The Ministry of Culture, through the Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales (ICAA), has announced the general aid for the production of feature films for 2024, for a total amount of 62 million euros, which was authorised by the Council of Ministers on 4 June. They are part of Component 25 of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR), which aims to improve the competitiveness, competence and resilience of the business and creative fabric of the audiovisual sector.

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Culture calls for general aid for the production of feature films

The specific objective of this line of aid on a competitive basis, which is announced through an open call with two selection procedures, is to improve the industrial fabric of the film companies operating in the sector, enabling them to be strengthened and facilitating the development of their activity in an open and competitive market.

Of the total foreseen for this line of aid, 52 million euros will be allocated to the credit available in the application ‘Fondo de Protección a la Cinematografía’ of the ICAA’s expenditure budget; and 10 million euros, to the credit available in the application ‘Programa de Fomento, Modernización y Digitalización del Sector Audiovisual. Culture’, corresponding to the PRTR.

In line with two of the backbones of the PRTR -digitisation and bridging the gender gap-, the grants earmark a minimum of 35% for projects made exclusively by female directors and a minimum of 10% for animation projects. In addition, this action will contribute to the objectives of Component 25, which aims to support a minimum of 100 SMEs in the audiovisual sector in their digitisation, promotion of gender equality, internationalisation and attraction of foreign direct investment.

The aid will be paid in two instalments: the first, 70% of the amount granted, after the award decision; and the second, the remaining 30%, once at least 80% of the project’s financing has been accredited, as well as having paid at least 50% of the price of the screenplay.

Accessibility and sustainability
Among the requirements established in the call for applications, the project must include, universal accessibility measures, special subtitling and audio description under the applicable technical regulations, which must be accredited at the time of applying for the qualification of the film. The beneficiary feature film projects must also include environmental and sustainability measures and/or a system for measuring environmental impact and carbon footprint.

The authorised aid is regulated by Royal Decree 1084/2015 of 4 December 2015, which implements Law 55/2007 of 28 December 2007 on Cinema, and by Order CUD/582/2020 of 26 June, which establishes the regulatory bases for State aid for the production of feature films and short films and regulates the structure of the Administrative Register of Film and Audiovisual Companies, amended by Order CUD/553/2023 of 31 May.

Submission of applications
The deadline for submitting applications for the first deselection procedure begins the day after the publication of the extract of this Resolution in the Official State Gazette, today 19 June 2024, and will end on 9 July 2024, at 2 p.m., peninsular time.

The deadline for submitting applications for the second selection procedure will begin on 26 August 2024 and will end on 13 September 2024 at 2 p.m., peninsular time. Applications must be submitted through the electronic headquarters of the Ministry of Culture, in accordance with the procedures established for this purpose.