FFF Bayern’s new support programme for 2013/2014 is endowed with an annual budget of €3m for international co-productions. The funds are granted as soft loans and producers can submit applications anytime during the year. Among the conditions for funding allocation is that a majority of the production and at least half of the shooting days must take place in Bavaria.
Big Game’s producer Petri Jokiranta from Subzero Film Entertainment told nordiskfilmogtvfond.com “The film is set in the wilderness of a vast forest so our initial idea was to find that special location in Bavaria as we couldn’t find it in Scandinavia. We are extremely grateful to have received this crucial funding from FFF Bayern and we will start filming on September 16, on locations in Bavaria and at Bavaria Film Studios. Other parts of the filming will be set in Northern Norway, and parts of the post-production in Finland.”
Jokiranta who helped Helander bring to fruition his visionary debut Rare Exports: a Christmas Tale, is producing Big Game alongside Germany’s Egoli Tossell and the UK’s Altitude Film Entertainment, with Alex Garland (28 Days Later) serving as executive producer. The project was also granted support from Nordisk Film & TV Fond. The story focuses on 13 year-old Oskari who has to take a test of manhood by spending one day and night alone in the wilderness of a forest. Armed only with a bow and arrow, his task is to return with a prize. The same night, Air Force One is shot down by terrorists and Oskari discovers the President of the United States (Samuel Jackson) in an escape pod. Altitude Film Sales handles world distribution.
For further information on FFF Bayern’s Special international co-production support scheme, check: http://www.fff-bayern.de/en/funding/home/