MARKET ANALYSIS 2021

BRATISLAVA: In 2021, Slovakia was significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic for the second year. Although production fully restarted in the summer months, thanks to the stabilisation of measures and the improvement of the situation, and also as the distribution of Slovak titles increased by 50% compared to 2020, the cinema attendance fell to the lowest level since 1993.

Slovak filmmakers managed to complete 26 films, while distributors released 30 domestic titles (including 1 restored film).

A total of 63 projects registered for the new 33% cash rebate at the Slovak Audiovisual Fund in 2021, compared to 45 in 2020.

PRODUCTION

A total of 14 feature films (including 10 minority coproductions), 10 documentaries (including three minority coproductions) and two animated films were completed in 2021.

Multiple high-profile projects were in production in 2021 and some of them are expected to premiere in 2022.

Iveta Grófová started production on Emma and the Death´s Head / Emma a smrtihlav, produced by PubRes in coproduction by Total Helpart T.H.A., Campfilm, RTVS and the Czech Television.

Mariana Čengel Solčanská shot the last scenes for Chambermaid / Slúžka, produced by Bright Sight  Pictures and coproduced by Czech Television and CINEART TV Prague.

Jakub Kroner was working on the long-awaited sequel Love 2 / Lóve 2, produced by INOUT Studio.

Jonáš Karásek was in production with Invalid, produced by Slovak AZYL Production in coproduction with RTVS, HomeMedia and Czech Cinemart.

The acclaimed director/producer Katarína Kerekesová continued the production of the popular animated series Websters and the animated feature The Websters Movie, produced by Kerekesova´s Fool Moon and coproduced by 13ka, Progressive FX, RTVS and the Czech Television.

Foreign productions were also shot in Slovakia in 2021, such as the Amazon series Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, which was partially shot in Slovakia at the end of the summer. Another American production, The Performance was shot in November 2021 in Bratislava.

After new amendments to the Audiovisual Law had been approved in September 2019, the cash rebate increased from 20% to 33% starting 1 January 2020.

A total of 63 projects registered for the cash rebate at the Slovak Audiovisual Fund in 2021, compared to 28 in 2019 and 45 in 2020. The list includes the Slovak Just a Lot of Love / Hlavne veľa lásky by Branislav Mišík, produced by NUNEZ NFE, the Czech/Slovak coproduction Snake Gas / Hadí plyn by David Jařab, produced by Cineart TV Prague in coproduction with Arina Film production and the Czech Television; the Czech/ Slovak coproduction Better Go Mad in the Wild / Raději zešílet v divočině by Miro Remo, produced by Nutprodukce in coproduction with Arsy- Versy, and the Czech/French/Slovak coproduction My Sunny Maad by Michaela Pavlátová, produced by Czech Negativ in coproduction with French Sacrebleu production, the Czech Television and Slovak BFILM.

DISTRIBUTION

A total of 30 domestic films, 16 documentaries, 13 feature films (including one restored film) and one animated film, were distributed in Slovakia in 2021, an increase of 50% compared to 2020. Six of them were 100% Slovak productions, 9 were majority coproductions, 1 parity coproduction, and 14 were minority coproductions.

The Association of Slovak Film Clubs (ASFK) was the leader in distributing domestic titles in 2021 with two 100% Slovak productions: King Bee / To ta monarchia directed by Vladislava Sárkány and produced by sarkany in coproduction with RTVS, and Everest - The Hard Way by Pavol Barabáš, produced by K2 studio.

ASFK also released the Slovak majority coproduction The Commune / Komúna by Jakub Julény, produced by HITCHHIKER Cinema in coproduction with RTVS and Background Films (Czech Republic), as well as the minority coproductions Reconstruction of the Occupation / Rekonstrukce okupace by Jan Šikl, produced by Cinepoint (Czech Republic) in coproduction with PubRes (Slovakia), the Czech Television, Pagafilm (CZ) and RTVS, Wild Roots / Külön falka by Hajni Kis, produced by Proton Cinema (Hungary) in coproduction with Slovak MPhilms (Hungary), and My Sunny Maad / Moje slunce Mad by Michaela Pavlátová, produced by Negativ (Czech Republic) in coproduction with Sacrebleu Productions (France), BFILM (Slovakia) and the Czech Television.

