Montreal: Societe de developpement des enterprises culturelles – Quebec invested $18.4 million in a wide range of support programs for the film and television industry, according to its newly released annual report for fiscal ’99-2000. More than $2.5 million was injected into activities related to the export and promotion of the film and tv sector, much of it going to the export group Horizon Quebec, with 31 production companies receiving an additional $11.1 million in ‘corporate’ investments. As a certification agency for the Quebec government, sodec issued advance tax credit rulings for 376 projects, or $96.7 million in refundable credits during the 12-month period ending March 31, 2000. Loans to producers based on the advance tax credit decisions, and guaranteed to banks by sodec, totaled $30.2 million.

The agency’s overall allocations in the period, which include support for publishing, music, arts and crafts, multimedia, film and tv and heritage projects, is $37 million. Sectorial activities are governed by consultative-commissions made up of prominent individuals from the sector.

Now in its fifth year of operation and headed by president Pierre Lafleur, Quebec’s cultural funding and certification agency reports direct investments of $12.7 million in 77 film and tv productions during the period, close to $9 million of which was earmarked for feature films, and $1.3 million for documentaries. Larger investments in feature film production, between $200,000 and $1.1 million, were made to ‘private sector’ producers, with smaller amounts, under $250,000 typically, reserved for movies from the ‘independent sector.’ The agency also invested $322,810 in seven short and medium-length films; $280,000 in four new tv movies and just over $1 million in repayable advances/ investments in 11 dramatic miniseries and documentary series. The $12.7 million production investment in 2000 represents a major increase over the $7.9 million invested in fiscal ’98-99.

sodec also invested more than $1.5 million in screenwriting and program development, mostly in the form of assistance to producers but also director/writers, as well. Close to $1.6 million was invested in 80 projects submitted to the agency’s ‘Jeunes Createurs’ program (qualifying rule: under 35 years of age), including $197,000 in screenwriting.

Support for Quebec film festivals totaled more than $1 million – $350,000 to Festival des Films du Monde de Montreal (wff) and $120,000 to Festival International Nouveau Cinema Nouveaux Medias – Montreal (fcmm).

Support for special events, including the Prix Gemeaux ($55,000) and the second edition of La Soiree des Jutra ($200,000), totaled $625,000.

In fiscal 2000, sodec received $41.8 million in appropriations from the Quebec government on total revenues of $48.9 million. Expenditures totaled $48.8 million including $6.9 million (14%) in administration and operating costs. *

-www.sodec.gouv.qc.ca