set in the COVID-19 virus threat (read here)

Basic Safety Rules Risk Protection Against Contagion of SARS-COV-2 during Filming by EUFCN + European Institute for Health and Safety in Film Industry (Czech non-profit organisation) (read here)

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