Film Expanded, the alternative distribution company focusing on creative documentaries, released five domestic titles in 2021. Among them two were 100% Slovak productions: The Sailor by Lucia Kašová, produced by TOXPRO, and Lines / Čiary by Barbora Sliepková, produced by HITCHHIKER Cinema in coproduction with RTVS, TOXPRO, Vidno and Atelier 213. Film Expanded also released the majority coproductions White on White / Biela na bielej directed by Viera Čákanyová, produced by Guča in coproduction with Marina Films (Czech Republic), On Your Marks! / Na značky! by Mária Pinčíková, produced by PubRes, Cinepoint (Czech Republic) and RTVS, as well as the minority coproduction Every Single Minute / Každá minuta života by Erika Hníková, produced by the Czech endorfilm in coproduction with Punkchart Film (Slovakia).

The distribution company Filmtopia also released five domestic titles. The list includes the majority coproductions Ordeal / Očista by Zuzana Piussi, produced by VIRUSfilm (Slovakia) and D1Film (Czech Republic) in coproduction with RTVS; At Full Throttle / Láska pod kapotou by Miro Remo, produced by Arsy-Versy and D1Film (Czech Republic) in coproduction with the RTVS and the Czech Television; 107 Mothers / Cenzorka by Peter Kerekes, produced by Punkchart films and coproduced by the RTVS, endorfilm (Czech Republic), Arthouse Traffic (Ukraine), Kerekes Film (Slovakia) and Hypermarket Film (Czech Republic); as well as the minority coproductions Once Upon a Time in Poland / Jak Bůh hledal Karla by Vít Klusák and Filip Remunda, produced by Vernes (Czech Republic) in coproduction with the Czech Television, Hypermarket Film (Czech Republic), Plesnar & Krauss Films (Poland) and Kerekes Film (Slovakia), and Shadow Land / Krajina ve stínu by Bohdan Sláma, produced by Luminar film (Czech Republic) in coproduction with Filmpark production (Slovakia), the Czech Television and i/o post (Czech Republic).

ITAFILM released the Slovak majority coproductions Known Unknown / Známi neznámi by Zuzana Marianková, produced by Wandal Production (Slovakia) in coproduction with Angry Tiger (Slovakia), En Libre (Slovakia) and Alluvium Production (Czech Republic), and How I Became a Partisan / Ako som sa stala partizánkou by Vera Lacková, produced by Media Voice (Slovakia) Film & Sociologie (Czech Republic), RTVS and the Czech Television. ITAFILM also released the minority coproduction Forebodings / Predtuchy by Vyacheslav Kryshtofovych, produced by Garnet International Media Group (Ukraine) and Taura (Lithuania) in coproduction with Wandal Production.

Bontonfilm released three minority coproductions: Martin and the Magical Forest / Mazel a tajemství lesa by Petr Oukropec, produced by BFILM.cz (Czech Republic) in coproduction with BFILM and Germany‘s Leitwolf Filmproduktion; The Pack / Smečka by Tomáš Polenský, produced by 8Heads Productions (Czech Republic) in coproduction with Furia Film (Slovakia) and EgoMedia (Latvia), and Zátopek by David Ondříček, produced by Lucky Man Films (Czech Republic) in coproduction with Czech Television, Z Films (Czech Republic), Accolade (Czech Republice), Alef Nula (Czech Republic), Sebre (Czech Republic), Barrandov studio (Czech Republic), T-mobile, Innogy (Czech Republic), AZYL Production (Slovakia) and RTVS (Slovakia).

Continental Film released the majority coproduction The Auschwitz Report / Správa by Peter Bebjak, produced by D.N.A. in coproduction with  Evolution Films (Czech Republic), Ostlicht Filmproduktion (Germany), RTVS, the Czech Television.

CinemArt SK released two minority coproductions: Cook, F**k, Kill / Žáby bez jazyka by Mira Fornay, produced by CINEART TV Prague, in coproduction with RTVS, the Czech Television, Synergia film (Czech Republic) and MIRAFOX (Slovakia), and Wrap Up and Disappear / Ubal a zmiz by Adam Hobzik, produced by Flamesite (Czech Republic) in coproduction with Petarda  (Czech Republic), SOLID ENTERPRISE (Slovakia), CinemArt SK and ATTACK FILM (Slovakia).

MEDIA FILM released the majority Slovak coproduction Architect of Brutal Poetry / Architekt drsnej poetiky, a documentary by Ladislav Kaboš, produced by EDIT Studio in coproduction with KABOS Film & Media (Czech Republic) and Cteand Embaúba Produções (Brasil).

