Estructura

As already mentioned, the EU’s aid programmes are handled by EuropeAid, a department of the European Commission. Their main focus is on the protection of cultural heritage and the support of the audiovisual sector, such as implemented by ACP Films Programme. It is financed under the 9th EDF (ACP Films Programme, 2010). The overall objective of the ACP films programme is “ to contribute to the development and structuring of the cinema and audiovisual industries in the ACP States, so that they can create and disseminate their own works more effectively” (ACP Films Programme, 2010). It also aims to step up the promotion of cultural diversity, enhance ACP cultural identities and contribute to intercultural dialogue (ACP Films Programme, 2010). The programme provides support for 24 projects with a total funding of EUR 6.5 million: 12 projects in the field of production, 6 in distribution, promotion and networking, and 6 in training (ACP Films Programme, 2010). These projects

are implemented in all the African, Caribbean and Pacific regions, in English, French and Portuguese languages (EuropeAid, Guidelines for Applicants First Open Call for Proposals, 2011).

Conforming to the European Commission Directorate General for the Development, the cultural sector is also a promising sector of economic activity and growth and its potential for fighting poverty is increasingly recognized (Europeaid, 2011). The EU cultural cooperation with partner countries around the world is part of its commitment to the Millennium Development Goals (Europeaid, 2011). According to the ACP Films programme: “cinema and audiovisual works can raise awareness and encourage both social and economic development” (www.acpfilms.eu, 2011). “Film production and dissemination create jobs and financial flows at the national and intra-ACP level, in the sector itself but also in related sectors” (www.acpfilms.eu, 2011).

As mentioned before, the ACP Film Programme is “a programme of support to ACP cinema by the EDF” (EU, Programme of support for ACP cinema issued by the European Development Fund, 2003). The main goals outlined in the programme are:

1. “To boost the cinema in ACP countries by confirming European support for it and improving assistance procedures” (EU, Programme of support for ACP cinema issued by the European Development Fund, 2003)

2. “To respond to the creativity of filmmakers in the various ACP regions (EU, Programme of support for ACP cinema issued by the European Development Fund, 2003).

3. “To contribute to the emergence of new talents and the perpetuation of generations of ACP filmmakers (EU, Programme of support for ACP cinema issued by the European Development Fund, 2003).

4. “Boosting the creation/production of cultural goods and services in the ACP countries by promoting their integration into distribution channels and by drawing even more benefit from the interregional ACP framework; promoting their access to markets at different levels – local, regional, intra-ACP, European and international; enhancing the technical and entrepreneurial capacities of the different players, operators and entrepreneurs involved in the cultural sector in the ACP countries” (EC, Commissioner Piebalgs announces new support for culture in the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries on the occasion of the Ouagadougou Film Festival, 2011).

Selection criteria of the programme are mainly based on “relevance and action” (Schalkwyk, 2010). That means that a programme intends: “to consider the problems of a region or state to those of the target groups and beneficiaries” (Schalkwyk, 2010). Other criteria also include:

“effectiveness, feasibility, sustainability” (Schalkwyk, 2010). “Candidates need to show that they have sufficient sources of funding to ensure continuity of their organisation throughout the action for which the grant is sought” (Schalkwyk, 2010). They must demonstrate sufficient experience” (Schalkwyk, 2010). Eligibility criteria of the programme mainly consist of the following aspects:

1. “The candidates need to be: audiovisual productions companies based in an ACP country or in an European country which hold the rights for the proposed project and are associated with a filmmaker who is national of an ACP country (including South Africa)” (EU, Programme of support for ACP cinema issued by the European Development Fund, 2003).

2. The candidates must “have stable and adequate sources of finance to guarantee the continuity of their organisation for the duration of the project and make real and substantial financial contribution to the project” (EU, Programme of support for ACP cinema issued by the European Development Fund, 2003).

3. The candidates must have “adequate level of technical and management capacity and skills for the project put forward for the European Union’s financial support” (EU, Programme of support for ACP cinema issued by the European Development Fund, 2003).

Turning to Kenya, ACP Films Programme objectives of the action in East Africa are: “to promote and strengthen the East African film industry by improving its competitive capabilities, particularly at the level of co-productions, and taking into account the cultural dimension of the sector” (EuropeAid, Culture Auction Floor: a Match for Development, 2010). Additionally, the expected result of the programme is the “enrichment of the local producing process and sharing of experience and production knowledge” (EuropeAid, ACP-EU Support Programme to ACP Cultural Sectors (ACPCultures II + ACPFilms II) Guidelines for Applicants First Open Call for Proposals, 2011). Moving to the target group of the Programme: “it comprises both local crew members and actors, and all the other organisations and people who, at various levels, are directly or indirectly involved in the production of the film” (ACP Films Programme, 2010). The final beneficiary of the co-production “is the audio-visual sector from Kenya and East Africa mainly in the fields of cinema and video

production. Also the goal of the programme is to reach as many audiences as possible not only in Kenya and East Africa, but abroad as well and, therefore, enable a larger intercultural dialogue” (EuropeAid, Culture Auction Floor: a Match for Development, 2010).

Kenya lacks a proper funding system from the state; therefore the majority of Kenyan filmmakers seek sponsors, who often demand editorial control or copyright ownership of the project (Luesby 2011). The first ACP Films Programme grant worth 266.395 Euros in Kenya was allocated to B. Nyanja’s film The Captain of Nakara.

Further chapters of this work will analyze the practical outcomes of the programme in Kenya, addressing issues not only of the application process, but also of the postproduction of the film. Feedback from various stakeholders of the film, such as the scriptwriter, the filmmaker and the producer agency, will help to get a deeper insight of the practical aspects of the EU support to Kenyan filmmaking.