Bavaria · Production

Produktion Kinofilm und Kinodokumentarfilm (FFF Bayern)

FFF Bayern

DEADLINE RUNNINGAS OF 23 August 2026

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

21 September 2026CONFIRMED

Confirmed by the institution

VOLUME

up to €3m

Conditionally repayable loan

PROJECT STAGE

Production

FORMATS

Feature film

Documentary

Animation

Overview

1138 w

The disqualifying questions first, so that nobody spends a month on an application they were never eligible for. The applicant is the production company, not the director. Without a company established in Germany — evidenced by proof that it carries on a trade and by an extract from the commercial register — you cannot apply in your own name, only through a production company with its seat, a branch or a place of business in Germany (Ziff. 3.2). Pupils and students are expressly excluded (Merkblatt Produktionsförderung Kinofilm). The Talentfilm funding area is an alternative for only some of them: it is open only to students and graduates of Bavarian film and television schools on a full degree course in directing, production or animation (Ziff. 3.3.4.2 and 3.3.4.3); pupils are excluded there too under Ziff. 3.3.4.4. If you study at a school outside Bavaria, your only route at FFF Bayern is through a production company as the applicant. You also need an Eigenanteil (your own contribution to the financing) of at least 5% of the production costs (Ziff. 3.4), as a rule a legally effective distribution contract — or, where none has been concluded, a term sheet or deal memo signed by both sides (Ziff. 3.5) — and a commitment to spend at least 150% of the loan awarded in Bavaria (the Bayerneffekt, Ziff. 3.5). And the money is a conditionally repayable loan, repaid out of exploitation revenues, not a grant (Ziff. 1.4.1). A first film is not excluded — but a first self-produced film with no company, no distributor and no own contribution effectively is.

The Produktionsförderung Kinofilm of the FilmFernsehFonds Bayern is the production funding of one of Germany's largest Land (federal state) film funds. Its legal basis is the Bayerische Richtlinien für die Förderung von Film-, Fernseh- und anderen audiovisuellen Projekten (the Bavarian film funding guidelines); funding is recommended by the fund's Vergabeausschuss (allocation committee) and awarded and administered by the LfA Förderbank Bayern (Ziff. 8.1 and 8.4; Ziff. = Ziffer, paragraph). What is supported is the making of feature-length theatrical films — fiction features as well as theatrical documentaries, which FFF Bayern keeps in the same funding area with its own funding officer. Unlike the federal DFFF I (Deutscher Filmförderfonds I, the national automatic rebate for producers with a qualifying prior film and minimum production costs), this is not an automatic incentive: a committee decides, there is no legal entitlement, and submission is only possible in fixed windows. The next runs from 7 September 2026 to 21 September 2026, with the committee meeting on 11 November 2026.

Access is markedly more open than under DFFF I, and that is the difference that matters most in practice. Producers with their seat, a branch or a place of business in Germany may apply (Ziff. 3.2) — a Bavarian seat is not required, nor is a Referenzfilm (a prior qualifying film), and there is no minimum threshold on production costs. Only pupils and students are excluded (Merkblatt Produktionsförderung Kinofilm — the Merkblatt is FFF Bayern's guidance sheet for this funding area). What is tied to the region instead is the money: at least 150% of the loan awarded should be spent in Bavaria (the Bayerneffekt, Ziff. 3.5). The Bayerneffekt and the shooting days stated in the application are not a statement of intent — if funding is recommended they become part of the funding contract and must be achieved as a minimum. What counts as Bavarian turns on the tax domicile of whoever issues the invoice, and for fees on the tax domicile of the crew member or performer — not on where shooting took place (Merkblatt Bayerneffekt). On top of that come an Eigenanteil (own contribution to the financing) of at least 5% and, as a rule, a legally effective distribution contract; where no distribution contract has yet been concluded, a term sheet or deal memo signed by both parties.

The award is a loan of up to 30% of the eligible production costs, capped at €3m (Ziff. 3.3.1) — a conditionally repayable Förderdarlehen, not a grant (Ziff. 1.4.1). It is repaid out of exploitation revenues — once the recognised Produzentenvorrang (the producer's priority recoupment position) has been repaid first, from 50% of the revenues received, as a rule until ten years after the first screening (Ziff. 3.8). The €3m is a cap: at the session of 28 April 2026 ten theatrical projects shared €3.7m, and in November 2025 individual awards ran between €95,000 and €450,000. Payment is made in instalments against evidenced progress (Ziff. 3.7), and a review fee of 3% is payable to the LfA on top of the award (Ziff. 8.11). Two hard deadlines run from the recommendation: the total financing must be evidenced within nine months and shooting must begin within twelve months, otherwise the funding recommendation lapses (Ziff. 3.6). In practice: of every euro that reaches you once the recognised Produzentenvorrang has been recouped, 50% goes to repayment — as a rule until ten years after the first screening. The Produzentenvorrang is not automatic; it is a recoupment position that has to be recognised. And the 3% review fee is charged on the award: on a €300,000 loan that is €9,000.

