Czech film and audiovisual projects received about CZK 107 million (EUR 4.3 million) from the European Union’s Creative Europe Media program in 2024, representing a 40% increase from the previous year. The record funding supported 37 feature films, documentaries and animated projects, with Czech producers alone receiving over CZK 37 million—more than one-third of the total allocation.
Vlaďka Chytilová, director of the Creative Europe Media office in Prague, announced the figures on June 10, highlighting the success as particularly significant given the Czech Republic’s size relative to other European nations. The funding supported new film and television projects, European film distribution, film festival networks and innovative animation initiatives.
The 2024 recipients included several award-winning films that premiered last year, including Year of the Widow (Rok vdovy), Girl America (Amerikánka), the animated feature Living Large (Život k sežrání) and the documentary I’m Not Everything I Want to Be (Ještě nejsem, kým chci být).
The program also supported Caravan (pictured at top), the debut feature by director Zuzana Kirchnerová that became the first Czech film to appear in the official Cannes Film Festival program in more than 30 years last month.
EU funding enables international collaborations
Czech producers achieved unprecedented success in 2024, securing support for 37 fiction, documentary and animated film projects. The record allocation reflects improved grant application strategies and the new generation’s ability to present projects effectively in international contexts, according to Chytilová.
Producer Dagmar Sedláčková emphasized the program’s crucial role in enabling projects that might otherwise remain unrealized. Her project Caravan received European funding after being rejected by the Czech Audiovisual Fund, demonstrating the program’s importance as an alternative financing source for ambitious projects.
The funding enables emerging talent to advance their careers, including director Daria Kashcheeva, who won a Czech Lion for best student film and will use Creative Europe Media support to produce her feature debut. The combined live-action and animated project, working title They/Them, represents the type of innovative storytelling the program seeks to foster.
Established directors such as Peter Kerekes, Veronika Lišková and Kristina Dufková are also developing new projects with European support. The program’s emphasis on detailed project development has improved Czech filmmakers’ ability to articulate their vision within international frameworks, creating opportunities for cross-border collaborations and co-productions.
Support extends beyond production funding
Beyond production financing, Creative Europe Media provided CZK 16.3 million for film distribution in 2024, supporting efforts to bring European cinema to Czech audiences. Television and online content production received CZK 6.1 million, reflecting the program’s adaptation to changing viewing habits and digital platform growth.
International film festivals in the Czech Republic received approximately CZK 13.5 million through the program’s festival network support. Recipients included the Anifilm festival in Liberec, Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival, Zlín Film Festival and the Summer Film School in Uherské Hradiště, which participates in the Archive Film Festival Network.
Additional funding supported promotion of European audiovisual works, video-on-demand services and innovation projects. The Animation Hub project, which creates an online library of animated works, exemplifies the program’s commitment to preserving and promoting European cultural heritage through digital platforms.
The Czech Republic joined Creative Europe Media in 2002 and has received a total of EUR 53.4 million (over CZK 1.3 billion) through 2024. The current program cycle runs through 2027 with a total budget of EUR 2.44 billion, compared to EUR 1.47 billion in the previous 2014-2020 cycle.
The program’s expanded budget reflects the European Commission’s recognition of cultural and creative industries’ economic importance and their role in promoting European values and diversity. The 2021-2027 iteration emphasizes recovery from pandemic disruptions while promoting inclusivity, digitalization and environmental sustainability within the cultural sector.
For Czech filmmakers, the record funding represents both recognition of their creative achievements and expanded opportunities for international collaboration, positioning the country’s audiovisual industry for continued growth within the European cultural landscape.
