Guidelines

Application form

Budget form

European exhibitors do not apply to MEDIA directly, but join the MEDIA-supported network called Europa Cinemas. The purpose of the network is to boost programming of European films with a special emphasis of non-national European titles.

The Commission publishes a Call for Proposals every two years where the applicants are networks of cinemas, such as Europa Cinemas, who themselves are recipients of MEDIA funding and serve then as a re-distribution device for the Commission's funds.

Apart from funding, members of the network enjoy a range of other benefits including the opportunity to get together and discuss common issues at annual conferences. The network also helps with the promotion of European films by, amongst other things, awarding the Europa Cinemas Label to certain titles at European festivals.

Europa Cinemas has also received additional funds from the MEDIA Programme to support digital projection in member cinemas.

In 2008 45 screens in the UK were Europa Cinemas members and they received over €770,000 support.  Across Europe 704 cinemas in total received subsidy from Europa Cinemas in 2008.

List of MEDIA Europa Cinemas in the UK.

Below is a summary of conditions to join the network. The full details are explained on the Europa Cinemas website.

DEADLINE FOR NEW THEATRES TO JOIN THE NETWORK: 31 August 2009

The network is open to film theatres which meet the following criteria:

• European commercial theatres that have been open to the public for at least six months and that operate with a box office system and declaration of revenues
• Minimum number of annual screenings for permanent theatres: 520.  (A degree of deviation from this figure may be accepted for single-screen theatres operating in specific circumstances).  For open-air theatres, a minimum of 30 screenings a month is required
• Minimum number of seats per establishment: 70
• Minimum number of admissions over twelve months:
  30,000 admissions in Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland and the United Kingdom
  20,000 admissions in other countries
• Technical equipment which meets professional standards
• Safety conditions complying with national regulations
• Pornographic cinemas excluded.

There are also minimum programming requirements, which you can read about in more detail in the guidelines found on the Europa Cinemas website. To summarise:

• the cinema must undertake to programme at least 25% non-national European films (for single screen cinemas or 15% for multiplexes over 13 screens).