For placing this alongside federal funding: FFF Bayern and DFFF I are not mutually exclusive, and funding under the Bayerische Richtlinien may be cumulated with funding from other bodies (Ziff. 1.5.5). What limits the total is aid intensity — in principle 50% of production costs, or 60% for European co-productions, with exemptions for difficult audiovisual works. What is excluded is double funding within Bavaria: funding under these Richtlinien is not available where funding for the same purpose is granted from other funds of the Freistaat Bayern.

The framework is stable but not unlimited. With effect from 1 January 2025 Bavaria raised the maximum application amount for theatrical productions from €2m to €3m, raised the required Eigenanteil from 2.5% to 5%, introduced a Treatmentförderung (funding for writing treatments) and extended the Gender Incentive to female and gender-diverse filmmakers and to debut films (FFF Bayern, 19 December 2024). In 2025 FFF Bayern awarded €43.1m including funds from the Bayerischer BankenFonds and supported 38 theatrical fiction features and documentaries; the fund puts its annual funding volume at more than €40m. Watch the time limit on the legal basis: the Richtlinien in force run only to 31 December 2026 (Ziff. 9), no successor version is published as at 23 August 2026, and the submission window of 11–25 January 2027 with its session on 17 March 2027 is already announced — which version governs an application filed then is not expressly regulated. Only the Bayerische Richtlinien in their currently valid version, the FFF Bayern Merkblätter and the answer of the responsible funding officer are binding. This summary replaces neither the Richtlinien nor the recommended preliminary call.

Making a theatrical film can be supported with up to 30% of the eligible production costs (the zuwendungsfähige Herstellungskosten), but no more than €3m (Ziff. 3.3.1 of the Bayerische Richtlinien für die Förderung von Film-, Fernseh- und anderen audiovisuellen Projekten, in force since 1 January 2025). The decisive point for classification: this is not a grant but a Förderdarlehen, which the Richtlinien expressly define as a bedingt rückzahlbare Zuwendung (a conditionally repayable award) in Ziff. 1.4.1. It is repaid out of domestic and foreign exploitation revenues; once the recognised Produzentenvorrang (the producer's priority recoupment position) has been repaid first, 50% of the revenues flowing to the applicant must be used for repayment, and for theatrical films the repayment obligation as a rule ends ten years after the first screening (Ziff. 3.8).

For particularly large awards a Rückzahlungskorridor (a repayment corridor: a schedule that spreads repayment rather than taking it from first revenues) may be agreed; in that case 50% of the proportional funding share is drawn on in parallel with the repayment of the producer's priority position (Merkblatt Produktionsförderung Kinofilm). The calculation base is the eligible production costs under Ziff. 1.5.2 to 1.5.4; for international co-productions the German financing share governs, and VAT is left out of account. The budget is capped in places: Handlungskosten (production overheads) are recognised at 10% of the Fertigungskosten (below-the-line production costs) where those are up to €5m, plus 5% of any amount above €5m, and at most €650,000 in total; a producer's fee is recognised at up to 5% of production costs and at most €250,000 where production costs exceed €500,000 (at most €15,000 where production costs are up to €300,000, and at most €25,000 between €300,000.01 and €500,000); a contingency reserve of up to 8% of the Fertigungskosten may be budgeted (Merkblatt).

Aid intensity across all funding must in principle not exceed 50% for productions, or 60% for European co-productions; difficult audiovisual works are exempt, which the Richtlinien define as including short films, first and second films by a director, documentaries, low-budget productions and children's and youth films (Ziff. 1.5.5). The €3m is a cap, not the norm: at the committee session of 28 April 2026 ten theatrical projects shared €3.7m between them, and at the session of 12 November 2025 five theatrical projects shared just over €1.3m, with individual awards between €95,000 and €450,000. In the Vergabemeldung of 8 May 2025 individual theatrical awards ran from €85,000 to €1m; some of them additionally carried a PraktikantInnen Incentive (an internship top-up) of €6,000 to €10,000.

For films whose exploitation promises particular commercial success, additional co-financing from the Bayerischer BankenFonds may follow a funding recommendation. A review fee of 3% of the award is payable to the LfA (Ziff. 8.11).

