FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
01
30% CASH REBATE
Poland offers a 30% cash rebate on eligible production spend, covering costs incurred within the country. The incentive is funded directly from the state budget and operated by the Polish Film Institute. The programme is available for both international co-productions and service work, across feature films, series, animation, and documentaries.
ELIGIBLE SPEND INCLUDES:
- production and postproduction costs
- equipment rental and production services
- fees for cast, crew, and creatives
To qualify, costs must be incurred in Poland and services sourced from Polish companies.
The programme runs on a rolling basis until the annual budget is allocated (PLN 108 million per year), with up to PLN 15 million available per project and PLN 20 million per beneficiary annually. A portion of the budget (10%) is reserved for animation. Projects must pass a cultural qualification test (minimum 51%) and meet minimum local spend thresholds. The assessment takes into account factors such as the use of locations and infrastructure, the involvement of Polish or European cultural elements, and the participation of local cast and crew.
APPLICATION
Applications require a Polish co-producer or a locally registered entity, and at least 75% of financing must be confirmed at the time of submission. The application process is handled in Polish, with local partners typically supporting the process.
In practice, the rebate provides a stable and predictable contribution to the production budget, supporting projects from prep through to post.
30% Cash Rebate
MINIMUM SPEND THRESHOLDS BY PRODUCTION MODEL
Eligible Project
Min. Runtime
Co-production Min. spend exceeds:
Service Min. spend exceeds:
02
POLISH FILM INSTITUTE
Polish Film Institute (PISF) offers a range of funding programmes designed to support film and audiovisual projects at different stages from development through production to distribution. Support is available for both Polish productions and international co-productions, across feature films, series, documentaries, and animation. Funding is awarded through selective schemes, with projects assessed on their artistic, cultural, and production value.
PISF funding is most commonly structured as selective grants or co-production support, providing a meaningful contribution to the financing plan. For international projects, collaboration with a Polish producer is required. Each programme operates with its own guidelines, budget, and application schedule. Calls are announced throughout the year, with applications submitted in Polish and typically managed in cooperation with a local partner.
In practice, PISF funding can play a key role in structuring a project’s financing both as a primary source of support for Polish productions and as part of a broader co-production strategy.
03
MINORITY CO-PRODUCTIONS
Poland is an active partner in minority co-productions, with the Polish Film Institute (PISF) supporting projects where a Polish producer participates alongside international partners. For international producers, this provides a way to access Polish funding, talent, and infrastructure without relocating the entire production to Poland. The level of Polish participation can be flexible, depending on the structure of the project.
PISF support for minority co-productions is typically granted through selective funding schemes, where projects are evaluated based on their artistic value, co-production structure, and the involvement of Polish creative and production elements.
In practical terms, this may include:
- partial shooting or post-production in Poland
- engagement of Polish cast, crew
- collaboration with Polish creative talent
Even with a minority share, Polish participation must be meaningful and clearly reflected in the production and financing structure. Minority co-productions are often combined with other funding sources such as Eurimages or regional funds forming part of a broader European financing strategy. For many international producers, partnering with a Polish co-producer as a minority partner offers a flexible and efficient entry point into the Polish funding system, while strengthening the overall financing plan.
Poland offers access to a network of regional film funds, operating across multiple regions, with additional funds. These funds work alongside regional film commissions, providing both financial support and practical assistance during production.
Regional funds typically support projects through selective calls, open to both Polish and international productions. Projects are expected to have a connection to the region, whether through story, locations, or the involvement of local cast, crew, or service providers. Funding is linked to local spend. Productions are generally required to spend 100% to 150% of the awarded funding within the region, ensuring a direct economic impact on the local industry.
Support most often takes the form of co-production financing, with the fund participating in the project. In some cases, funding is provided as a grant or partial reimbursement of costs, paid after completion.
Regional funds can contribute up to 50% of a project’s budget, with higher support levels occasionally available for documentaries and animation. Each fund operates independently, with its own budget, priorities, and application timeline. Calls are typically announced once per year, with a decision process taking approximately 60 to 120 days.
