Regional structures ask for clarification on the future of the Portuguese Film Commission

Three regional “film commissions” from Centro, Arrábida, Alentejo and Ribatejo today expressed concern about the future of the Portuguese Film Commission (PFC) and asked the government for further clarification on the structure of this mission, which ends on Friday.

In an open letter released today, the three organizations want clarification on the decision to proceed with PFC, given that the project “could be really important in building the economic backbone that flows from the film sector.”

The document refers to a “climate of great uncertainty” and disagrees with the hypothetical decision to integrate the PFC into the structure of the Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Means (IKA) and thereby terminate “interdepartmental relations” with the Ministry of Economy. and tourism in Portugal.

The PFC was created in 2019 with several goals, including promoting the country “as an international destination for film production” and proposing a final model for the future Portuguese Film Commission.

This mission structure was designed to last three years, from May 2019 to May 2022, but an extension has been approved until the end of this year.

Last week, days after that mission structure ceased operations, chief executive Sandra Neves admitted to Lusa that she doesn’t know what will happen from January 1, 2023.

“I have not received any invitation to leave or stay. I also can’t say if I can stay or leave because I don’t know what the idea of ​​the future project is,” he said a week ago.

The day after these announcements, the Ministry of Economy and Culture, in a statement, disclosed the intention to “strengthen the role” of the PFC, without further details, and evaluate the Tourism and Film Support Fund, an incentive mechanism that relates to this structure.

Last week, in response to questions from the Lusa agency, an official source at the Ministry of Culture stated that this mission structure should “cooperate with members of the government in gathering and providing information on the institutional and management model for the PFC” and that it would be “announced in due course” , which will happen after January 1, 2023.

The “film commissions” of the Center, Arrábida, Alentejo and Ribatejo say the current PFC mission structure “could be extended for another year” to accompany the “lifetime” of the Tourism and Film Support Fund, which expires in 2023.

An open letter from these regional structures was sent to the Ministers of Culture Pedro Adão y Silva and the Minister of Economy António Costa, Silva, Secretary of State for Tourism Nuno Fazende and the parties with seats in Parliament.