01Applicants must be producers with their seat, a branch or a place of business in Germany (Ziff. 3.2). That is narrower than the general rule of the Richtlinien, under which in principle all natural and legal persons and partnerships may apply regardless of where they are based (Ziff. 1.3.1) — for production funding the more specific rule governs. On that reading a seat in another EU or EEA state or in Switzerland is not enough here; according to the programme page, international co-productions need a German producer in order to apply to FFF Bayern. The Richtlinien contain no express rule of precedence between Ziff. 1.3.1 and Ziff. 3.2, however. Applicants without a German seat should settle the question with the responsible Förderreferentin (funding officer) before submitting. Conversely, a Bavarian seat is not required.
02Producers within the meaning of the Merkblatt are the makers of the project — a legal person, a natural person or a partnership — who can evidence that they carry on a trade and who hold the full film rights. Pupils and students cannot apply for Produktionsförderung Kinofilm (Merkblatt Produktionsförderung Kinofilm). The Talentfilm funding area is open only to students and graduates of Bavarian film and television schools on a full degree course in directing, production or animation (Ziff. 3.3.4.2 and 3.3.4.3); pupils are excluded there too under Ziff. 3.3.4.4. If you study at a school outside Bavaria, your only route at FFF Bayern is through a production company as the applicant.
03Exploitation must be secured: theatrical films can as a rule only be funded where a legally effective distribution contract is submitted; where no distribution contract has been concluded, a term sheet or deal memo (a short document in which both sides record the agreed key terms of a distribution deal) or another statement of intent about the planned exploitation, signed by both parties, must be submitted. The programme page puts this as “a valid contract with a German distributor or a deal memo”. A detailed exploitation plan must also be attached, and all contracts must make unambiguously clear which exploitation rights remain with the producer (Ziff. 3.5).

These notes stay in German on purpose: they quote the conflicting sources word for word, and a caveat is the first thing lost in translation.

01Geltungsdauer der Rechtsgrundlage: Die Bayerischen Richtlinien sind am 01.01.2025 in Kraft getreten und gelten nach Ziff. 9 bis zum 31.12.2026. Eine Nachfolgefassung ist am 23.08.2026 weder auf fff-bayern.de noch in einer Pressemitteilung des FFF Bayern veröffentlicht. Für das Einreichfenster 07.09.2026 bis 21.09.2026 mit Sitzung am 11.11.2026 ist das ohne Folgen; für das bereits angekündigte Fenster 11.01.2027 bis 25.01.2027 mit Sitzung am 17.03.2027 regeln die Richtlinien nicht ausdrücklich, welche Fassung gilt. Fördersatz (30 %), Kappungsgrenze (3 Mio. €) und Eigenanteil (5 %) sind für 2027 daher nicht als gesichert zu behandeln. Sobald eine Fassung ab 2027 veröffentlicht ist, sind amountMax, amountRate und die Eligibility-Einträge zu prüfen.
02Mindestvorführdauer für „programmfüllend“: Ziff. 3.1 verlangt, dass Kinofilme programmfüllend sind, nennt aber keine Minutenzahl. Ziff. 1.4.5 verweist ergänzend auf das FFG und die aufgrund des FFG erlassenen Richtlinien sowie hilfsweise auf die Richtlinien für die jurybasierte Filmförderung des Bundes. Der Datensatz nennt deshalb bewusst keine Minutenzahl – beide Persona-Reviews haben eine Orientierungszahl verlangt, eine für diesen Förderbereich veröffentlichte Schwelle gibt es aber nicht. Ob der FFF Bayern in der Praxis die 79 Minuten des FFG anwendet und wie er Kinderfilme behandelt, ist beim FFF Bayern zu erfragen und gegebenenfalls zu ergänzen.
03Animationsfilm als Format: bestätigt. Die FFF-Vergabemeldung Film vom 08.05.2025 führt unter der Überschrift „Produktionsförderung Kinofilm“ zwei als Animationsfilm ausgewiesene Projekte („Hui Buh und der Fluch der Dschinn“, 450.000 €; „Arnie & Barney“, 170.000 €) sowie einen Dokumentarfilm. Programmfüllende Animationskinofilme werden damit in diesem Förderbereich beantragt und gefördert; Ziff. 3.1 ist formatneutral. Keine offene Frage mehr.
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An Eigenanteil (own contribution to the financing) of at least 5% (Ziff. 3.4). It may consist of own funds, deferred own services and deferred services of third parties (Rückstellungen — amounts not paid during production but carried as deferrals), distribution and sales guarantees, and co-production shares and licences, in so far as these are brought in during production. Own funds also include borrowed money carrying an unconditional repayment obligation, such as bank loans, and profit-participating loans, for example from crowdinvesting, crowdfunding or the Bayerischer BankenFonds. Deferred own services may additionally be used as a financing component up to at most 10% of production costs. For international co-productions the German financing share is the calculation base. Funding awards and prize money are not credited against the Eigenanteil.

