The Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) supports the development of production-ready project descriptions for documentary film projects with up to EUR 20,000.

As a director of cinema documentaries, the funding is intended to help you to better elaborate and develop your material. It also helps you to find financing and production partners for further project development and subsequent realization of your film project.

The funding focuses on ambitious cinema projects with an innovative and individual approach to realization.

You submit your application to the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM). You are not entitled to funding.

You will not receive funding

• if your project is already funded elsewhere
• for projects that arise in the context of university education

Eligible costs are

• Fees for authors in an appropriate amount
• Costs for acquiring rights and legal advice
• Research and archive costs
• Travel expenses and participation fees for project presentations at film trade fairs; both must be related to the development of the material
• Translation costs
• Costs for the creation of a teaser or trailer
• Fees for dramaturgical advice
• Costs for the creation of concepts and materials for marketing and evaluation

Once the project has been completed, you must provide evidence of what you have spent the funding on. To do this, you must keep all invoices and receipts relating to the project costs.

If you receive funding, you must keep the BKM informed about your production process.

You can receive further funding for film projects via the various film grants from the BKM.