Launch of the Benelux Co‑Development Grant on Benelux Day in Ostend
On February 5, during a networking event at the Ostend Film Festival, the Flanders Audiovisual Fund, the Netherlands Film Fund, the Centre du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel in French-speaking Belgium and the Film Fund Luxembourg launched their joint Benelux Co‑Development Grant for feature fiction and animation films. Through this pilot project, the three countries aim to contribute to sustainable collaboration between creative teams in the development and realisation of feature films across the Benelux region.
Benelux Day - February 5
At the Cannes Film Festival last May, the four funds announced their ambitions to strengthen international collaboration and increase the visibility of film productions and filmmakers from the region. As part of these plans, they launched the Benelux Co‑Development Grant during a networking day at the Ostend Film Festival (Filmfestival Oostende).
Producers and representatives from the funds of the three countries gathered in Ostend for a networking event where the new grant was presented. Afterwards, the attending producers, all of whom had already received development support from their own main fund for a specific project, actively sought co‑producers from the other two countries. Based on concrete projects, producers were matched with each other through speed‑date sessions.
Pilot Project
With this new grant, the funds are responding to producers’ growing need for more wiggle room for joint development. The grant supports them in exploring collaborative creative structures, thereby stimulating the growth of strong film projects within the Benelux.
The Benelux Co‑Development Grant is set up as a two‑year pilot project. During this period, the Flemish Audiovisual Fund will be responsible for the execution of the scheme and the handling of applications.
In addition, in the coming years the Benelux funds will examine how their regulations and procedures can be simplified and better aligned to further strengthen cross‑border collaboration.
Benelux Co-Development Grant
Each year, three grants of €50,000 per project will be awarded at a single submission deadline. The grant is intended to form and explore the tripartite collaboration between the three countries, both creatively and financially.
The grant is exclusively reserved for projects that have received development funding from a collaborating fund.
The submission deadline is 1 April 2026 at 17:00 (CET).