Swiss productions and co-productions are on the rise, driven in part by federal and regional funders that offer attractive opportunities for domestic and international filmmakers. Quickly recoverin…
The upswing in Swiss cinema is due in no small part to Zurich as a film location, noted ZFF director Christian Jungen. The ZFF and local funder Zürcher Filmstiftung again showcased the city’s bustling film sector — Switzerland’s main industry hub — with their annual Zurich Film Stroll and Zurich Film Night during this year’s event.
The largest backer of feature films is the FOC, with a combined annual budget of CHF 28.5 million for various programs. The Film Investment Refund Switzerland scheme, for instance, allocates CHF 6 million for Swiss-international co-productions, refunding 20% to 40% of eligible film production expenses generated in Switzerland.
Cinéforom, the second-biggest regional fund with CHF 10 million , covers the whole French-speaking part of Switzerland; grants must be spent entirely in the region.