« Meets with full force » – Diepresse.com

In the Austrian film scene, the emergency of the federal government has been proclaimed the emergency since the federal government’s savings plans exist. « There are between ten and 20 Austrian projects that are at risk or have to migrate, » says film producer Arash T. Riahi. « We have become the bottom of one day from one day to the other from the top position of the European funding systems. » The reason is the payment stop from the recently introduced funding rail ÖFI+.

The Austria Press Agency spoke to the people behind three film projects that are now in great difficulty: Arash T. Riahi is preparing the film « Riot / Girl » of his brother Arman T. Riahi with the production company Golden Girls. The film is currently in a queue. The casting had to be stopped. It is unsure whether at least part of the missing million in the budget can be found on foreign supporters: « At the end of summer, we can decide whether we can make the film in autumn or whether we have to postpone it for one year, » says Riahi.

« Probably move to Germany »

Alexander Glehr, with his film AG producer of the new film « Gentle Monster » by Marie Kreutzer, has also been cranking continuously since then. « So far we have managed to compensate for one million euros. But the GAP is still one million » – with a total budget of nine million. « We will probably have to move the filming to Germany in order to receive more funding there. »

Dunja Bernatzky, managing director of the animation studio Arx Anima,, on the other hand, does not yet know how the continuation of the successful “bunny school”, on which it has long been worked on. The failure of around 1.4 million euros from ÖFI+, with which you have calculated fixed, « hits production with full force, » she says.

Criticism of the design of the funding

All interlocutors agree that the unannounced stop, which was proclaimed on January 15th and is now to apply for the entire year 2025, was a fiasco with an announcement. Despite some concerns, a funding model was developed in which the blue was promised from the sky: money for everyone who meets the criteria. « In the introduction of the funding model, politics was conveyed that the pot is practically uncovered and filled when it is empty. We have also assumed that every euro of ÖFI+ is playing 1.4 times in again, » says Riahi.

At first, an incentive model of tax credits was considered, as is common in many countries. « In Austria, for whatever reason – you decided to go away, » recalls Glehr. Instead, a saucepan was created, which was sold on the outside as a cover without a floor. « In 2023 it was clearly said: It is uncovered. Of course there was also doubts at the time. You can read that I too have been one of those who articulated such concerns. We said: Let’s get the system closer so that it does not get out of hand. » That was finally done. « The boom was probably disproportionate. We then designed the guidelines more strictly, » reports Marie Kreutzer, who is sitting on the supervisory board of the Austrian film institute (ÖFI). « But it was already too late. What Minister of Culture Andreas Babler did was a braking. »

Many international projects

« The introduction of ÖFI+ and the investment bonus as well as FISA+ two years ago became one of the best systems in the European funding landscape in one fell swoop, » says Riahi. « The new funding system has made Austria an extremely interesting co -production country. A lot of international projects have come to Austria and spent millions here and have led millions and a further professionalization of various trades. Now there is a risk of danger, or unfortunately it has already happened that international projects have been deducted and differed to other countries. »

« Since ÖFI+ was designed as an automatic incentive system for expenses in Austria, it had very positive economic effects: it brought millions of investments into the country, » reports Dunja Bernatzky. « Know -how, structures and safe jobs have been built up for many years – and suddenly this foundation breaks away. This has direct consequences for employment, planning security and the international credibility of the Austrian animation location. »

Value creation moves abroad

This credibility is now deeply shaken. « The promise that was made was completely different, » says producer Glehr. « The film industry with its long lead times needs a minimum of reliability. I am now working day and night to narrow my personal risk halfway and avoid a total fiasco. So that we as a company can also make films in the future. » The consequences are not only devastating for the companies concerned, but also for Austria’s business location: added value emerge abroad, films become « less Austrian ». « My team will probably not come from Austria now, » says director Kreutzer, who has to struggle with many imponderables a few months before the start of the shoot.

Workplaces in a industry that has just been booming are highly at risk. « In fact, the worst fears have occurred. The result will not only be that no taxes will flow back, but that you will have to spend a lot more AMS funds for the film industry. I hope that who has calculated, » says producer Glehr, who also points out that large films with international partners still have the most opportunities to compensate for the failures without international funds get to feel. « 

« Companies will have to lock up »

The Kreutzer sees similarly: « All purely Austrian productions will hit. The competition will become much tougher. Companies will have to lock up. » ÖFI+ was « also something like a Fairpay measure » for the domestic film industry, « which also helped smaller projects and the rifles and led to a professionalization of the offspring, » argues Riahi. This measure now turns into its opposite, emphasizes Bernatzky: « Many companies that have created stable jobs for years are now facing the end. »

What’s next? Producer Alexander Glehr hopes that the price that « Gentle Monster » recently won at Marché du Film in Cannes and thus aroused the interest of foreign investors. Riahi is currently waiting for funding decisions from France and hopes that « Riot / Girl » for the Venice Gap Financing Market, a platform of the Venice Film Festival, is to support producers in financing their projects. And of course we do not give up as far as the continuation of the animated film « Die Häschschule », « assures Dunja Bernatzky. « We are currently working intensively to find alternative financing channels. »

It is also about business development agency

Like her colleagues, the boss of Arx Anima refers to ongoing discussions that are conducted not only with the cultural but also with the Ministry of Economic Affairs, after all, it is not only about cultural development, but also about business development. Everyone agrees: time is pushing. « What urgently needs are quick and unbureaucratic solutions to prevent the worst, » says Dunja Bernatzky. « It is currently open whether the industry will receive sufficient political support – although a comparatively small financial scope for action would be sufficient to avert great damage in an internationally successful and identity -creating industry. » (APA)