05Bayerneffekt: at least 150% of the loan awarded should be spent in Bavaria (Ziff. 3.5). The Bayerneffekt and the shooting days stated in the application must be achieved as a minimum and become part of the funding contract if funding is recommended. If a higher Bayerneffekt is stated in the application, that higher figure must also actually be delivered — so an over-optimistic figure in the application is binding. The FFF Bayern programme page, however, puts the same rule as “150% of the funding applied for”. The Richtlinien govern; but since only the amount applied for is fixed at the application stage, the basis of calculation should be settled with the responsible Förderreferentin (funding officer) before submitting.

06What counts towards the Bayerneffekt turns on tax domicile, not on the shooting location: for the party issuing the invoice a Bayerneffekt is taken to arise where the company or tax seat is in Bavaria, or where there is a branch registered in Bavaria in the commercial register; the same applies to contributions in kind and deferrals. Fees paid to crew and performers count as spent in Bavaria only where that person's tax domicile is in Bavaria — including where the service is treated as the producer's own contribution. Production overheads and profit count only where the company seat is in Bavaria. At the final audit a confirmation of tax domicile must be produced, which is why it is worth having the tax domicile confirmed by the Wohnsitzfinanzamt (the tax office for the person's place of residence) on the personnel record at the point of engagement (Merkblatt Bayerneffekt, version of 15 June 2023).

07The project must not have started at the time of application. In justified exceptional cases the LfA may, in agreement with FFF Bayern, allow exceptions where at least a preliminary application exists; consent to an early start of work is granted generally once the complete application has reached FFF Bayern (Ziff. 1.4.2).

08No Referenzfilm and no minimum production costs: for Produktionsförderung Kinofilm the Richtlinien require neither a previously produced theatrical film nor a floor on production costs. What is required instead is that repayment of the loan out of exploitation on the national and international market appears possible for the producer (Ziff. 3.1).

09The film must be programmfüllend (feature-length) under Ziff. 3.1. The Bayerische Richtlinien name no running time; for theatrical projects they refer to the FFG (the federal Filmförderungsgesetz) and the guidelines issued under it (Ziff. 1.4.5); failing that, the guidelines of the jury-based federal film funding may be drawn on.

10There is no legal entitlement to funding. The Vergabeausschuss makes recommendations case by case and is bound as to the overall volume by the funds available; recommendations require the assent of two thirds of the members present, and departures from the Richtlinien are possible only in specially constituted exceptional cases and only unanimously (preamble to the Richtlinien, final sentence before Ziff. 1; Ziff. 8.3.3 and 8.3.5).

11An application may in principle be put to the Vergabeausschuss only once. FFF Bayern may refuse to accept applications that are missing documents relevant to the decision. If serious circumstances relevant to the decision change after submission, the applicant is entitled to withdraw the application up to the point of decision at the latest (Ziff. 8.2).

12Quality and content reservation: only projects that promise a film worth funding on the criteria of quality and economic soundness are supported. Projects are not funded where the expected film would breach the constitution or the law, offend moral or religious feeling, or portray sexual acts or brutality in an intrusively coarsening, speculative form. Industrial, advertising and corporate image films are likewise excluded (Ziff. 1.4.3).

13Excluded are undertakings that have not complied with a European Commission recovery order, and undertakings in difficulty under Art. 1 (4)(c) in conjunction with Art. 2 no. 18 of the Allgemeine Gruppenfreistellungsverordnung (AGVO, the EU General Block Exemption Regulation) (Ziff. 1.4.9). FFF Bayern provides its own declaration form for this as a download.

14Cumulation and aid intensity: funding under these Richtlinien may be cumulated with funding from other bodies, but aid intensity (Beihilfeintensität — the share of the production costs that public funding may cover in total) for productions must in principle not exceed 50%, or 60% for European co-productions. Exempt are difficult audiovisual works such as short films, first and second films by a director, documentaries, low-budget productions, children's and youth films, or other commercially difficult works. Funding under these Richtlinien is excluded where funding for the same purpose is granted from other funds of the Freistaat Bayern (Ziff. 1.5.5).

