Even if the number of files supported (41 in 2019 against 44 in 2018) remains more or less constant, if the overall amount invested is the same (€ 6,577,067.00 in 2019 and € 6,580,000 in 2018) for expenses incurred in Wallonia slightly up (€ 37,601,799), it is the nature of the projects selected by our board of directors that has, over the last twelve months, evolved quite a bit.
Last year, €5,133,000 was invested in feature films for the cinema, i.e. 78% of the amount available. This year, this amount has fallen to €3,355,000. That is 51.01%. The share of investments allocated to TV projects has risen sharply, from € 1,447,000 (22% of the total invested) to € 3,222,067.00 (48.98%). These figures are impressive and reflect a desire on the part of producers to diversify their fields of action.
This year, Wallimage has decided to co-finance 21 feature-length fiction films : 4 are mainly Belgian, 10 are co-productions from France and 7 are co-productions launched elsewhere in Europe (Italy, Denmark, Luxembourg, Austria, Ireland).
On the TV side, Wallimage has chosen to support 6 documentary projects (some of which will be shown in theaters during exceptional screenings) and… 13 series. It is in this sector that the explosion is the most spectacular : 4 are Belgian series and 9 come from abroad. Among these nine series, four are live-action and five are animated series.
Animation obviously remains a very important sector for Wallimage with a global investment of 1.575.000 euros against 1.305.000 € last year. It is in this field that we will have to look for our most formidable satisfaction of the year with the return in Europe of the Smurfs IP, for a series co-produced between France and Belgium which will be partly realized in Marcinelle at Dreamwall. Pride !
The other major sector that benefits from our interventions is the special effects sector. This season, Benuts signed the biggest contract in its history by committing to produce all the VFX for the prestigious Norwegian series Atlantic Crossing for a Walloon investment of over 2.5 million euros. Benuts confirmed his international reputation by winning the VFX of Hinterland, a very innovative genre film that should fascinate fans of unusual films.
It should be noted that 14 projects mainly (or entirely) financed in Belgium (4 feature films, 3 docus, 3 docus series, 4 fiction series) have been added this year to the Wallimage line-up for a total of €1,797,067.
The year 2020 will be a very special one for the Walloon fund, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary and will, unfortunately, see the retirement of its historical director, Philippe Reynaert, who has been in charge of the company since its creation. Two important challenges that the Wallimage team, still as enthusiastic as ever, is getting ready to take up under the watchful eye of its new minister, Willy Borsus.
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