Regulations visions sud est

Important documents:

• Countries from which production companies may submit an application
• Checklist

I. Legal basis

"visions sud est" is an association ruled by articles 60ff of the Swiss Civil Code.

II. 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 production and postproduction (no short films, no TV/web 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 filmmakers 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. The list of countries which are currently eligible for support is published on the visions sud est web homepage.

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 and documentary films on the basis of documents attesting to the feasibility of the project (at the minimum 30% of the financing have to be already secured before submitting a funding request). It is at the discretion of the jury to support a project in development instead of production, with a maximum of 5'000 Swiss francs. A development support by the visions sud est fund does not exclude a production or post-production grant by the same fund at a later call.
• 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 may 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 may be supported with a maximum of 20'000 Swiss francs for production or a maximum of 10'000 Swiss francs for post-production. This support entails all 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.
• The jury members who are all active professionals have complete freedom in their decision. However, the criteria of Diversity must be part of their consideration when proceeding with the final selection of projects and funding allocations.
• visions sud est is a partner of the Open Doors programme of Locarno 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 awards a prize in the framework of the Industry activities 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 Development 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 production or post-production support by visions sud est.
• 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 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, company profile, filmography, etc.)
• Appropriate documents allowing the assessment of the quality of the project (final version of the screenplay, 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 secured.
• 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. In case of exceptional conditions preventing the start of principal photography of the film by the deadline, the beneficiary of the support must ask, in writing, for a deadline extension. 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 film 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 the Swiss territory and give details regarding the visibility of the film in Switzerland.

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

In granting financial support to the production of a documentary or fictional film, visions sud est intends to support small productions or improve production conditions for projects which require larger budgets.

Art. 5 Contributing to the finishing (post-production) of a documentary or fictional 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 to the rough cut with at least 2/3 of the film, with English subtitles
• 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.

III. Possibilities of vision sud est's commitment and applicable law

Art. 6 Possibilities of commitment

(a) visions sud est guarantees to help with the promotion of the movies in the scope of premieres at a festival in Switzerland.

(b) visions sud est freely shares with each supported project its know-how and its contacts to similar European institutions or possible partners for co-production.

Art. 7 Applicable law

The laws of the Swiss Confederation shall govern the interpretation of this regulation. This includes all agreements that are made on the basis of this regulation or its appendices.

Art. 8 Place of jurisdiction

The place of jurisdiction is Nyon (Canton of Vaud).

Art. 9 Changes of the regulations

All changes in the regulations must be approved by the executive committee of the association visions sud est.