15The points that follow are not access conditions: they govern the budget, the contract and the exploitation of the film. They already affect the financing plan you submit, and if funding is recommended they become part of the funding contract with the LfA Förderbank Bayern.

16Budget caps that can change a financing plan: Handlungskosten (production overheads) are recognised at 10% of the Fertigungskosten (below-the-line costs) where those are up to €5m, plus 5% of any amount above that, and at most €650,000 in total. A contingency reserve of up to 8% of the Fertigungskosten may be budgeted. VAT is left out of account in the production costs. The producer's own services may be entered at no more than customary market prices; for goods and services with a list price, that price must be reduced by 25% (Merkblatt).

17Fee caps where roles overlap: where the producers or co-producers, or the owners or sole or majority shareholders of the producing company, are also the directors, the directing fee is capped at 4% of the total budget — except in documentary up to a threshold of €1.5m. Where the same person also acts as production manager, the fee for sole production management is capped at 2.7% of production costs. Where roles overlap beyond these rules, fee rates must be reduced by 20%. Overheads, producers' fees, own services and deferrals and contributions in kind can only be accounted for at the budgeted amount at the final cost audit (Merkblatt).

18The budget attached to the application becomes part of the funding contract with the LfA Förderbank Bayern if funding is recommended. Where significant deviations in individual budget lines become necessary between the recommendation and the signing of the contract, they must be approved by FFF Bayern before the work is carried out (Merkblatt).

19Ökologische Standards (the binding ecological production standards) and the minimum wage: applicants must submit a declaration that they comply with the statutory minimum wage and with the Ökologische Standards für deutsche Kino-, TV- und Online-/VoD-Produktionen; costs arising from those standards are eligible. Applicants are expected to employ the personnel engaged on the project on socially acceptable terms (Ziff. 1.5.3). The application additionally requires a preliminary CO2 report and a declaration by the management and the production manager on compliance with the ecological standards (Merkblatt, list of annexes).

20Generative AI: where generative AI tools are to be used, it must be set out coherently at project acceptance which tools were used for which purpose and that the decisive creative work was done by the filmmakers (Merkblatt). This is not a condition of applying but a duty to evidence at acceptance — use is not prohibited, but it must be documented.

21Holdback periods: funded theatrical films may in principle not be exploited on free-to-air television or on free video-on-demand services until twelve months after the start of the ordinary theatrical release in the German-speaking area. In an individual case the period shortens to as little as six months where the producer and the rights holders involved in the financing agree, the participating broadcaster has contributed the largest or an above-average financing share, an exploitation window of at least nine months is secured for pay television or paid video-on-demand, and the film's marketing prospects are not impaired. Free-to-air or free VOD exploitation may not be advertised earlier than five months after the start of the ordinary first release (Ziff. 3.11). Applications to shorten a holdback period can only be made after the theatrical release and only before the affected exploitation stage has begun (Merkblatt).

22Première and credit obligations: the première of funded films should take place in Bavaria where FFF Bayern is the principal Land funder; the management may allow exceptions where the Bavarian funding is smaller than funding taken from another Land (Ziff. 3.10, Merkblatt). Crediting FFF Bayern in the opening and closing credits and in publications is mandatory; logos and precise requirements are in the Merkblatt Nennungsverpflichtung.

23Archive copy: for theatrical films an archivable copy must be made available to the Bundesarchiv (the federal archive) free of charge before the final instalment is paid; for all productions funded under Ziff. 3 an archivable copy must also be supplied to FFF Bayern free of charge (Ziff. 3.12).

24Subsidy-relevant statements and audit rights: the statements in the application and the supplementary documents are subventionserheblich (subsidy-relevant) within the meaning of § 264 StGB (the German Criminal Code) in conjunction with § 2 Subventionsgesetz (the Subsidies Act) — a false statement in them can therefore amount to the criminal offence of subsidy fraud. The Bayerischer Oberster Rechnungshof (the Bavarian court of audit) is entitled to audit recipients (Art. 91 BayHO), and the European Commission may check compliance with the AGVO or the de minimis regulation (Ziff. 8.7). Production loans must be secured by assignment of the insurance claims connected with making and exploiting the project (Ziff. 8.8).

07An extract from the transparency register (Transparenzregisterauszug) for legal persons and registered partnerships. Providing it is voluntary; if funding is recommended, however, the LfA Förderbank Bayern is under a statutory duty to obtain such an extract and to report any discrepancies to the register authority.

