After the inevitable halt caused by the pandemic of the new coronavirus, the Brazilian audiovisual industry prepares to resume live-action filming. The return to sets, however, must be accompanied by the implementation of sanitary protocols to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Bearing this in mind and advancing in the mission of assisting the sector’s professionals in the search for financing opportunities, the Show Me The Fund project launches in February the "Back to Sets" fund, through which US$ 400,000 – approximately R$ 2 million – will be offered by Sony Pictures Entertainment, through the Sony Global Relief Fund. Show Me The Fund project is a partnership between Brazilian Content, Cinema do Brasil and Projeto Paradiso.
The Back to Sets fund will be directed to independent Brazilian producers that have filming planned for 2021 and will be distributed in installments of R$ 19,000.00, benefiting 100 companies. The money must be used to fund protection measures against the coronavirus and will be managed by ICAB - Institute for Brazilian Audiovisual Content, an institution that has experience in other operations of this nature recognized by the market.
Registration will start on February 1st, on the Show Me The Fund website (showmethefund.co), and will remain open for three weeks – the result will be announced on March 1st. In order to apply for this financial support, the production company must be registered at Ancine (Brazilian National Film Agency), and must be planning to start filming series and feature films from March 2021 onwards – production of advertising, institutional, animation and short films will not be accepted. The company can be selected only once and must own the majority of the project’s intellectual property. The criteria for choosing the winners will consider the chronological order of the filming and, in the event of a tie, the date of registration in the fund. Projects that have international co-production will also be prioritized.
"The resumption of filming is a highly anticipated movement by professionals of the national audiovisual industry, but it is essential that it is done in the safest way possible. We hope that the Back to Sets fund is able to support the movement of returning to sets, thus contributing to guarantee the safety of the industry’s professionals", explains Josephine Bourgois, Executive Director of Projeto Paradiso.
The Show Me The Fund provides a broad and customized mapping of financing funds for film productions that can be accessed by Brazilians. A total of 50 opportunities were presented, with a total value of approximately US$ 10 million.
“More than a mapping service, Show Me The Fund has become a hub for attracting opportunities and solutions for independent Brazilian production companies. And now, with the partnership of the Sony Global Relief Fund, we will be able to collaborate with production companies in terms of health safety, at this yet very delicate moment, so as to render resumption of production possible. This is an initiative that undoubtedly benefits the whole of society, who will be able to enjoy these productions”, says Mauro Garcia, Executive President of BRAVI (Brasil Audiovisual Independente) and Brazilian Content, an export project of the association that for the past 16 years has been working to promote Brazilian audiovisual productions in the international market.
The feeling of optimism regarding the "Back to Sets" fund is shared by Simoni de Mendonça, President of the São Paulo State Audiovisual Industry Association (SIAESP), responsible for Cinema do Brasil. “We have the mission of keeping up the audiovisual industry’s good performance and, despite this critical moment of the pandemic, we cannot let the sector come to a full halt. With this thought in mind, we decided to strictly act towards the creation of the Safety and Health Protocol and, now, in order to provide financial viability of the return to sets. It is important to highlight the collaboration of the private sector, which in this gesture of support to the Brazilian audiovisual industry, recognizes the quality of our production.”
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