European Film sales agent

The CREA-MEDIA-2026-FILMSALES opportunity is a grant program under the Creative Europe Programme aimed at supporting European film sales agents in enhancing the international distribution of non-national European films. The initiative focuses on film sales agents and companies engaged in the international sales of films, allowing them to apply for financial assistance to bolster their market activities.

The grant will open for applications on April 28, 2026, with a submission deadline set for June 18, 2026. The total budget for this funding call is approximately EUR 5,500,000, but individual grant amounts will depend on the performance of applicants in the market. The program employs a performance-based model, where agents must demonstrate their market performance to generate a potential fund from which they can then reinvest in approved activities such as acquiring international sales rights and promotional efforts.

Eligible applicants must be legal entities established in Creative Europe Participating Countries and actively involved in the audiovisual sector. The focus is specifically on agents who hold international sales rights and manage the sales process for films across multiple territories. This opportunity does not require consortium participation and allows for individual applications, streamlining the submission process.

The main goal of the CREA-MEDIA-2026-FILMSALES grant is to improve the transnational distribution of European films, thereby fostering commercial links between production and distribution sectors. This initiative is particularly relevant in light of ongoing digital transformations within the industry, as it also acknowledges the growing significance of online distribution frameworks alongside traditional methods.

The application process involves a single-stage submission, requiring a comprehensive proposal that includes administrative and technical details along with supporting documentation. The evaluation period will take place from July to November 2026, after which successful applicants will be notified in December 2026, with grant agreements anticipated to be finalized in March 2027.

Overall, this funding opportunity represents a strategic investment in the European film sector, aiming to enhance the competitiveness and market presence of film sales agents while facilitating a more interconnected European film distribution landscape.

The European Film Sales grant, call number CREA-MEDIA-2026-FILMSALES, is part of the Creative Europe Programme (CREA). It is a CREA Project Grant (CREA-PJG) with a CREA Action Grant Budget-Based [CREA-AG] type of Model Grant Agreement (MGA). This is a forthcoming, single-stage call. The planned opening date is April 28, 2026, and the deadline for applications is June 18, 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 their competitive position.

The funded activities will occur in two phases. The first phase involves generating a potential fund based on the company's performance in the European market. The second phase requires reinvesting this fund into minimum guarantees or advances for international sales rights on eligible non-national European films, as well as the promotion, marketing, and advertising of these films.

Regarding admissibility conditions, the proposal page limit and layout are described in the call document and Part B of the Application Form, which is available in the Submission System. The eligibility of countries and other eligible conditions are also detailed in the call document. Applicants must demonstrate financial and operational capacity, and exclusion criteria apply, as described in the call document. The submission and evaluation processes, award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are all outlined in the call document.

The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is as follows: the call was published on December 4, 2025; the deadline for applications is June 18, 2026; the evaluation period is from July to November 2026; information will be provided to applicants in December 2026; and the grant agreement is expected to be signed in March 2027. The legal and financial setup of the grants is described in the call document.

The call document and annexes include the call document itself, application form templates (specifically the Standard application form (CREA MEDIA) available in the Submission System), a list of films (CREA MEDIA FILMSALES), and information on independence and ownership control (CREA MEDIA). Other mandatory annexes include a PDF with information about films/works generated from the Creative Europe MEDIA Database and official box office evidence if the eligible film is not in the Creative Europe Media Database. The Model Grant Agreements (MGA) include the CREA MGA.

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

The total budget for the CREA-MEDIA-2026-FILMSALES call is 5,500,000 EUR. The call is a single-stage process, opening on April 28, 2026, and closing on June 18, 2026.

There are currently no partner search announcements. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics on the Funding & Tenders Portal.

The submission system is planned to open on the date stated in the topic header.

For help, applicants can contact their local Creative Europe desk or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency. Additional resources include the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ for proposal submissions, the IT Helpdesk for technical issues, and the Online Manual for a step-by-step guide through the Portal processes.

In summary, this Creative Europe Programme grant aims to bolster the European film industry by improving the distribution of non-national European films and fostering collaboration between production and distribution sectors. The grant operates in two phases: first, a fund is generated based on a company's market performance, and second, this fund is reinvested in acquiring sales rights and promoting eligible films. Applicants need to adhere to specific admissibility criteria, demonstrate financial stability, and follow the guidelines provided in the call document and related annexes. The application process involves submitting a detailed proposal through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, with a deadline of June 18, 2026. Successful projects will contribute to a more competitive and interconnected European film market.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, given the focus on film sales and distribution, eligible applicants are likely to include companies involved in the film industry, such as film sales agents, distributors, and potentially production companies with distribution arms. Further details would be available in the call document.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a CREA Project Grant (CREA-PJG) under the Creative Europe Programme. The grant is budget-based (CREA Action Grant Budget-Based [CREA-AG]).

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if single applicants are allowed. Further details would be available in the call document.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated in the provided text, but it is likely to be within the EU and possibly associated countries, given that it is a Creative Europe Programme call. Further details would be available in the call document.

Target Sector: The target sector is the film industry, specifically focusing on the distribution and sales of non-national European films.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the focus is on "non-national European films," implying the European region.

Project Stage: The project stage appears to be focused on commercialization and scale-up, specifically the distribution, promotion, and marketing of existing films. The activities involve generating funds based on market performance and reinvesting those funds in the international sales and promotion of films.

Funding Amount: The total budget for the CREA-MEDIA-2026-FILMSALES call is EUR 5,500,000. The indicative number of grants is not specified in the provided text.

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.

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 text does not explicitly mention whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This is a call for proposals under the Creative Europe Programme (CREA), specifically targeting European Film Sales (CREA-MEDIA-2026-FILMSALES). The call aims 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. The funded activities involve two phases: generating a potential fund based on a company's performance in the European market and reinvesting that fund in minimum guarantees or advances for international sales rights and the promotion of eligible non-national European films. The call has a budget of EUR 5,500,000 and follows a single-stage application process. The publication date for the call was December 4, 2025, and the deadline for submitting applications is June 18, 2026. The evaluation period is from July to November 2026, with information to applicants expected in December 2026 and the signature of the grant agreement in March 2027. Applicants should consult the call document and annexes for detailed information on eligibility criteria, application procedures, and required documentation. The submission system is planned to open on April 28, 2026.