The Swiss fund visions sud est supports film productions from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe and guarantees their distribution in Switzerland. It was initiated by the Foundation trigon-film Baden and the Fribourg Film Festival, with the collaboration of Nyon's Visions du Reel and the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

Visions Sud Est Fund

Granting of financial support

Art. 1 Aims

To encourage independent production and subsequent distribution in Switzerland and in Europe of full-length (with a duration of at least 70 minutes) cinema fictional films and documentaries in postproduction (no short films, no TV films!) from the South and East. This support should furthermore play a 'catalyst' role for the film industry in the country of origin of the production.

All the projects for which financial support is requested must be proposed exclusively by a company based in a country from the South (Africa, Latin America and Asia) or from Eastern Europe (excluding EU members) and regularly producing films in these countries. The film makers must imperatively be from these countries. Therefore, the main part of the project must be shot in these countries and - except in special circumstances - in the local or regional language.

Art. 2 Operating framework

(a) Selection process:

Selected fictional or documentary film projects are submitted to a jury of experts. Projects must be selected unanimously; if necessary, the jury can ask for an independent opinion.

(b) There are two types of financial support:

Support of the production of fictional films on the basis of documents attesting to the feasibility of the project (at the minimum 30% of the financing have to be already acquired before submitting a request).

Support of the finishing (post-production) of fictional and documentary films on the basis of a first cut and a finishing concept.

A fictional film project will be supported with a maximum of 50'000 Swiss francs for production or a maximum of 20'000 Swiss francs for post-production. A documentary will be supported with a maximum of 10'000 Swiss francs for post-production. This support entails the global distribution rights for Switzerland. The amount granted by the visions sud est fund for one single project may not exceed 10% of the fund's means.

visions sud est is a partner of the Open Doors Factory programme of Locarno International Film Festival. Applicants may submit their projects to visions sud est as well as to Open Doors. Support by one of these organisations, however, excludes support from the other one.

visions sud est is a member of the jury which awards the Prize Visions Sud Est in the framework of the Focus Talk at the Festival Visions du Réel in Nyon. A film which has been awarded the Prize Visions Sud Est cannot be submitted to the fund visions sud est. On the other hand, a film which has been supported by the fund visions sud est cannot be nominated for the Prize Visions Sud Est.

The SDC (Swiss Agency for Developpment and Cooperation) is a partner of visions sud est. Applicants may submit their projects to visions sud est as well to a cooperation office of the SDC in the country of origin of the project. Support by one of these organisations, however, excludes support from the other one.

a project application cannot be considered a second time in the same application category if it has been unsuccessful in a previous application round. Furthermore, a project can only obtain a support by visions sud est once. This means that if it has already been granted production support by visions sud est, an application for post-production support for the same project will not be considered.

Decisions by the jury are irrevocable and announced without delay to the applicant, who cannot ask for any justification.

Art. 3 General requirements for the granting of production support

(a) All financial support will be determined and paid in Swiss francs only.

(b) Each request for financial support must be submitted by the production company according to article 1 above. This request must be signed by the director of the film to attest to his or her approval of the request.

(c) It is compulsory that each applicant provides the following documentation (translated into French or English) to allow a correct assessment of the quality of the submitted project:

Appropriate documents attesting to the producer's legal status and to the reliability of the production company (official registration, corporate statutes, filmography, etc.)

Appropriate documents allowing the assessment of the quality of the project (final version of the screenplay, film synopsis, director's declaration of intent, director's biography and filmography, etc.)

Appropriate documents allowing the assessment of the feasibility of the project (shooting plan, financial plan, detailed budget, possible agreements of co-production, etc. ) including copies of documents regarding confirmed or requested support (including support by Open Doors, Prix VSE and cooperation office SDC) - at the minimum 30% of the financing have to be already acquired

All information regarding possible agreements of international sales, distribution or television rights already assured.

As a general rule, all documents of artistic or financial nature which could provide information about the project, its financing and its production.

(d) Shooting must start within 18 months following the signature of the contract. Otherwise, the amount granted will be allocated to another project without previous notice. In such a case, the production company is allowed to submit a new application.

(e) On all material of promotion and among the opening and closing credits of the film the following must appear: The logo of the fund, followed by the text "with the support of the SDC (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation)" as well as references to (and logos of) public or private institutions which have contributed to the co-financing of the work. They must be mentioned as financial partners of the project.

(f) Additional conditions for financial participation may be determined on the basis of requests by possible co-producers whom visions sud est might win for further support of the project.

(g) A support agreement is signed between the two parties (the fund and the producer) stating the rights and duties of each of the contracting parties.

(h) A first payment will be paid at the beginning of the shooting (60% of the grant), a second payment is paid when the shooting is finished (40% of the grant), subject to the proof that the film is completed and the terms of the contract have been honoured.

(i) A second part of the agreement will state the rights for distribution on Swiss territory and give guarantees regarding the visibility of the film in all of Switzerland.

Art. 4 Contributing to the production of a fictional film project

In granting financial support to the production of a fictional film, visions sud est intends to support small productions or improve production conditions for projects which require larger budgets. The contribution of visions sud est should form a considerable part of the total budget of the production.

Art. 5 Contributing to the finishing (post-production) of a documentary or ficitional film project

(a) In granting financial support for the completion of a documentary or fictional film, visions sud est intends to enable the best possible conditions for the post-production.

(b) All requests for support to the completion of a project already in progress must include all audiovisual elements useful for an evaluation of the project. Each request must therefore include all elements outlined in article 3 (except the screenplay) as well as the following (translated into French or English):

A link for the rough cut with at least 2/3 of the film, with English or French subtitles, or a list of the subtitles in English or French for the submitted rough cut.

The post-production plan and the post-production budget, with detailed information regarding the cost of the work not yet financed, along with an explanation of such a budget deficit.

(c) The contribution is limited to a maximum of 20'000 Swiss francs for fictional films and 10'000 Swiss francs for documentary films, and may not exceed the proposed budget.

(d) A first payment is paid upon signature of the agreement (50 % of the grant). The remaining 50% are paid when it is proved that the film is completed and the terms of the contract have been honoured.