The renewed IFFR PRO team (from left to right): Fay Breeman (IFFR PRO Fund Coordinator), Marit van den Elshout (Head of IFFR PRO), Inke van Loocke (IFFR Pro CineMart Coordinator). © Joke Schut Photography

46th International Film Festival Rotterdam

25 January - 5 February 2017

Rotterdam, 28 January 2017

With a renewed and extended partnership with the Netherlands Film Fund, IFFR’s Hubert Bals Fund (HBF) is in full gear for its 2017 application rounds. The new HBF team also announced new guidelines and deadlines, plus commitment to Benelux distribution.

IFFR is proud to announce the renewed partnership with the Netherlands Film Fund. The new NFF+HBF Co-Development scheme complements the existing successful NFF+HBF Co-production scheme, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary. As of 2017, the Netherlands Film Fund will extend its collaboration with HBF in the annual support of 10 international film projects with a contribution towards Script and Project Development – equally divided between HBF Bright Future and HBF Voices (see below).

Application deadlines for the NFF+HBF Co-production Scheme for Dutch producers will be 14 March and 3 October 2017. Two films supported through the programme will be presented at this year’s IFFR: Rey (Niles Atallah, Chile/France/Netherlands/Germany/Qatar) – screening in the Hivos Tiger Competition – and White Sun (Deepak Rauniyar, Nepal/USA/Qatar/Netherlands) in Limelight.

The Hubert Bals Fund has renewed its guidelines and application deadlines, welcoming applications for its 2017 funding rounds. Among the changes are two separate schemes for Script and Project Development: HBF Bright Future (max. €10,000 per project) for feature films by first and second-time filmmakers, and HBF Voices (max. €10,000 per project) for feature films by filmmakers more advanced in their careers. The new application deadlines can be found here.

In its geographical focus, the HBF continues to provide support to talented filmmakers from countries listed on the DAC list of the OECD. In addition, certain countries ranking low on the World Free Press Index are added to this list: Russia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar. The HBF will also provide support to feature films by filmmakers from DAC-listed countries living in diaspora (e.g. dual nationality, refugee status or residency permit).

HBF is also committed to the distribution of HBF-supported films within the Benelux. IFFR becomes the 'custodian' of the Benelux distribution rights for all films supported by the Hubert Bals Fund as of 2017. The Benelux rights remain with the legal rights-holder, but IFFR will collaborate with Benelux distributors in the release of the film and/or release the film through its own channels (e.g. IFFR.com/Unleashed).In its Fall 2016 selection round, the HBF supported four international projects. New films by Ognjen Glavonic, Mahdi Fleifel, Shahrbanoo Sadat and Yeo Siew Hua received a contribution towards Script and Project Development and (Post-)production within the framework of a special – one-off – thematic programme. A complete list of titles can be found here.

IFFR’s Hubert Bals Fund provides financial support to remarkable feature films by innovative and talented filmmakers from all over the world, but predominantly from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and parts of Eastern Europe.The HBF offers several funding schemes: early on for Script and Project Development, or after shooting for Post-production. With the support of the Creative Europe-MEDIA programme of the European Union, minority co-production and distribution support is offered to European partners within the framework of HBF+Europe. Dutch producers are eligible for the NFF+HBF Co-Production Scheme and the NFF+HBF Co-Development Scheme, a collaboration with the Netherlands Film Fund.The Hubert Bals Fund is supported by the Creative Europe-MEDIA programme of the European Union, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Netherlands Film Fund, Hivos, the Dioraphte Foundation,  the Lions Club Rotterdam: L’Esprit du Temps and the Tiger Film Mecenaat.