14Evidence of the financing components stated in the financing plan, in particular planned own funds, third-party deferrals, the TV licence, distribution and sales guarantees including world sales, video and presales, other funding already awarded, and co-production contributions from other producers.

16A crew list with crew filmographies stating each person's place of residence — including admissions figures for any theatrical films listed — together with crew contracts or commitments. The places of residence serve to substantiate the Bayerneffekt and are therefore not a formality.

25A declaration by the management and the production manager on compliance with the Ökologische Standards (the binding ecological production standards), as listed in the Merkblatt's annex list. The self-declaration on compliance with the minimum wage and the ecological standards is required by Ziff. 1.5.3 of the Richtlinien; the programme page provides a “Selbsterklärung zur Einhaltung ökologischer Standards” as a download.

27A self-declaration that the applicant is not an undertaking in difficulty. The form is a download on the programme page (file version 12/2025); it does not appear in the Merkblatt's list of annexes.

The Vergabeausschuss, elected by the supervisory board, has a quorum when at least two thirds of its members are present; recommendations require the assent of two thirds of those present. Members are independent, bound to confidentiality, and step out where they are themselves affected. As to the overall volume of its recommendations the committee is bound by the funds available (Ziff. 8.3). Here roughly seven weeks separate the closing date from the session.

Shortly after the sessionNotification of the funding recommendationFFF Bayern communicates the content of its recommendations directly to applicants (Ziff. 8.4). Where funding is recommended, FFF Bayern reports on it promptly in a press release, using the title, synopsis, director, writer, crew and cast details from the application (Merkblatt). Anyone who does not want publication at that point should settle it with the funding officer beforehand.

After the recommendationLfA review of the budget and financing planFor applications under Ziff. 3 that the Vergabeausschuss has recommended for funding, the LfA Förderbank Bayern or a professionally qualified third party reviews the budget and the financing plan. If concerns arise, the LfA refers the application back to FFF Bayern for a further decision (Ziff. 8.5). A recommendation is therefore not yet a contract. Whether the award is issued as a Zuwendungsbescheid (a formal written funding decision) or only as a loan agreement with the LfA is not apparent from the published documents; for interim financing it is therefore worth settling in advance which document a financing bank will treat as securing the funds.

Within nine months of the decision being notifiedEvidence of the total financingThe funding recommendation lapses if the total financing is not evidenced within nine months of the committee's decision being notified. Signing the funding contract and any payment both require evidence that the total financing is secured (Ziff. 3.6, Ziff. 1.4.1). In justified exceptional cases the management may extend the deadline on request; the request must arrive before the deadline expires.

Within twelve months of the decision being notifiedStart of principal photographyThe funding recommendation also lapses if shooting has not begun within twelve months of the decision being notified. This deadline too can be extended by the management in justified exceptional cases on a prior request (Ziff. 3.6). Anyone shifting the shooting schedule after the session should file the extension request early.

After the contract is signed, in instalments against progressPayment of the loanPayment is made in instalments against evidenced project progress (Ziff. 3.7). Production loans must be secured by assignment of the insurance claims connected with making and exploiting the project (Ziff. 8.8). A review fee of 3% of the award is also payable to the LfA (Ziff. 8.11) — it does not arise for story and project development under Ziff. 2, but it does for production funding.

After completionFinal accounting and archive copyThe simplified form of final accounting is permitted; it is submitted to the LfA or to the professionally qualified third party it appoints, who also monitor that funds were used for the intended purpose (Ziff. 8.9). Where a project is funded jointly with other federal or Land bodies, joint audits are possible (Ziff. 8.10). Before the final instalment is paid, an archivable copy must be supplied free of charge to the Bundesarchiv and to FFF Bayern (Ziff. 3.12). At the final audit, confirmations of tax domicile must be produced for every fee booked as Bayerneffekt (Merkblatt Bayerneffekt).

From theatrical release, as a rule until ten years after the first screeningExploitation, holdbacks and repaymentThe première should take place in Bavaria where FFF Bayern is the principal Land funder (Ziff. 3.10). Before free-to-air or free VOD exploitation a holdback of twelve months from the start of the ordinary theatrical release applies, shortenable in an individual case to six months; applications to shorten it are possible only after the theatrical release and only before the affected exploitation stage has begun (Ziff. 3.11, Merkblatt). Repayment comes out of domestic and foreign exploitation revenues: once the recognised producer's priority position has been repaid first, 50% of the revenues received must go to repayment, pro rata and pari passu (each funder recouping in step, in proportion to its share) where several funders are involved. For theatrical films the repayment obligation as a rule ends ten years after the first screening (Ziff. 3.8).

