Preparing an application:
- Study the grant announcement and the support guide carefully.
- Log in to our application system with your Suomi.fi e-Identification.
- Fill in an application in the application system. The application consists of
1) an application form
2) the application’s appendices
3) the applicant’s appendices/information
Whenever you are in contact with us regarding your application, mention the application number and the title of the film in your message!
1. General
The aim of the support
The aim of the support is to promote the internationalisation filmmakers, the international distribution of Finnish films, boost the international status of Finnish films and to expand the skill set of film professionals.
To whom?
Travel support for international promotion is intended for filmmakers (artistically responsible crew member) or production companies to cover travel expenses to an international film event outside of Finland where the applicant’s film is competing or being screened.
Finnish Film Foundation is responsible for the export of films whose main production country is Finland.
Support for international promotion may be primarily granted for films that have received production support from the Foundation. The support covers completed and soon to be completed feature films, short or serialised drama, documentary, animation or children’s films and combinations thereof.
For what purpose and how much?
Travel support for international promotion is primarily intended for the reasonable travel expenses of filmmakers (not daily allowances). The support is granted mainly when a festival offers free accommodation to invitees.
Travel support may also be granted for export travel initiatives developed by the Foundation. Travel support applications should be filed no later than six months after the end of the trip.
Travel expenses related to the festival launch of feature fiction films at A-class festivals must be applied for from the travel support, and cannot be included in the project support. Festival travel expenses for short and documentary films can also be included in the project support.
In decisions starting from January 1, 2025, support can cover up to 90% of the costs approved by the Finnish Film Foundation.
Previous support decisions may be viewed from the Foundation’s support decisions page.
How and when to apply?
Travel support is applied for by submitting an application in the application system. Prior to submitting an application, you must carefully read the relevant grant announcement and support guide.
The call for the travel support is ongoing. The processing time is approximately 3–10 weeks after the application and all the required appendices have been submitted.
The Board of the Finnish Film Foundation has decision meetings about once a month.
The travel support applications are handled by:
Jenni Domingo
Advisor / International Promotion and Cultural Export of Feature Films
• festival distribution strategy for feature films
• travel support and material and marketing support for feature films
+ 358 9 6220 3032
Anni Asikainen
Advisor / International Promotion and Cultural Export of Documentary Films
• deputy starting Jan 8, 2024
• festival distribution strategy for documentary films
• travel, project and material and marketing support for documentary films
+358 9 6220 3049
Otto Suuronen
Advisor / International Promotion and Cultural Export of Short Films
• festival distribution strategy for short films and short documentary films
• travel, project and material and marketing support for short films and short documentary films
• monthly short film screenings at Kino K13
• curating short film programmes
+ 358 9 6220 3019
A good application and smooth communication
The Foundation’s international department processes roughly 300–350 applications per year. It is essential for evaluation and comparison of applications that the application is a clear and carefully prepared.
Support cannot be granted if the application is insufficient and the required information is not uploaded into the application system despite requests to do so.
Updating appendices and information in the application system
Please note that the Foundation’s application system does not automatically inform the Foundation’s staff staff if you upload new appendices or update your information. Send an email about the changes to the person handling the application.
Whenever you email the Foundation about your application, please state your application number and title of your film.
In addition to the obligatory appendices, you may add complementary appendices to your application .
If the drop menu in the Application’s appendices does not have a suitable appendix type, choose Other appendices (“Muut liitteet”).
What requirements must the applicant meet?
A prerequisite for granting the support is that the recipient has complied with possible earlier support agreements and met their conditions.
The project’s costs are approved without VAT. If the grant recipient does not have the right to VAT deductions, the costs may be approved with VAT.
The actualised overall funding of the travel must not exceed the travel’s actualised costs.
The Foundation may request further information if it deems it necessary for the decision-making process.
The Foundation oversees the use of the support and it has the right to audit the recipient’s finances and operations.
How are the applications evaluated?
Travel support for international promotion is discretionary. The evaluation is based on an overall assessment of the application and a comparison of the applications.
