The 2010 Budget Bill brought bad news for the filmmaking community; the government intends to cut its funding for films by almost 34%, wiping out substantially more than all the increase since 2006. This is way above suggested cuts for other arts funding, which on average are around 4% and none crossing 6%.
Ari Kristinsson, chairman of The Association of Icelandic Film Producers.
“A massacre” says Ari Kristinsson, chairman of The Association of Icelandic Film Producers (SÍK), interviewed by Frettabladid daily. “A cut of this magnitude will essentially destroy the industry” he says, adding that he doesn’t comprehend why films are being singled out in this manner.
Director/producer Baltasar Kormákur.
Director/producer Baltasar Kormákur agrees: “This is out of all proportions. An entire industry is being sacrificed at the altar of the IMF.”
The heads of the filmmakers’ associations will meet Tuesday with Culture Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir to discuss the proposals.
Culture Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir.
The minister is quoted in Frettabladid saying that she understands the filmmakers concerns, “but this is a tough budget and everything is at stake”. She expects Althingi, the legislature, to take this particular proposal under further review. “We’re not singling out films as such” she says, adding that she expects that it will be taken into account that filmmaking not only accepts taxpayers’ money but also generates revenue for the state.
