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Programme Culture et développement en Suisse: Soutien de la DDC aux festivals de cinéma 2018 - 2023

Project completed

Film festivals are crucial for the diffusion of arthouse-cinema. SDC supports film festivals in Switzerland, as engagement for the cinema of the South and the East. The contribution of SDC allows the film festivals to investigate more in the discovery of film landscapes of the South and the East, to provide filmmakers an access to professional networks as well as skills and expertise, and to give their works additional visibility, in Switzerland, internationally and in their own countries.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Global
Development awareness
01.11.2018 - 30.06.2023
 CHF  2’326’000
The project in brief
Background Art and culture are important means of expression with a potential of reflection, interaction and social change. Therefore, a free culture scene is an important element for a society with freedom of expression. Arthouse-cinema often reflects different points of view about social and political aspects that inspire the thoughts of the public and contribute to a free opinion making.
SDC adopted 2016 a new policy for culture and development. One of the pillars is to promote access for artists from the South and East to Swiss and international cultural markets. The SDC policy is a contribution to the implementation of the UNESCO Convention on Cultural Diversity (2005).
Objectives Support filmmakers from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe in their free and independent creative work, strengthening their role in debates and processes in civil society and enhancing the film production in those regions. Filmmakers from the South and East get a better access to the  Swiss public, professional networks and to the international film market.
Target groups Filmmakers from the South and the East, indirectly also the independent film scene and their audience in SDC priority countries.
Medium-term outcomes
  • The invited filmmakers increase their visibility and get better known internationally and in their own countries.
  • The participants get access to international contacts, opening up additional opportunities for co-production and financing of their projects.
  • The artistic, technical and strategic competencies of the filmmakers are strengthened.
Results

Expected results:  

 
  • Approximately 470 professionals of the film industry from the South and the East will be invited to participate at the festivals
  • Approximately 500 films from the South and the East will be screened


Results from previous phases:   An external team of experts has reviewed  individually the objectives of the partnership of SDC with the three festivals (2010-2017). In the final reports, it is stated, that the partnership with the festivals represent an effective way, to 1) promote systematically filmmakers and producers from the South and the East as well as 2) provide an access of these films to the Swiss audience as well as to film professionals. The expert team of the evaluation recommends the longer-term continuation of the partnership.
In the previous phase (2015-2017), the three festivals had presented 539 films from the South and the East (S/E), more than one third realized by women), invited 267 filmmakers S/E, 40% of them women. In addition, films of the S/E received prizes totaling CHF 308’000.-.


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Development cooperation
Project partners Contract partner
Private sector
  • Swiss Private Sector


Coordination with other projects and actors
  • Visions Sud Est, Festival Locarno, Trigon-Film, SüdKulturFonds (artlink)
  • Federal Office of Culture in Switzerland
  • SDC Culture Programmes in priority countries
Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    2’326’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    2’248’005 Total project since first phase Swiss budget CHF   5’095’000
Project phases Phase 5 01.11.2022 - 30.06.2027   (Current phase)

Phase 4 01.11.2018 - 30.06.2023   (Completed)

Phase 3 01.11.2014 - 30.06.2019   (Completed) Phase 2 01.12.2011 - 30.06.2015   (Completed) Phase 1 01.01.2010 - 31.12.2011   (Completed)
  • Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation Unallocated / Unspecified
    Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation
    Promotion of development awareness (non-sector allocable)
    Aid Type Project and programme contribution
    Project number

    7F07176

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Last update 30.04.2025