Baltic film institutions sign cooperation agreement in Cannes
Estonian Film Institute, Latvian National Film Center and Lithuanian Film Center signed a mutual cooperation agreement in Cannes on May 16.
The Baltic film institutions signed the agreement during the annual Cannes Film Festival, held from May 13-24, and their mutual aim is to give Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian films industries a boost, as well as to work on co-productions.
The three countries consider establishing a co-production fund for films and TV-productions, similar to Nordic Film and Television Fund in Scandinavia. Some collaboration is already in place - the Lithuanian Film Center has granted funding of 234,000 euros to five Lithuanian-Estonian co-productions and 314,000 to Lithuanian-Latvian productions.
All three countries will celebrate 100 years of their respective republics in 2018 and therefore agreed to organize joint events in the Baltic states to promote anniversary films. Estonia will dedicate up to five productions to the anniversary, including high-budget dramas, one historic film, one youth and children film, and one contemporary drama. Additionally, a long documentary and a TV-drama in cooperation with ERR and foreign partners will be produced.
On average, four or five full-length films are made in Estonia annually.
Editor: S. Tambur