Hellenic Ministry of Culture – Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center: A New Era for Audiovisual Creation

A five-year action plan, “Greece On Screen,” launched by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center (E.K.K.O.ME.D.), aims to develop the audiovisual creative economy with a total budget of €750 million for the 2026–2030 period. The Action Plan, approved by the Cabinet, constitutes a comprehensive national strategy that invests in production, knowledge, innovation, and people. It will be implemented by the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center (E.K.K.O.ME.D.) and establishes a coherent policy framework covering the entire ecosystem of creative production, from cinema and television to animation, video games, and music festivals.

The Cabinet also approved the draft law establishing the School of Film Technicians and Audiovisual Creation (Level 5), which addresses a critical gap in the education and training of specialized human resources, supporting the growth potential of the audiovisual creative sector in the years ahead.

The Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center S.A. (H.F.A.C.) was established in 2024 with the merger of the Greek Film Centre and the National Centre for Audiovisual Media and Communication (EKOME). H.F.A.C. is the main body responsible for Greece’s film and audiovisual policy. Its mission is to support, develop, protect, and internationally promote the Greek film, audiovisual, and wider creative sectors; encourage domestic and foreign investment; foster innovation and the use of digital technologies; operate key initiatives such as the National Digital Repository of Audiovisual Works and Creative Hub GR; combat piracy in cooperation with relevant authorities; design education and training programs for the audiovisual industry; and support the Government in shaping and promoting national policy for the country’s film, audiovisual, and creative industries in Greece and abroad.

The Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center-Creative Greece, in the framework of its mission, designs and implements investment incentives aimed at supporting domestic investments and attracting foreign investments, in the film/audiovisual sector, as well as in the wider cultural and creative sector

The European Film Awards will be held in the Greek capital of Athens in January 2027

The Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, stated:

“With the five-year action plan ‘Greece On Screen,’ the Government — with the decisive support of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis — is proceeding, for the first time, with the formulation of a coherent, long-term, and fully funded national plan for the entire audiovisual creation sector. This is a deliberate strategic choice: to invest in culture as a driver of growth, social cohesion, and the country’s international presence.

With total resources amounting to €750 million for the period 2026–2030, we are creating a stable, reliable, and competitive environment for cinema, television, animation, video games, and every field of the modern creative economy. We are actively supporting Greek creators, strengthening businesses in the sector, and attracting international productions and investments, while creating new, high-quality jobs.

Reliable studies already demonstrate that every €1 of public investment in audiovisual creation generates €4.20 for the real economy. At the same time, with the establishment of the new School of Film Technicians and Audiovisual Creation, we are addressing a long-standing gap in specialized education and investing in the human capital that will shape the future of the Greek audiovisual sector.

Greece possesses the talent, expertise, and creative potential to play a leading role internationally. We are not merely following developments; we are shaping the conditions that will allow our country to assume a leading position in the global creative economy. Culture is Development.”

The CEO of the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center (E.K.K.O.ME.D.), Leonidas Christopoulos, stated:

“The approval of the five-year Action Plan «Greece on Screen» by the Cabinet marks a critical milestone for audiovisual creation in the country. This is the first time that the Greek State has addressed the film and audiovisual industry in such a systematic and comprehensive manner, recognizing it simultaneously as a cultural and developmental pillar.

Within just 20 months, the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center (E.K.K.O.ME.D.), in close and excellent cooperation with the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, succeeded in implementing critical reforms, significantly increasing available resources, and shaping a stable and reliable policy framework with a medium-term perspective. This achievement is the result of coordinated effort and collaboration. We sincerely thank the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of National Economy and Finance for their support and close cooperation throughout this period.”

The «Greece On Screen» Action Plan aims to stabilize and strengthen financial incentives over the medium term and is expected to mobilize significant additional capital within the Greek economy, boosting employment, improving the country’s international competitiveness, and highlighting culture and creativity as key pillars of sustainable development. It is the largest support program for audiovisual creation ever designed in Greece to date.

Allocation of Resources

The allocation of resources establishes a robust, multi-layered funding framework:

€412 million for investment programs aimed at supporting domestic film and audiovisual projects and attracting international productions in cinema, television, and animation, as well as for selective development and production programs and initiatives for the promotion and distribution of Greek cinema.
€210 million for a loan guarantee program in cooperation with the Hellenic Development Bank (HDB), aimed at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in the sector.
€20 million for the support of audiovisual digital games (digital game development) and music festivals utilizing audiovisual technology.
€20 million for the promotion of extroversion and cultural diplomacy initiatives in the audiovisual sector.
€52 million for the establishment and operation of the School of Film Technicians and Audiovisual Media, for education and training initiatives, for the promotion of technological innovation in the audiovisual sector, and for the preservation and digitization of cinematic and audiovisual heritage.
€36 million for the administrative, institutional, and technical support of the program, including the repayment of previous selective funding programs, the conduct of external evaluations, the creation of a registry of experts, the development of digital tools to simplify procedures, infrastructure upgrades, the creation of networking spaces for creators, and other critical supporting interventions.

Key Interventions

Within the framework of the Action Plan, flagship initiatives are being implemented to strengthen the structure and sustainability of the sector:

The establishment of the School of Film Technicians and Audiovisual Media at the facilities of Finos Film, whose expropriation or acquisition is being advanced by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture.

The strengthening of the Thessaloniki Market (Thessaloniki International Film Festival) as an international hub, while also reinforcing Athens through targeted institutional initiatives.