Flanders Audiovisual Fund
The Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF) supports films, series, games, and podcasts, from idea to experience. The VAF is a public funding body that supports audiovisual and games production in, and international co-productions with Flanders.
Set up by the Flanders government in 2002, it is headquartered in Brussels. Its aims are threefold: to develop a sustainable audiovisual industry; to encourage and support emerging audiovisual and games talent; and to promote a vibrant audiovisual and games culture in Flanders and beyond.
Today, VAF consists of three funds:
- The VAF/Film Fund co-finances the production of individual films in various genres: fiction, animation, documentary and experimental film (i.e. “filmlab”). Feature, medium-length and short films are all eligible. In the case of majority foreign co-productions, financing must be at least 50% complete or include a production support commitment from the lead territory's selective film fund. VAF has structural co-production agreements with the CCA in the French-speaking part of Belgium, and with the Netherlands Film Fund.
- The VAF/Media Fund focuses on the co-financing of high-quality television series developed in co-production with a Flemish broadcaster. This includes fiction, animation, documentary and cross-media developments of TV series. For applications concerning foreign series, at least 50% of the financing must be in place, with at least 20% of funding coming from Flanders. It is also required that a Flemish broadcaster is financially involved in the production of the foreign series.
- The VAF/Game Fund co-finances the development of video games by companies in Flanders and Brussels. Entertainment games, artistic games, serious games, and educational games are all eligible for support. The financial incentives awarded correspond to the successive stages in the game development process, i.e. prototype, vertical slice, production and support after release. The VAF/Game Fund also offers financial support for the promotion of games.
Production
There are three types of support that film- and TV-makers can apply for: scriptwriting, development and production support. Support from the VAF/Game Fund is tailored to the game development process. All funding applications are examined by reading committees, members of which have critical skills and a thorough knowledge of the audiovisual field. The Board of Directors ratifies their advice.
Training
A part of the fund’s annual budget is allocated for professional training. VAF grants scholarships, finances professional training, supports and organizes workshops, and is a partner in a number of international training initiatives. It allows both emerging and established professionals to gain specific experience and confidence, mainly in the fields of scriptwriting and showrunning, directing and producing.
Knowledge centre
Besides allocating a modest budget for research related to the audiovisual field, with a focus on practical surveys, the fund also has a knowledge centre that compiles funding and industry-related data.
Promotion
Flanders Image is the international promotion agency for audiovisual creations made in Flanders and Brussels, Belgium. It is the official representative of Flanders’ content and talent at all key international festivals and markets, and the point of contact for coverage of Flemish content by domestic and international press and media outlets. Flanders Image is part of the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF).
Audience development
VAF also supports organizations that focus on a lively and diverse film culture in Flanders. Initiatives aimed at screening and dissemination of film culture, film education and film literacy can apply for financial support.
Sustainability
Finally, VAF also promotes sustainable audiovisual production. These efforts often lead to inspiring results. To this end, it created the eMission label, which it awards to sustainable productions. The fund is also member of the Green Screen project.
Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds
- Bischoffsheimlaan 38, 1000 Brussels
- email hidden; JavaScript is required
- +32 2 226 06 30
- https://www.vaf.be
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person
Number of inhabitants
11,738,763 (2024)
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euro
Budget in 2023
29,86M€
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local_movies
Number of projects supported in 2023
588
EFAD related activities
Film Education - EFAD Members' Initiatives
Archive for Education offers an online image bank for teachers with short films, videos and image and audio fragments from national and regional broadcasters, cultural and heritage organizations (and soon also fragments of creations supported by the Flemish Audiovisual Fund). The database is completely tailored to the final attainment levels and curriculum objectives of education (here).
Cultuurconnect, a Flemish service provider working on the digitalization of the local cultural field, is currently developing a film streaming service for all public libraries in cooperation with a distributor. The content focuses on art house, world cinema, local productions, ...The project is still in the experimental phase, in which 12 libraries are participating and share a supply of 300 titles, including over 100 short films. In a second phase, the offer will be further expanded to more libraries. In order to offer a wider and regularly renewed range of films, other streaming platforms will be addressed in this second phase (here).
Sustainability - EFAD Members’ Initiatives
VAF is one of the frontrunners in the field of sustainable production: sustainable actions are a formal requirement within our support for creation. The customized coaching has measurable effects. Clever choices in the field of transport, energy, catering, waste and material and pre- and postproduction can also result in financial benefits.
In 2018 VAF sustainability approach was widened, using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) of the United Nations as a moral compass, aiming to translate them into specific and inspiring actions for the broad media sector. They guide and inspire throughout the entire media chain: from school, script, production to screening.
VAF strengthens its sustainable knowledge, tools and expertise and strives towards a more uniform approach on the EU level. By exchanging knowledge they aim to implement sustainable measures throughout the entire audiovisual chain, working with cinemas and festivals, writers, producers, academic researchers, etc.