In 2012 the German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) supported the production of 115 films, more than ever before. All available funds were used once again, a total of some 60 million euros. Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media Bernd Neumann declared, “The DFFF's impressive annual balance once again demonstrates the extent to which this financing instrument has become a major, sustainable pillar in Germany’s film industry. The DFFF is in no small way responsible for making Germany an attractive location for film production, in comparison to many of our European neighbours. The robust demand for funding makes it quite clear how important it was for the branch to increase the funding available this year by 10 million euros to a total of 70 million euros.”

In 2012 DFFF's 60 million euros paved the way for follow-on investments of 352 million euros in Germany’s film industry, outstripping the 2010 and 2011 figures (341 million euros and 338 million euros respectively). Once again German and foreign producers have thus invested about six times the state’s input in Germany alone. In 2012 a total of 80 feature films, 32 documentaries and 3 animated films received support. As in previous years, support focussed on the second half of the year: the tempo remained relatively sluggish until early autumn, but then picked up speed with 36 applications approved in November and December alone, including the major international production BEAUTY AND THE BEAST – a new production of the traditional French fairy-tale produced in its entirety at the Babelsberg studios, as well as Fatih Akin’s most recent project entitled THE CUT.

These will be in the cinemas in 2013/2014 along with numerous other DFFF-assisted productions including:

• The international co-productions A MOST WANTED MAN, based on the John le Carré thriller, and Jim Jarmusch’s latest film ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE;
• German productions including BUDDY, the new comedy by and with Michael (Bully) Herbig and a film based on the bestseller DER GESCHMACK VON APFELKERNEN;
• The family films DER KLEINE DRACHE KOKOSNUSS and PETTERSON & FINDUS;
• Documentaries including BELTRACCHI – DIE KUNST DER FÄLSCHUNG and PARALYMPICS;
• The 3D animated film TARZAN, which was accorded the highest support for any one production in 2012, at 4.2 million euros.

The DFFF supported a total of 115 productions, which is an all time record, including 40 international co-productions. You will find a list of all projects that received DFFF support in 2012 online at: www.dfff-ffa.de

Since it was founded in 2007, the DFFF has provided support to 642 film projects; support has totalled 356 million euros, which over the six-year period has generated total production costs of 2.9 billion euros. In Germany alone the film productions have generated production costs of 2.1 billion euros. The resounding success of the DFFF in achieving its economic and culture-policy objectives has moved the German government to continue the DFFF for a further three years until the end of 2015.