The State Audiovisual Fund decided a few weeks ago that it would not release a single euro for the second season of the successful series Neuer. The request for subsidy, which was submitted by the producer of the project Michal Kollár at the request of the Fund, was swept off the table without a public explanation. “We met all the parameters, we got the highest point rating, we have a project that is successful and competitive, and instead of support we get zero? Is that a penalty for success?” he asks for Kollár, who questions the transparency of the decision. The game involved financial support in the amount of 200,000 euros, the total cost of the yo-yo hit is worth 3.3 million euros.
“We have serious indications that the debate was not at all professional and involved personal invectives against the creators and broadcasters,” added Kollár, who was also supported in his indignation by the Association of Independent Producers. She files a complaint in the matter and the producer announces the re-submission of the subsidy application. asked the head of the Audiovisual Fund Vladimír Burianek about the controversial decision. “The Audiovisual Fund has prepared a statement on the topic, which, after approval by the members of the AVF board, will be published tomorrow (Friday, editor’s note) in the morning through the press agency,” Burianek said on Thursday. The opinion of the office, which falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of Culture headed by Martina Šimkovičová, has not yet been sent.
Neuer’s first series scored not only here, but also became a successful hit in the Czech Republic. Actors like Marián Miezga, Marko Igonda and Ladislav Bédi got the opportunity. It is Bédi who perceives the situation very negatively. “The non-subsidy for Neuer’s second season after receiving the most votes is just another confirmation of who rules us,” stated the talented actor for
“They want domestic production, but at the same time they don’t support it because it doesn’t suit them. What’s happening is a mockery of all artists. But people turn on the TV every day and watch Slovak series, films, shows and the like. People need culture and live from it every single day, even if they say the opposite.” says Ladislav and adds: “Culture shapes us, enriches us, awakens critical thinking in us and can offer us emotional experiences and experiences that people no longer know.”
Even JOJ TV, which plans to film the project anyway, does not hide its shock. “At JOJ TV, we were very surprised by the decision of the Audiovisual Fund Council to completely cancel the financial support of the Neuer 2 TV series project. This is a strong Slovak series project based on a domestic literary model, with the potential to represent Slovak creativity not only at home, but also abroad. At the same time, Neuer 2 was the best-rated project in the given call from the fund’s expert committee, and the Council, at its extraordinary meeting, withdrew its support to the last cent without any justification. At the same time, the entire amount recommended for the Neuer project was donated by the Council of the Audiovisual Fund to one foreign Czech-American project (produced by CT and HBO).” told Ivana Semjanová, marketing director of JOJ Group.
