Film in Estonia

Estonia lacks a special law on film that would stipulate the revenue base of the national film production, which is supported through the Estonian Film Foundation (EFF). Each year, the budget of the Ministry of Culture a allocates money for mainly the development and production of animated, documentary and feature films. All independent film production companies registered in Estonia can apply for the support.

Alongside with other fields of art, the strategic development plan of the Ministry of Culture for 2008–2011 also tackles the development of the Estonian film. Among the seven other so far underfinanced areas, the plan intends to support film as well. The area of film indirectly contains three other priorities. The focus is on people, preseving the Estonian language and digitising the cultural heritage.

As a rule, the representatives of technical and creative specialities involved in films work on the basis of short-term contracts at the production companies and are not classified among state cultural workers, for whom the state is trying to look after. The means to restore the film legacy and make it available are also limited. One measure to alleviate the situation is to double the money allocated to film production in 2011.

Like in other fields, the film policy measures are determined by the representatives of the film industry and the Ministry of Culture, who then make their proposals to the government.

The film in Estonia is mainly financed through state support. Due to the small market the share of the private sector is not that large. The central role in financing the film industry belongs to the Estonian Film Foundation. just oli ju Besides supporting the films and their distribution, the Foundation also helps the general development of this field, maintaining the film heritage, supporting education and introducing films internationally. As a member of the European Union, and according to the competition act, Estonia can offer state support, but not more than 70% of the costs of each film project.

Support is granted to independent film production companies registered in Estonia (kah oli) to develop and produce animated, short features (seda enne polnud?), documentaries and feature films, which makes up 82% of the Foundation’s budget. EFF supports Estonian film in all stages, from scriptwriting and development to post-production and distribution. Due to no tax incentive and small market, the share of the private sector only constitutes price subsidies of goods or services, but not as direct investments. In cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, the representative organisation of filmmakers and international partners, EFF is working out a strategy that foresees more specific tasks for developing the film sector.

Film production in Estonia is also supported by the audiovisual foundation of the Cultural Endowment, a few smaller foundations administered by the Ministry of Culture, and the Estonian Television. The Cultural Endowment is financed on the basis of a fixed quota from gambling tax and alcohol excise duty. Besides production, the audiovisual foundation traditionally supports cultural activities and persons, e.g. giving the film awards. The national broadcasting in Estonia is not compelled to support film production, and thus the role of television is considerably smaller than in other European countries, in feature films reaching up to 1–5% of the budget. Documentary films are financed more substantially. The funds of the Ministry of Culture support international coproduction, distribution of quality films and developing cinemas in rural areas.
Internationally, Estonia participates in Media Plus programme and in the coproduction fund Eurimages. There are over 30 supported active production companies, about ten of them have made at least one feature and three are involved in animation.