Yesterday, the long-awaited Film Summit was held. At this private meeting, ministers Bussemaker (OCW) and Kamp (Economic Affairs) met a large number of representatives of the film sector. The consultations covered opportunities to pull the Dutch film industry out of an impending downward spiral.
Because Dutch film may be doing well in the cinema, but tough times have arrived for film production itself. And not only because, due to government cutbacks, the Film Fund has a quarter less to spend starting 2013. At least as serious is the fact that additional economic incentives are lacking in the Netherlands, while many surrounding countries have them. As a result, many Dutch films divert a significant part of production abroad while Dutch companies in the audiovisual sector go bankrupt.
A telling example is Kenau. Produced by Fu Works, this Dutch historical drama will be shot and finished entirely in Hungary and Belgium.
The objective of the Film Summit, co-organised by the Film Fund, was to examine whether it is possible to eliminate the skewed relationship with foreign countries when financing film production in the Netherlands. Achieving a level playing field, it is called.
Arnold Heslenfeld of Topkapi Films, one of the producers participating in the summit, speaks of a useful consultation, 'although still without immediate results'. San Fu Maltha of Fu Works calls it 'as positive as could be'.
Useful mainly because it was possible to clearly explain to the ministers present that there is an uneven playing field with foreign countries. Heslenfeld is satisfied that the ministers present now also clearly recognised this problem.
Minister Bussemaker had indicated only last month, in response to parliamentary questions, that she did not see any tax-beneficial constructions in this area. Incidentally, the sector itself has already indicated that other, more straightforward schemes are being considered.
In any case, it was agreed at the summit that within Economic Affairs it will be examined whether the inequality compared to other countries can be repaired within existing regulations. Should that not prove possible, it was agreed that other options would be explored.
San Fu Maltha believes that in such a large gathering, more concrete decisions could not be expected either. "We are on the right track," he says.
In addition, the summit revealed a willingness among distributors and operators - from cinemas to cable companies - to come up with their own scheme to support film production from the revenue side.
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