Visions Sud Est Fund

The Swiss fund visions sud est supports film productions from Africa and guarantees their distribution in Switzerland. The film must be full-length (with a duration of at least 70 minutes) cinema fictional films and documentaries in postproduction (no short films, no TV films).

Your project must be proposed exclusively by a company based in Africa and regularly produces films. The film makers must imperatively be from these countries.

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.

Financial support: production, but you have to show a minimum of 30% of the finances have been already raised, and post-production. Your fictional project may be supported up to a maximum of 50’000 Swiss francs for production or a maximum of 20’000 Swiss francs for post-production.

A documentary will be supported with a maximum of 10’000 Swiss francs for post-production. This support entails the global 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.

Decisions by the jury are irrevocable and announced without delay to the applicant, who cannot ask for any justification. All financial support will be determined and paid in Swiss francs only.

Financial request must be submitted by the production company, signed by the director of the film to attest to his or her approval of the request. Most grants require a film business plan.

• attesting to the producer’s legal status and to the reliability of the production company (official registration, corporate statutes, filmography, etc.),
• 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.)
• 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 – at the minimum 30% of the financing have to be already acquired
• All information regarding possible agreements of international sales, distribution or television rights already assured.

Shooting must start within 18 months following the signature of the contract. 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.