European Film Distribution

The grant opportunity called CREA-MEDIA-2026-FILMDIST is part of the Creative Europe Programme and is designed to enhance the trans-national distribution of recent non-national European films. This initiative focuses on film distribution companies that operate in commercial activities and supports them through action grants. The total budget for this call is 34 million euros for the year 2026, with individual grants capped at 1 million euros.

Eligible applicants include legal entities, specifically European companies in the audiovisual sector engaged as cinema or theatrical distributors. International organizations can also apply, but natural persons are generally excluded unless they are self-employed. The funding operates on a co-financing model where beneficiaries receive 70% of eligible costs covered, necessitating that they secure the remaining 30% from other sources.

The application process is an open call with a single-stage submission procedure, allowing any eligible entity to submit a full proposal. The call opened on December 4, 2025, with proposals due by April 23, 2026. The evaluation will take place between May and September 2026, with grant agreements expected to be signed in January 2027.

The activities funded through this grant should focus on using generated funds for co-production investments, acquisition of distribution rights, and marketing for theatrical and online releases. The potential fund that distributors can earn is calculated based on their past market performance, specifically their theatrical admissions in the previous year, adjusted by country-specific coefficients.

This program aims to bolster the European film industry, facilitating better connections between production and distribution sectors and fostering a more integrated and competitive landscape within the European audiovisual market. As part of the call's requirements, applicants must adhere to rigorous eligibility and reporting guidelines, submit a complete application including necessary documentation, and demonstrate the ability to provide certified data on theatrical admissions.

Overall, the CREA-MEDIA-2026-FILMDIST grant serves as a financial mechanism to improve the visibility and reach of non-national European films both in theaters and online, ultimately enhancing the industry's competitive positioning on a global scale.

The European Film Distribution call (CREA-MEDIA-2026-FILMDIST) is part of the Creative Europe Programme (CREA) and offers CREA Project Grants (CREA-PJG). It utilizes a CREA Action Grant Budget-Based [CREA-AG] Model Grant Agreement. The call is currently open for submission using a single-stage deadline model. The call was published on 4 December 2025 and the deadline for applications is 23 April 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time.

The objective of this call is to improve the trans-national distribution of recent non-national European films, increase investment in the production, acquisition, promotion, theatrical, and online distribution of these films, and develop links between the production and distribution sectors to improve the competitive position of non-national European films.

The funded activities are structured in two phases. The first phase involves the generation of a potential fund based on the company's performance in the European market. The second phase focuses on the implementation of the action, where the generated fund must be reinvested in the co-production of eligible non-national European films, the acquisition of distribution rights (e.g., through minimum guarantees), and the promotion, marketing, and advertising of these films for both theatrical and online releases.

Regarding admissibility conditions, the proposal page limit and layout are described in Part B of the Application Form, which is available in the Submission System and further detailed in the call document. The eligibility of countries and other eligible conditions, as well as financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria, are all described in the call document.

The evaluation and award process, including submission and evaluation processes, award criteria, scoring, and thresholds, are detailed in the call document. The indicative timeline includes publication of the call on 4 December 2025, a submission deadline of 23 April 2026, an evaluation period from May to September 2026, information to applicants in October 2026, and signature of the grant agreement in January 2027. The legal and financial setup of the grants is also described in the call document.

Applicants must use the standard application form (CREA MEDIA), available in the Submission System. Additional required documents include certified admissions (CREA MEDIA FILMDIST), information on independence and ownership control (CREA MEDIA), and a mandatory PDF annex with information about film(s)/work(s) generated from the Creative Europe MEDIA Database.

Additional documents include CREA Annual Work Programmes, CREA Regulation 2021/818, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA Annotated Model Grant Agreement, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The total budget for this call is 34,000,000 EUR for the year 2026.

To submit a proposal, applicants must access the Electronic Submission Service via the submission button, confirming their choice of action type and model grant agreement. Existing draft proposals can be accessed through the Funding & Tenders Portal.

For assistance, applicants can contact their local Creative Europe desk, the European Education and Culture Executive Agency, the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, the IT Helpdesk, or consult the Online Manual.

In summary, this call aims to bolster the European film industry by promoting the distribution of non-national European films across borders. It provides funding to companies based on their market performance, which they must then reinvest in the production, acquisition, and promotion of eligible films. The application process involves a single-stage submission, with detailed guidelines and templates available on the Funding & Tenders Portal. The call seeks to foster a more competitive and interconnected film sector within Europe.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, based on the call's focus on film distribution and the Creative Europe Programme, eligible applicants are likely to include companies involved in film distribution, production companies, and other entities active in the European audiovisual sector. Further details would be available in the call document.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a CREA Project Grant (CREA-PJG) and a CREA Action Grant Budget-Based [CREA-AG].

Consortium Requirement: The provided text does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. This information would likely be detailed in the call document.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The eligible countries are not explicitly listed in the provided text but are stated to be described in the call document. Given that it is a Creative Europe Programme, eligibility is likely focused on entities within the EU, EEA, and potentially other countries associated with the Creative Europe Programme.

Target Sector: The target sector is culture, specifically the European film industry, with a focus on film distribution, production, acquisition, promotion, theatrical and online releases.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned in the provided text. The focus is on "non-national European films," implying a European regional scope.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on distribution, co-production, acquisition of distribution rights, promotion, marketing, and advertising of films, indicating projects that are in the development, validation, demonstration, commercialization, or scale-up stages. The call supports activities related to bringing films to audiences.

Funding Amount: The total budget for the CREA-MEDIA-2026-FILMDIST call is 34,000,000 EUR. The funding amount per project is variable and depends on the project's scope and activities.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant to support their activities related to film distribution, co-production, acquisition, promotion, marketing, and advertising.

Application Stages: The application process consists of a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The provided text does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required. This information would likely be detailed in the call document.

Summary:

This is a call for proposals under the Creative Europe Programme (CREA) focused on European Film Distribution (CREA-MEDIA-2026-FILMDIST). The call aims to improve the trans-national distribution of recent non-national European films, increase investment in the production, acquisition, promotion, and distribution of these films, and develop links between the production and distribution sectors. The funding mechanism is a CREA Project Grant (CREA-PJG) and a CREA Action Grant Budget-Based [CREA-AG]. The total budget for this call is 34,000,000 EUR. The call follows a single-stage application process with a deadline of April 23, 2026. The evaluation period is from May to September 2026, with information to applicants in October 2026 and grant agreement signature in January 2027. Eligible applicants are expected to be companies involved in film distribution and production within the European audiovisual sector. The funded activities are divided into two phases: the generation of a potential fund based on the company's performance in the European market, and the reinvestment of this fund in the co-production, acquisition, promotion, marketing, and advertising of eligible non-national European films. Applicants must submit their proposals electronically through the Funding & Tenders Portal, following the guidelines and templates provided in the call document and annexes.