Within three years of repaying a loan instalmentErfolgsdarlehen (success loan) for the next projectCapital repaid can be reactivated: within three years of repaying a given loan instalment, a new loan for project development or production, or a new grant for story development, may be applied for in the amount of the capital repaid. For production, the success loan can also cover financing shortfalls and cost overruns; an application for that must be made by the time the Nullkopie (the first answer print, the completed and approved master) is finished at the latest. The recommendation is made by the management, additional project funding from the Vergabeausschuss remains possible, and the funds should be spent entirely in Bavaria (Ziff. 3.9).

Einreichfenster 2027: Die Programmseite nennt 11.01.2027 bis 25.01.2027 mit Sitzung am 17.03.2027. Ein eigenes Merkblatt „Einreichfristen 2027“ ist am 23.08.2026 nicht veröffentlicht; das vorliegende Merkblatt hat den Stand 31.03.2026 und endet mit dem Septemberfenster 2026. Der Januartermin ist deshalb nur durch die Programmseite belegt und vor einer Planung erneut zu prüfen.

05Uhrzeit des Antragsschlusses: Merkblatt und Einreichfristen-Blatt nennen übereinstimmend 24:00 Uhr des letzten Tages, der stets ein Montag ist. Eine Zeitzone wird nicht angegeben; der Datensatz geht von der am Sitz des FFF Bayern geltenden Zeit aus. Bei Einreichungen aus dem Ausland kurz vor Fristende ist das zu klären.

06Typische Bewilligungshöhe: Die im Datensatz genannten Einzelbeträge zwischen 85.000 € und 1 Mio. € stammen aus den Vergabemeldungen vom 08.05.2025 und vom 12.11.2025. Eine vom FFF Bayern veröffentlichte Durchschnitts- oder Medianangabe je Kinofilm gibt es nicht; der Datensatz nennt deshalb Spannen und keine Quote. Die Aufteilung der 43,1 Mio. € des Jahres 2025 auf die einzelnen Förderbereiche ist nur teilweise veröffentlicht – die Summe für die Produktion Kinofilm ist nicht ausgewiesen, sondern nur die Zahl von 38 geförderten Kino-Spiel- und -Dokumentarfilmen. In der Vergabemeldung vom 08.05.2025 lagen die Kinofilm-Bewilligungen zwischen 85.000 € und 1 Mio. €; einzelne Bewilligungen enthalten zusätzlich ein PraktikantInnen Incentive von 6.000 € bis 10.000 €.

07Verhältnis von Ziff. 1.3.1 und Ziff. 3.2: Die allgemeine Regel erklärt alle natürlichen und juristischen Personen sowie Personengesellschaften unabhängig von ihrem Sitz für antragsberechtigt, Ziff. 3.2 verlangt für die Herstellungsförderung dagegen Sitz, Niederlassung oder Betriebsstätte in Deutschland. Der Datensatz folgt Ziff. 3.2 als der spezielleren Regel und stützt sich dabei zusätzlich auf Merkblatt und Programmseite, die beide nur Deutschland nennen. Ein ausdrücklicher Vorrangsatz steht nicht in den Richtlinien; die Auslegung ist im Antragsgespräch zu bestätigen, insbesondere für Antragstellende mit Sitz in einem anderen EU- oder EWR-Staat.

08Stand des Merkblatts Produktionsförderung Kinofilm: Das Merkblatt trägt den Stand 01.01.2025 und verweist an einer Stelle auf § 71 FFG in der bis zum 31.12.2024 geltenden alten Fassung. Seit dem 01.01.2025 gilt das reformierte FFG 2025. Ob die dort beschriebene Vorrangregelung von mindestens 5 % der Herstellungskosten unverändert fortgilt, ist aus dem Merkblatt nicht ableitbar; der Datensatz gibt deshalb nur die Regelungen der Bayerischen Richtlinien und die ausdrücklich bayerische Zusage eines Vorrangs von 2,5 % der anerkannten Herstellungskosten wieder. Gegen das FFG 2025 zu prüfen.

09Auswirkungen des Antragsstopps beim DFFF: Dass die FFA am 20.08.2026 die DFFF-Antragsannahme geschlossen hat, ist belegt; dass dies den Andrang bei den Länderförderungen und damit beim FFF Bayern erhöht, ist eine Erwartung und keine veröffentlichte Tatsache. Der Datensatz kennzeichnet sie in context.competitionDe/En ausdrücklich als solche. Nach der Sitzung am 11.11.2026 ist zu prüfen, ob Antragszahlen oder Bewilligungssummen auffällig gestiegen sind.

