Ffilm Cymru Wales & Creative Wales Independent Feature Film Production Fund Info & FAQs

This unique arrangement will create a more beneficial and streamlined funding model for producers, where a single application process provides access to Arts Council of Wales delegated National Lottery and Welsh Government film funds, managed by Ffilm Cymru Wales.

Creative Wales has been investing directly into production since its inception in January 2020. Investing in over 18 productions and generating a spend in the local economy of circa £131m. Creative Wales also offer funding for games, interactive, scripted and unscripted television.

Extensive Experience

As the sector development agency for Welsh film, Ffilm Cymru has worked directly with writers, directors, producers and associated talent and companies for over 16 years. They have supported over 80 live-action, animated and documentary feature films through to production, including several that are co-funded with Welsh Government. Ffilm Cymru has always prioritised projects with Welsh talent – writers, directors and producers – in both Welsh and English. Films include Lee Haven Jones’ Gwledd / The Feast, Prano Bailey-Bond’s Censor, Sara Sugarman’s Save the Cinema, Rungano Nyoni’s I Am Not a Witch, Ila Mehrotra’s forthcoming documentary Hijra and forthcoming feature animation Kensuke’s Kingdom.

Collaboration

Creative Wales and Ffilm Cymru have collaborated from the start, including co-funding feature films such as Euros Lyn’s Dream Horse, Andy Goddard’s Six Minutes to Midnight and the forthcoming The Almond and the Seahorse from Mad as Birds Films, starring Rebel Wilson (Pitch Perfect, Bridesmaids) and co-directed by Celyn Jones. 

Pipeline

Ffilm Cymru supports emerging talent from an early stage with short film funding, development funding, tailored training and peer-to-peer networking with funding from the BFI and Arts Council of Wales. They have an active slate of circa 30 projects readying for production. Projects applying for production funding do not have to have received previous development funding from Ffilm Cymru. 

Welsh Talent

The new funding arrangement between Creative Wales and Ffilm Cymru will similarly focus on feature films that have Wales born or based writers, directors and/or producers at their helm.  

Economic Benefits

A minimum of £12million will be generated in direct Welsh spend across two years of funding, with a minimum requirement of £6 spent in the local economy for every £1 of Welsh Government funding provided. This will boost Wales’ world-class community of creatives, cast, crew, services and facilities.  

Cultural Benefits

This funding offer will provide a meaningful boost to those Welsh films that aren’t always able to attract more commercial finance, from talent who are often at an earlier stage in their careers. Support for indie film is a vital part of the film ecosystem; these films often challenge the conventions of the mainstream film industry, they take risks and push the artform of film, they launch careers, and they are more likely to represent lived experiences that feature film has historically ignored

Sector Growth and Training

All supported films will be required to offer Welsh trainee opportunities in priority roles. The sector is experiencing strong growth and has demands across all departments. Ffilm Cymru and Creative Wales’ objective will be to facilitate a range of trainee and shadowing opportunities across a number of disciplines and levels including apprenticeships. Ffilm Cymru will support producers to identify trainees from other training providers in Wales and from their own training programmes including Foot in the Door, with the final appointments resting with the producer.

Funding Criteria

The new fund will be selective, applying a transparent assessment criteria that looks at the creative merits of the project, the benefits to the Welsh talent, its viability, and its ability to advance the future film sector, whether in relation to diversity and inclusion, environmental sustainability, or talent development. 

Producer Benefits

Ffilm Cymru has blended their delegated Arts Council of Wales National Lottery funding and Creative Wales’ independent production funds into a single film production fund. This means that producers can now access both funds through a single application via Ffilm Cymru, offering a blend of equity (Arts Council Wales National Lottery funding) and grant investment (Creative Wales funding). A maximum of £600,000 per production may be applied for, subject to Welsh spend, talent and sectoral development benefits. All funds will be cash-flowed throughout production. Creative Wales funds will continue to be non-recoupable, but any shortfall in Welsh spend will need to be recouped. 

Future Filmmaking

Ffilm Cymru will continue to support independent producers with the advice and resources they need to be part of a sustainable Welsh film sector. They’ll support producers with the four pillars of sustainability, including the management of the environmental impact of productions, how to work more inclusively, business model innovation, and building capacity for growth through training new crew and providing professional development opportunities.

Building Global Bridges

A quarter of Ffilm Cymru funded films have been international co-productions, building cultural and economic bridges with countries across the globe. Supported films have sold to over 40 territories, premiered at prestigious international festivals such as Cannes, Sundance and Toronto, and showcased Welsh talent to the world.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)

Why not devolve all Welsh Government film production funding to Ffilm Cymru Wales?
Based on historical film investments by both Creative Wales and Ffilm Cymru Wales, we believe that the majority of films intended for theatrical release will fit within the remit of this fund. Creative Wales will continue to manage investments into production intended solely for TV broadcast and / or streamers, together with major feature films that don’t meet the remit of Ffilm Cymru investment e.g. with little or no Welsh talent at the helm or requiring funding from Wales in excess of £600,000.

This collaboration is a pilot and will be reviewed at key points across the term of the agreement to ensure that it is fit for purpose to meet the needs of the sector in Wales.

What oversight will Welsh Government have on funding decisions?
A representative of Creative Wales will be on the Ffilm Cymru Wales panel that discusses and decides on applications to this fund and Ffilm Cymru will regularly report to Creative Wales throughout the operation of the fund.

How will the funding decisions and awards be accounted for and published? 
Funding decisions will be published on the Ffilm Cymru Wales website and in their Annual Report documents. 

Will the funding support documentary and animated feature film?
Yes, as with Ffilm Cymru Wales’ prior National Lottery Development and Production funds, this fund will be available to support live-action, animation and documentary feature films where it is intended that those films will be released in cinemas.

Will the funding support Welsh language feature film?
Yes, as with Ffilm Cymru Wales’ prior National Lottery Development and Production funds, this fund will be available to support feature films in any language, including Welsh, where it is intended that those films will be released in cinemas. Ffilm Cymru welcomes co-funding with S4C and other financiers.

How will this fund work with the new Creative Wales / S4C Welsh language film fund?
The arrangements for support of Welsh Language Film as outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding between Creative Wales and S4C are still under development and further details will be made available later this year.