NETFLIX AND THE NETHERLANDS FILM FUND ESTABLISH RELIEF FUND FOR AFFECTED PRODUCTIONS

Amsterdam, April 17th 2020. Netflix and The Netherlands Film Fund have announced a new relief fund for Film and TV productions to help the hardest hit workers affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Netflix will make 1 million euro available in the Netherlands to launch the fund.

The production of films and series in the Netherlands has been severely affected by the effects of the COVID-19 virus. Productions are at a standstill and the continuity of the film and TV industry as a whole is under great pressure. The fund - which will be administered by producers of the affected productions - will go to the most vulnerable freelancers, many of whom live project to project and cannot work due to the near global production shut down. The partnership with Netflix will provide the Film Fund with more possibilities to support affected productions without putting pressure on contributions for future film projects. 

The exact criteria will be drafted next week and published on the website of the Film Fund: www.filmfonds.nl. Both parties hope that others will join the effort to support the hardest hit workers.

Bero Beyer, Director of the Film Fund: "This is fantastic news. As the Fund, our goal is to continue the productivity of the Dutch film world and to ensure that the entire chain is maintained in such a way that beautiful Dutch productions can be seen next autumn and later. We’re very excited for Netflix’ support for film and TV professionals alongside the support the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science just announced for the broader cultural industry". 

Lina Brouneus, Director of Co-Production & Acquisition at Netflix: "We are grateful that we are able to work with The Netherlands Film Fund to support the most affected employees in the TV and film industry. The creative talent in the Netherlands and our local partners with whom we create content together are vital to the success of Netflix. We want to do our part to help those who most need our support in these unprecedented times".

The creation of this fund is part of Netflix' wider efforts to help TV and film workers. Netflix announced recently that it established a fund of 100 million dollars for workers in the creative sector.

Notes to editors

The partnership takes place within the frameworks announced by the Film Fund and takes place within an earmarked scheme: the Support Fund for Film Productions and high-end series. This allows for an additional contribution to be applied for, which will benefit the film professionals and film companies involved and affected in the implementation of the production. These possibilities are equal for all film productions and high-end series that are realized with the support of the Fund - selectively and/or via the Incentive. 

The creation of this fund is part of an announcement made by Netflix on 20 March to establish a fund of 100 million dollars for workers in the creative sector. The fund is for those whose jobs have been affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. A large part of the fund goes to employees who worked on Netflix's global productions and have been hit hardest. Netflix's donation to the Netherlands Film Fund and other organizations around the world (United Kingdom, Italy, India, Mexico, Spain, etc.) is part of the15 million dollars of the fund that is spent on emergency aid for out-of-job workers in the broader film and television industry.

About Netflix

Netflix is the world's leading streaming entertainment service with over 167 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries and feature films across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.

About Netherlands Film Fund

The Netherlands Film Fund is one of the six cultural funds established by the Minister of Education, Culture and Science. Our mission is to stimulate a diverse and high-quality range of films and to promote a (production) climate that is receptive to the art of film in the Netherlands. In addition to the Cabinet's extensive generic measures aimed at the continuity of businesses and circumstances, the Film Fund takes action by responding to acute sector-specific bottlenecks in films or film activities.