European Film Fund Urges Producers to Avoid Russian Market
At its annual meeting, the Board of Eurimages, the European Union's film support fund, decided to strongly recommend that producers receiving its financial support refrain from any commercial exploitation of films in the Russian Federation.
The Gaze reports on it, referring to the Ukrainian State Film Agency.
Eurimages is a cultural fund of the Council of Europe, established in 1989 to support independent European cinema through the financing of co-productions, distribution, and promotion of films, as well as the promotion of equality, environmental responsibility, and cultural diversity among more than 40 member countries, including Ukraine.
Due to its support, such masterpieces as “The Worst Person in the World,” “Corsage,” and “Triangle of Sadness” have seen the light of day, helping European cinema make a name for itself on the world stage.
However, these same films later appeared on Russian screens, thus financing the military machine that is destroying Ukraine. Eurimages, aware of this glaring problem, decided to no longer tolerate such a compromise.
“Eurimages' decision is not just a bureaucratic resolution; it is a moral imperative that reflects pressure and principle,” the statement said, emphasizing that from now on, any producer who receives support from the Fund will be clearly informed and, in the event of a violation, publicly addressed.
This landmark achievement was made possible thanks to the coordinated efforts of Ukrainian representatives at Eurimages – Viktoria Yarmoshchuk (executive director of the Ukrainian Film Association) and renowned producer Oleksandra Kostina.
Eurimages condemned the practice of Russian distributors buying up film rights in “territory packages,” which prevented Ukrainian and European audiences from accessing partially publicly funded films. The fund called for an end to such deals, emphasizing the importance of cultural justice and access to cinema for all Europeans.
“This is a joint victory for the state and the Ukrainian film industry. Ukraine has once again proven that even in the most difficult times, it remains an active and influential part of the European cultural community,” said Andriy Osipov, Head of the Ukrainian State Film Agency.
“The decision creates real barriers to the use of European content in the Russian Federation... This is not a compromise — it is a tool. This is not an exception — it is a new standard," he added.
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