Sweden 3.5.3
Aug 20

Sweden 3.5.3

  • August 20, 2019

With Government Bill 2015/16:132, a new film policy was established, including seven new objectives for the national film policy:

  • Development and production of valuable Swedish film is done continuously in the entire country.
  • More people to see valuable film, which is to be distributed and shown in various ways, in the entire country.
  • Film heritage to be preserved, used, and developed.
  • Swedish film to be increasingly made available abroad and quality international exchange and cooperation to take place in the area of film.
  • Children and young people to have good knowledge about film and moving pictures, and given the opportunity to create on their own,
  • Equality and diversity to characterize the film area.
  • Film to contribute to the strengthening of freedom of speech and public discourse.

The central authority in Swedish film policy is The Swedish Film Institute (SFI). Prior to 2017, SFI was co-financed by the national government and other actors within the film sector, as per the Film Agreement (which had been renegotiated every fifth year by these parties since 1963). Since 2017, and as a part of the new film policy outlined in Government Bill 2015/16:132, grants and programmes within Swedish film policy are now entirely funded by the government. Among the arguments for this reform was providing a more stable platform for government support for the film sector.

Public service TV and radio broadcasting is provided by three companies funded by a special tax on personal income: Swedish Television (Sveriges Television, SVT), Swedish Radio (Sveriges Radio) and Swedish Educational Broadcasting Company (Sveriges Utbildningsradio). These are organized as limited companies, and owned by an independent foundation. The foundation’s board is appointed by the national government and consists of 13 representatives of the political parties in the Riksdag. The foundation in turn appoints the members of the SVT board.

Government support for computer games and similar media has so far been limited, but it did occur within specific programmes, e.g. within the SFI’s work with Creative Europe grants. The Swedish Media Council acts as the central authority in the wider area of media policy.