The Polish Filmmakers Association (SFP) has agreed to allocate 6.5 million euros / 30 million PLN as part of an assistance package to support filmmakers during the COVID crisis. This is one of the largest amounts of support provided by creative organizations to its members during the COVID-19 pandemic, Film New Europe reports.

"We are doing everything to ensure that filmmakers associated in the SFP, as well as authors and producers who entrust their rights to SFP - ZAPA, feel the effects of the film industry paralysis caused by the coronavirus as little as possible,” said Jacek Bromski, president of the Polish Filmmakers Association.

The assistance for filmmakers is not limited to financial support. The SFP is helping the most vulnerable to avoid the risk of contact with the virus by providing dinners prepared at the Cinema Paradiso restaurant and assisting in the purchase of medicines. Over 21,898 EUR / 100,000 PLN has been allocated for this purpose.

“The overwhelming economic impact of the pandemic makes you look at all those people who shamelessly benefit from exploiting audiovisual works without sharing profit with their creators. The first step has already been taken. Thanks to the efforts of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister of Culture and National Heritage Piotr Gliński managed to include in the update of the anti-crisis protection a regulation that has been long awaited by the film community, regarding the 1.5% levy collected from broadcasters of audiovisual media services on demand,” Bromski said.

This is an additional 15-20 million PLN a year, which will go through the Polish Film Institute to filmmakers and other film market participants.

“I am very pleased that the government has finally decided to fulfill our proposal, which we had been putting forward as film community for a long time. It is worth adding that thanks to an earlier change in the definition of ‘film’ in the Cinematography Act, VOD platforms have the possibility of premiere film releases, which increases their attractiveness and increases profits,” Bromski added.