In order to foster the wider international distribution of German films not only as cultural assets, but also to improve the market opportunities of German films in foreign countries, German Films Service + Marketing GmbH subsidizes the theatrical release of a foreign distribution company for the start of a German film in foreign countries.

The German Films Distribution Support funding program was established in 2005 in order to support foreign distributors releasing a recent German feature film or documentary in the cinema. Through the German Films Distribution Support we hope to make German cinema a success in your country, too.

Applications will be accepted from foreign distribution companies who distribute a (majority German-produced) German film. Only such measures going beyond the distribution project already planned by the foreign distribution company (the Additional Promotion Measure) will qualify for subsidization.

Please note:

  • German-international co-productions are not automatically eligible for Distribution Support. The film must be a majority German financed co-production, possess a German certificate of origin, must have been produced with a majority of German members of crew, and have a significant German cultural imprint.
  • Films which have received marketing or travel support from German Films are not automatically eligible for Distribution Support.

Loan: The maximum support of 50,000 euros per film per country can be granted as a conditionally repayable loan, whose repayment depends on the success of the film in the cinema.

Grant: Funding up to 15,000 euros may also be granted as a subsidy.

The German Films Distribution Support committee decides on each application for loan or grant individually. Concerning the loans, the committee defines repayment thresholds (based on admission figures) for conditionally repayable loans.

Please find the application form and exhibit check-list below and send it to Anne Heidebrecht.
The complete and correct application must be submitted at the latest two (2) months before the release of the film.

The general rule is that the correct and complete application must be submitted two months before the theatrical release-date.

The submission deadlines in relation to the committee meetings are as follows:

  • November 15, 2023
  • March 06, 2024
  • June 07, 2024
  • September 16, 2024
  • December 02, 2024

We will inform you about the committee's decision within four weeks of the respective submission deadline.

Distribution Support increases maximum amount of grants to 15,000 €

The Distribution Support funding program was established in 2005 in order to support foreign distributors releasing a recent German feature film or documentary in the cinema. Until now the maximum amount of subsidy was limited to 10,000 Euro.

However, grants of up to 15,000 Euro can be requested for all applications submitted from 2023 onwards. The loan’s limit will remain at 50,000 Euro.