The Swedish government’s new tax-based Film policy announced last week as part of its Autumn Budget has been severely criticised by local film organisations that are unanimously asking for more support.

In a joint letter published on Tuesday, 11 organisations across all sectors of the film industry - including the Swedish Film & TV Producers Association, the Distributors and Cinema owners Associations and Film Väst - have asked to meet with Culture Minister Alice Bah Kuhnke (pictured)  to discuss the government’s new Film Policy, set to replace the existing Film Agreement as of 2017.

To finance the reorganisation, the Government is setting aside SEK 25 million in 2016 and SEK 235 million a year in 2017 and 2018. This includes a special investment of SEK 25 million per year during the period 2016–2019 to strengthen smaller cinemas in rural areas and small towns. The full film budget for the next three years  would then be nearly SEK 335 million for 2016, and 545 million annually for 2017 and 2018. The government will also increase VAT on cinema tickets from 6 to 25 percent.

For the film organizations, not only is this VAT increase on cinema tickets unacceptable but the new budget for film would incur a cut in film production of SEK 15 million for 2017-2018.

“The change isn´t very big [compared to the current level] but it is uncertain as parts of the new budget will go to repair the damages for small cinemas because of the increased VAT on cinema tickets,” explains Anna Serner, Head of the Swedish Film Institute.

What also remains to be clarified is the contributions from the main broadcasters SVT and TV4. According to Serner, negotiations are being held between TV stations and the government.

In the meantime, Serner says she is trying to define how to improve the support system within the budget. “We do that through a lot of dialogue with the film business, and the climate [with the industry] is very good. Besides that we will all keep on trying to convince the Finance Department that film is worth investing more public money in" she said.

To read the full statement from the Swedish film organisations, check:
http://www.teaterforbundet.se/web/Upprop_fran_filmbranschen.aspx#