Forum Film released the minority coproduction Emma in Love / Chyby by Jan Prušinovský, produced by Offside Men (Czech Republic) in coproduction with the Czech Television and PubRes (Slovakia).

Garfield Film released the Slovak majority coproduction The Man with Hare Ears / Muž so zajačími ušami  by Martin Šulík, produced TITANIC s.r.o., IN Film Praha in coproduction with RTVS and the Czech Television.

Also in 2021, the Slovak documentary Libertas by Boris Vereš, produced by Fullframe s.r.o, premiered and was distributed online on its own website.

VOD PLATFORMS AND ONLINE DISTRIBUTION

Alongside mainstream platforms available in Slovakia such as Netflix, HBO MAX and Amazon´s Prime Video, several alternative VOD platforms provide streaming of art films, award winning titles, documentaries and domestic titles.

Some platforms and initiatives set up in 2020 in response to the closing of cinemas during the pandemic, such as #kináspolu or Filmtopia - Online at Your Home have phased out.

Edisonline, the first Czech/Slovak online video library, focuses mainly on award-winning European titles. At the price of a cinema ticket (6 EUR per month), viewers can choose from among over 1000 titles and have access to online broadcasting of two film TV channels, Film Europe and Film Europe +.

dafilms.sk, the largest VOD platform in Slovakia primarily focusing on local content, was launched in February 2020 by the international streaming service DAFilms. Priority is given to original documentaries, films at the crossroads of genres, experimental and art films, as well as current domestic feature films and important foreign titles.

ASFK is a VOD platform launched in 2020, provided by The Association of Slovak Film Clubs, which currently offers 41 club film titles and world-acclaimed films.

Kino Lumière, which is operated by the Slovak Film Institute, continued with the Cinema at Home online platform, after the cinemas reopened with occasional screenings. The platform was streaming the programme of the Slovak Film Week, whose 7th edition took place in a reduced online format from 29 November to 5 December 2021.

EXHIBITION AND BOX OFFICE

In 2021, Slovakia had 160 cinemas with 273 screens, of which 208 had already been digitalised (including six open air theatres). They include five multiplexes, 23 miniplexes, 87 single screen cinemas, 34 open air theatres, three traveling theatres, one drive-in and 7 alternative spaces.

In 2021, the number of cinemas decreased from 163 to 160 and the number of digitalised screens increased from 195 to 208, compared to 2020.

Slovakia also has one IMAX cinema, which opened in 2015 in Bratislava and it's operated by Cinemax.

Several small art house cinemas operate in Bratislava. Kino Lumière has been operated by the Slovak Film Institute on the site of the former Charlie’s Centrum since September 2011. Mladosť, Artkino za zrkadlom, Kino Lúky and Film Europe Cinema also add to the diversity of Bratislava's art house landscape, together with Kino inak, a screening room hosted by the alternative cultural centre A4 – Space for Contemporary Culture.

In 2021 cinemas were allowed to open since 17 May until 24 November, when they were closed again, due to the rapidly deteriorating pandemic situation.

In total, cinemas had to be closed for 173 days in 2021, compared to 116 days in 2020. However, they were closed a few days longer in May, when it was not possible to open them immediately due to necessary preparations.

The cinema screenings dropped only by 0.76% from 98,714 in 2020 to 97,962 in 2021, but the average admissions dropped by 13.16% from 23.96 admissions to one screening in 2020 to 20.8 in 2021.

Total admissions were 2,037,942, with a decrease of 13.82% compared to 2020. It is the lowest number of admissions since 1993. Total gross was 12,351,764 EUR, with a decrease of 11.56% compared to 2020.

Although the number of Slovak premieres in cinemas increased by 50%, the attendance for Slovak titles fell by as much as 74 % to 201,629 admissions, compared to 775,487 in 2020.

GRANTS AND NEW LEGISLATION

The Slovak Audiovisual Fund has been the main tool of public support for cinema in the Slovak Republic since 2010. The budget of the AVF is subsidised with at least 6 m EUR annually from the country’s budget and by the contributions of other subjects, like TV channels, cinemas and distributors.

The average yearly support from 2010 to 2020 (standard grants for audiovisual culture) was 7.8 m EUR. The estimated support in 2022 is 8 m EUR.

In 2021, the Slovak Audiovisual Fund registered 636 applications for audiovisual culture support, of which 351 (55.2%) were supported with a total amount of 10,546,452 m EUR (on 22 April 2022). 

