Romania launches first regional film fund

Romania’s first regional film fund is set to launch this spring in the north-western city of Cluj. The Transylvania Film Fund, expected to open in April with an annual budget of up to $113,000, was set up in a bid to attract filmmakers to the city, which hosts the annual Transylvania International Film Festival (TIFF), now in its 14th year.

The fund was developed during last year’s School of Film Agents (SOFA) workshop in Wrocław, Poland, by TIFF’s founder Tudor Guirgui and its executive director Cristian Hordila. Supported by the local authorities, the fund hopes to support local film and international co-productions, shorts and documentaries, training schemes and the establishment of a film commission.

Located halfway between the Romanian and Hungarian capitals, the fund can tap into both national and Hungarian film tax credits. Currently, Hungary offers incentives of up to 25% of a film’s budget, including money spent in other countries on Hungarian films. Romania’s National Film Centre distributes around $7.5m annually in funding for film development and production.