10Haushaltslage 2027 in Bayern: Der FFF Bayern nennt ein jährliches Fördervolumen von mehr als 40 Mio. € und hat 2025 43,1 Mio. € vergeben. Eine veröffentlichte Zahl für das Fördervolumen 2026 oder 2027 sowie eine Aufschlüsselung der Gesellschafterbeiträge liegen nicht vor. Da der Vergabeausschuss nach Ziff. 8.3.5 an die verfügbaren Mittel gebunden ist, ist diese Angabe für die Erfolgsaussichten relevant und bei der nächsten Jahresbilanz nachzutragen.

11Kontaktadresse: Der Datensatz führt filmfoerderung@fff-bayern.de als allgemeine Adresse der Förderabteilung. Für die Produktionsförderung Kinofilm nennen Programmseite und Merkblatt jedoch personenbezogene Adressen (judith.erber@fff-bayern.de ab 3 Mio. € Budget, christine.haupt@fff-bayern.de bis 3 Mio. € Budget und für Kino-Dokumentarfilme). Bei einem Personalwechsel sind die im Datensatz genannten Namen zu aktualisieren.

12Bemessungsgrundlage des Bayerneffekts: Ziff. 3.5 der Richtlinien und das Merkblatt Produktionsförderung Kinofilm stellen auf „150 % des gewährten Förderdarlehensbetrags“ ab, die Programmseite dagegen auf „150 % der beantragten Fördersumme“. Der Datensatz folgt der Richtlinie (Tier 1) und weist die Abweichung zusätzlich in eligibilityDe/En aus. Beim FFF Bayern zu klären, weil sie die geforderte Ausgabensumme im Antragsstadium verschiebt.

13Verweiskette der zuwendungsfähigen Herstellungskosten: Ziff. 3.3.1 verweist auf „Ziff. 1.5.2 bis 1.5.4“, das Merkblatt Produktionsförderung Kinofilm dagegen auf „Ziff. 1.5.2 und 1.5.3“. Der Datensatz folgt Ziff. 3.3.1 (Tier 1).

14Gender Incentive: Höhe und Voraussetzungen stehen in Ziff. 2.5 der Richtlinien. Für eine Stoff- oder Projektentwicklung nach Ziff. 2.1 bis 2.4 kann eine Zuwendung bis zu 30.000 € gewährt werden, wenn in das Vorhaben weibliche oder diverse Besetzungen in mindestens zwei der drei Positionen Produktion, Regie und Drehbuch eingebracht werden und die Antragstellenden in den vorangegangenen drei Jahren Produktionsförderung für ein Kino- oder Fernsehprojekt nach Ziff. 3.3.1 bis 3.3.3 oder 3.3.4.3 erhalten haben, bei dem mindestens zwei dieser drei Positionen weiblich oder divers besetzt waren; das auslösende Projekt darf nicht vor dem 01.07.2023 zuerkannt worden sein. Die Empfehlung erfolgt nach Ziff. 2.5 durch die Geschäftsführung, im Übrigen gelten Ziff. 2.1.2 bis 2.1.7 beziehungsweise Ziff. 2.4.2 bis 2.4.6 entsprechend. Die Pressemitteilung vom 19.12.2024 belegt die Ausweitung zum 01.01.2025 auf weibliche und diverse Filmschaffende sowie auf Debütfilme. Offen bleibt allein, ob das Incentive gesondert oder zusammen mit dem Antrag auf Stoff- beziehungsweise Projektentwicklung beantragt wird; das ist beim FFF Bayern zu erfragen.

15PraktikantInnen Incentive: Die Vergabemeldung vom 08.05.2025 weist bei einzelnen Kinofilm-Bewilligungen ein PraktikantInnen Incentive von 6.000 € bis 10.000 € aus. Weder die Richtlinien noch das Merkblatt Produktionsförderung Kinofilm beschreiben Voraussetzungen oder Antragsweg; der Datensatz nennt deshalb nur die beobachteten Beträge.

16Form der Bewilligung: Ziff. 8.1 und 8.4 sprechen davon, dass die LfA bewilligt und die Förderung abwickelt; ob dabei ein Zuwendungsbescheid ergeht oder allein ein Darlehensvertrag geschlossen wird, ist nicht veröffentlicht. Für die Zwischenfinanzierung bei einer Hausbank ist das die entscheidende Frage und beim FFF Bayern beziehungsweise der LfA zu klären.

Only the funder's guideline in its currently valid version and the institution's own statements are binding. This page summarises; it replaces neither the guideline nor the advisory call.