APPLICATION
International producers are welcome to apply, usually in partnership with a Polish producer. Applications are submitted in Polish, with local partners supporting the process. In practice, regional funds offer an additional layer of financing while strengthening loca integration, combining financial support with access to locations, crews, and regional infrastructure.
05
CREATIVE EUROPE
Poland is part of Creative Europe, the EU programme supporting the audiovisual sector across development, production, and distribution, with a total budget of €2.44 billion (2021–2027).
The MEDIA strand offers funding at different stages of a project, with a strong focus on international collaboration and cross-border circulation. For producers, key opportunities include development support for single projects and slates, co-development funding (up to €60,000 per partner), and slate development schemes ranging from €90,000 to €510,000.
At production level, MEDIA supports TV and online content, with grants of up to €300,000 for documentaries, €500,000 for animation, and up to €2 million for drama, depending on budget. Additional funding is available for immersive content and video games.
The programme also supports distribution, sales, and audience development, helping European works reach wider international audiences.
Funding is selective and typically combined with other sources such as PISF, Eurimages, and regional funds, forming part of a broader European financing strategy.
APPLICATION
Relevant information about the funding opportunities, application procedures and deadlines within the Creative Europe program can be found at:
MORE INFORMATION
Creative Europe Desk Poland / Creative Europe Desk Polska
📩: info@kreatywna-europa.eu
📱: +48 22 447 61 80
🌐: https://kreatywna-europa.eu/
06
EURIMAGES
Eurimages is the cultural fund of the Council of Europe, supporting international co-productions across its 39 member states, including Poland (member since 1991). With an annual budget of approximately EUR 27.5 million, Eurimages focuses on feature films, animation, and documentaries, with a strong emphasis on collaboration between producers from different countries.
In practice, Eurimages plays a key role in structuring European co-productions. Beyond financial support, participation in the fund often strengthens a project’s positioning within the European market both at the financing stage and in terms of international exposure. Funding is selective and typically supports projects that demonstrate a clear co-production structure, creative strength, and distribution potential. Applications are submitted by producers from member countries, working together under an official co-production framework.
For Polish producers and international partners, Eurimages is often combined with national funding (such as PISF) and regional funds, forming part of a broader financing strategy for European projects.
07
POLISH-GERMAN FILM FUND
The Polish–German Film Fund (PGFF) supports the development of projects created in collaboration between Polish and German producers. The fund is jointly operated by the Polish Film Institute, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung (MDM), and the German Federal Film Board (FFA), with an annual budget of EUR 500,000.
WHAT IS SUPPORTED
The fund focuses on the development of feature-length projects, including:
- fiction
- documentary
- animation
-
Development support is available up to EUR 70,000 per project and is provided by the German side. Funding is shared between co-producers, proportionally to their financial contribution to the development budget. Each co-producer must contribute at least 20% of the total development costs (including the subsidy).
The fund operates as repayable development support. Repayment is typically triggered at the start of principal photography or upon the sale of rights to a third party. If the project later receives production funding from the Polish Film Institute, the development support is repaid from that funding.
APPLICATION
Applications must be submitted jointly by at least one Polish and one German producer. The application includes documents appropriate to the stage of applying for development or production, i.e. treatment or a script. Additionally: financial plan, co‑production agreement, copyright agreement, director’s statement and producer’s statement. In the case of applications for production, it is important to present a budget calculation indicating regional impact.
Submissions are made simultaneously to all four partner institutions, in German or English on the German side and in Polish on the Polish side. Deadlines are announced by the respective institutions.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT FINANCIAL SUPPORT:
Paulina Czech-Malinowska
Head of Film Production and Film Project Development Department PISF
📩: paulina.czech@pisf.pl
Agnieszka Szczerbiak
Coordinator Film Production and Film Project Development Department PISF
📩: agnieszka.szczerbiak@pisf.pl