Established in 2015, Slovakia’s 33% incentive scheme, which had been 20% before 1 January 2020, eased its requirements starting August 2017. In 2021 the Fund supported film projects with a total amount of 706,887 EUR. The minimum sum of expenses is 300,000 EUR for fiction TV series and 100,000 EUR for feature films and documentary series, and 50,000 EUR for documentary films, animated films or series.

The cash rebate support of the audiovisual industry has a separate budget according to the presumable expenses of registered projects. There is no maximum limit of budget for the audiovisual industry support. In 2015-2021 the total cash rebate support provided by the Fund was 11.8 m EUR.

In 2022 the maximum amount of support for one project is: 45,000 EUR for development, 2 m EUR for production, 20,000 EUR for distribution, and 200,000 EUR for minority productions.

As for the COVID support, two calls were announced by the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic during 2021. In March non-profit organisations working in culture and creative industry could apply for support. The maximum amount of support for one organisation was 50,000 EUR.

The second call, published in May, targeted professionals working in culture. Individuals who lost more than 30% of their income in 2020 could receive support of 4,000 EUR or 6,000 EUR.

In accord with the Slovak Audiovisual Fund (AVF) Act’s amendment of 2017, the Slovak Film Commission was established as a unit of the AVF. The Commission’s aim is to promote the Slovak film industry, to mediate creative business opportunities for Slovak audiovisual professionals and to present related services and individual regions of Slovakia. Zuzana Bieliková was appointed manager of the SFC on 1 June 2018.

The primary source of information on films is the Slovak Film Institute through its specialised office, the Audiovisual Information Centre.

TV

Slovakia is unique in the CEE as the home of the only channel devoted exclusively to European films. Film Europe Channel was developed by Film Europe Media Company, which operates two more channels - Československo HD, dedicated to Czech and Slovak cinema, and Be2Can HD, which had been called Festival HD till November 2018, for films from A-list festivals.

The public broadcaster RTVS (Jednotka, Dvojka, Trojka) launched in December 2021 a new channel :šport, followed by :24 in February 2022.

The commercial broadcasters are: Slovenská produkčná (with channels: TV JOJ,  JOJ PLUS, WAU, JOJ Cinema, Jojko, JOJ Family, JOJ Šport, Ťuki TV, CS Film, CS Mystery, CS History, CS Mystery, CS Horror, JOJ Šport), Markiza Slovakia (with channels: TV Markíza, TV Doma, Dajto), the news channel TA3 (by C.E.N.), children channel ducktv (by Mega Max Media) and religious channel TV Lux.

The TV crime series Ultimatum / Ultimátum by Michal Kollár, produced by KFS production, TV JOJ and the Czech Television, was finishing postproduction.

TV JOJ also started the production of the comedy TV series The Border / Hranica directed by Ján Novák, which is based on the Croatian TV series On the Border / Na granici (Nova TV).

The last episode of the historical TV miniseries Maria Theresa / Mária Terézia directed by Robert Dornhelm was in production in April 2021. It is produced by RTVS, the Czech Television, Austrian ORF, German Beta film GmbH and Slovak Maya Production.

CONTACTS:

SLOVAK AUDIOVISUAL FUND
Director: Martin Šmatlák
Grösslingová 53
SK-811 09, Bratislava
Phone: +421 5923 4545
Fax: +421 5923 4461
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.avf.sk

SLOVAK FILM COMISSION
Manager: Zuzana Bieliková
Grösslingová 53
SK-811 09, Bratislava
Phone: +421 905 360 033
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SLOVAK FILM INSTITUTE
General Director: Peter Dubecký
Phone: +421 2 5710 1503
Fax: +421 2 5296 3461
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www.sfu.sk

AUDIOVISUAL INFORMATION CENTER
Miroslav Ulman
Lea Pagáčová
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www.aic.sk

NATIONAL CINEMATOGRAPHIC CENTRE
Director: Rastislav Steranka
Phone: +421 2 5710 1526
Phone/fax: +421 2 5273 3214
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RADIO AND TELEVISION OF SLOVAKIA
Mlynská dolina
845 45 Bratislava
Phone: +421 2 6061 1103
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www.rtvs.sk

Report by Zuzana Točíková Vojteková (2022)
Sources: the Slovak Film Institute, the Slovak Audiovisual Fund, the Union of Film Distributors of the Slovak Republic