In 2013 they supported 113 film projects with 6,747,946 Litas. In 2014 it intends to increase funding to 7.5 m Litas.
“This year the state funding competition has 121 applications, 40 applications more than last year. Seeing such activity, we are glad that the bigger budget makes it possible to think about more intense funding for film projects,” said the head of Lithuanian Film Centre Rolandas Kvietkauskas
More funds are earmarked for retrieving and digitalising the national film heritage, including ten Lithuanian films to be purchased from one of the biggest Russian film storage archives, Gos fil mo fond.
As one of the most important tasks of the year 2014, Kvietkauskas mentions the tax initiative for the administration of production and promotion of film. As of January 2014, the Lithuanian tax exemption system has been open to national and international film projects that spend at least 35,000 euros ($45,000) in the Baltic EU member state, provided they have cleared the cultural test criteria. The cultural test is an EU condition for fiscal schemes that ensures films are shot in Europe or have relevant European content.
The tax initiative consists of more favourable conditions for film production in Lithuania: companies wishing to provide funds for the film production may reduce their taxes. Companies filming in Lithuania can receive support up to 20% of the film's production budget from private sponsors.
Film education projects will continue to be developed through the film education and training programme, the “Young film critic contest” and other educational initiatives. More attention will be given to the training of film professionals; in fall 2014 Lithuania will host the training for documentary professionals Eurodoc.