The following grounds are considered in the evaluation:
The handlers evaluate internationalisation from the perspective of the production company and the needs of filmmakers. The evaluation is also affected by the international significance of the film festival or event. The support is granted mainly when a festival offers free accommodation to invitees.
Other support previously granted by the Film Foundation to the applicant is also taken into account.
2. Travel support application
The application consists of an online application form and the obligatory application’s and applicant’s appendices submitted to the system.
If the applicant is a private individual, they do not have to upload anything in the Applicant’s appendices.
Obligatory appendices of the travel support application
The applicant must upload the following appendices in the application system:
Travel plan or report
Invitation sent by the film event
A summary of travel costs and a report of actualised costs
The applicant’s appendices
Make sure the applicant’s appendices are updated when you submit your application.
A financial statement
A valid extract from the Trade Register
A certificate of paid taxes
A certificate of paid pension insurance premiums
A current list of shareholders (Limited Liability Companies Act, chapter 3)
Openness of documents
According to the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999), a document submitted to the Finnish Film Foundation is public. Documents may also be designated confidential under the law or access to them may be discretionary. Confidential official documents include documents that contain information about private business or trade secrets.
3. Decision
The Board of the Finnish Film Foundation decides on the travel support for international promotion based on the CEO’s presentation. The application will be processed in the first board meeting after the application has been submitted. The processing time is approximately 3–10 weeks after the application and all the required appendices have been submitted.
All applicants receive the decision in writing, containing the terms of the support and instructions on how to make a rectification notice. You will receive a message to the email address you have given in the Applicant’s information.
The decision can be read in the application’s Decision (“Päätös”) window.
The decision is based on the act of government funding for the advancement of cinema (56/2018), the Act on Discretionary Government Transfers (688/2001) and the Administrative Procedure Act (434/2003).
The grounds for the decision are the plan for the use of the support given in the application and its appendices, the invitation from the film event and the report on the travel expenses.
Support is to be paid in one instalment to the recipient’s Finnish bank account.
Appeals for changes
No appeals will be accepted. Appeals are overruled in section 34 of the Act on discretionary government transfers and section 49b of the Administrative Procedure Act.
An interested party dissatisfied with the Finnish Film Foundation’s decision may apply for rectification within 30 days of receiving notification of the decision. The instructions for rectification notice appended to the decision indicate how to proceed when seeking rectification.
Repayment of discretionary government transfers
Act on Discretionary Government Transfers (688/2001) section 20
Recipients of discretionary Government transfer must repay without delay any transfer or part thereof they have received through error, in excess or manifestly without cause. Recipients must also repay a transfer or part thereof if it cannot be used as required in the transfer decision. If the repayable sum does not exceed 100 euros, it is not necessary to repay it.
In addition to the Act on Discretionary Government Transfers (688/2001), section 20, the recipient must abide by the following repayment conditions:
- The recipient is obliged to immediately repay the grant or part of the grant if the grant has not been used during the time period agreed upon by the parties and if the Foundation has not granted an extension.
- The repayable amount must include annual interest and an added three percent following the Interest Act (633/1982), section 3, subsection 2. The interest is calculated from the last payment to the support repayment date.
- The target of the support and application number must be mentioned in the message field during repayment.
The support must be repaid to the Finnish Film Foundation’s bank account:
Nordea Bank Abp
IBAN FI74 1572 3000 0305 77
BIC NDEAFIHH
Finnish Film Foundation’s grants are based on the act on the government’s support for the promotion of film culture (1174/2018). The grants apply the Act on Discretionary Government Transfers (688/2001). The Foundation follows the Administrative Procedure Act, the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999), the Language Act (423/2004), the Sámi Language Act (1086/2003), the Archives Act (831/1994), the Act on Electronic Services and Communication in the Public Sector (13/2003) and the Privacy Protection Act (9/2018).
According to the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999), a document submitted to the Finnish Film Foundation is public. Documents may also be designated confidential under the law or access to them may be discretionary. Confidential official documents include documents that contain information about private business or trade secrets.