Some 132 m CZK is to go out in the current round, said fund director Helena Frankova, adding the number of applications on the first day of the call for proposals, actually overwhelmed their technology for a brief time. "At 2pm the whole system crashed," she said. Most of the applicants "are interested in development and shooting," she told FNE, estimating that 100 m CZK is likely to go into support for these projects.

A further 8 m CZK in funding will go to support animation projects and an equal amount for Czech minority co-productions, while 10 m CZK will support full features. The new Czech film funding law requires categorizing projects receiving funding to cover multiple genres, Frankova explained, with a formal "conception and strategy" plan covering funding for the next three years due out at the end of 2013.

The call for Czech projects will be repeated next year, with a further 235 m CZK expected in available support. This fund is separate from the 500 m CZK available as incentives to international productions, Frankova explained.

The ratification in parliament was the final step in the process of development of a completely new legal system of Czech cinematography and film industry support, which took several years to evolve. The Czech film law formally took effect 1 January, but European Commission approval was needed before it could go online. The Cinematography Fund is charged with support of a swath Czech film projects ranging from production, distribution, promotion and publishing to cinema digitalization.

Applicants in the current funding round have till 3 October to register their projects. The Fund´s Council will have a maximum of 90 days to announce their decisions.