Creative Europe Films on the Move 2027: €23.5 million for the distribution of European films

On 30 September 2026 the European Commission opened the Creative Europe MEDIA call "Films on the Move" (CREA-MEDIA-2027-FILMOVE), with a budget of €23.5 million for distribution campaigns for recent European films outside their country of origin. The application is submitted by the film's sales agent, who must have at least 7 distributors in the project. There are two deadlines: 21 January 2027 and 15 July 2027, both at 17:00 Brussels time.

In brief

• Programme: Creative Europe, MEDIA strand. The call is called Films on the Move (CREA-MEDIA-2027-FILMOVE).
• Authority: the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), on behalf of the European Commission.
• Beneficiaries: European sales agents, with at least 7 distributors attached to the project.
• Total budget: €23.5 million.
• Funding intensity: reimbursement of 90% of actual eligible costs. The project cannot generate a profit.
• Submission period: open from 30 September 2026. Deadlines: 21 January 2027 and 15 July 2027, at 17:00 Brussels time (18:00 Romanian time).
• Status: call open.

What does the call fund?

The programme aims to get recent European films circulating more widely outside the country in which they were produced. It funds European-level distribution campaigns, in cinemas and/or online, coordinated by the film's sales agent.

According to the official description of the call, projects are expected to deliver:

• joint distribution strategies, in cinemas or online, for European films that are foreign to the distributor's country;
• greater investment in promotion, so that films reach a wider audience;
• closer links between producers and distributors.

The project must also show how it applies sustainable, environmentally friendly practices, and how it ensures gender balance, inclusion and diversity.

Who can apply?

The application is not submitted by the distributor but by the film's European sales agent. The sales agent is the company that represents the producer and sells the film's licences to distributors in other countries. Conditions published by the Creative Europe Desk Ireland for the 2027 call:

• the sales agent is based in a country participating in the MEDIA strand and is owned, directly or indirectly, by nationals of those countries;
• it has been appointed directly by the producer of the proposed film;
• it has an international sales contract covering at least 15 MEDIA countries;
• the project includes at least 7 different distributors, of which at least 2 are from countries with low audiovisual capacity (groups A or B).

Campaigns must mainly concern cinema releases. The full conditions for films and the list of countries in each group are in the official call document, published on the Funding & Tenders portal.

How and by when do you apply?

The application is submitted online, on the European Commission's Funding & Tenders portal, using the standard Creative Europe form. The project can be submitted in either of the two call windows:

1. 21 January 2027, 17:00 Brussels time;
2. 15 July 2027, 17:00 Brussels time.

Questions about the call should be sent to EACEA at EACEA-DISTRIBUTION-SELECTIVE@ec.europa.eu. For consultancy in Romanian, contact the Creative Europe Desk Romania (media@europa-creativa.eu).

What has changed compared with the previous call?

The 2026 call (CREA-MEDIA-2026-FILMOVE) had €21 million and deadlines on 19 March and 16 July 2026. In 2027 the budget rises to €23.5 million, and the first call window comes earlier, in January. If you are preparing a film for release in the first half of 2027, there is work to do from this autumn.

What this means for your business

The recommendations below are our own and are not part of the call conditions.

• Film distributors in Romania do not submit the application, but they can be part of a campaign. It is worth talking early with the sales agents of the European films you want to release. They choose the at least 7 distributors and need letters of commitment from each of them.
• Romanian producers who have a European sales agent can ask the agent to use the call for the film's release abroad.
• Reimbursement is based on actual costs. Keep invoices and proof of payment for promotion and distribution: copies, advertising, materials, launch events. What cannot be documented is not reimbursed.
• You cover the remaining 10% yourselves, and after the contract is signed you usually receive only a partial pre-financing payment, with the rest coming after the final report. Plan your cash flow accordingly.
• A common pitfall: letters of commitment from distributors arrive late or do not match the release dates in the application. Collect them at least one month before the deadline.

If you are not sure whether your company qualifies, you can start with the eligibility check.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Romanian distributor submit an application to Films on the Move on its own?

No. The application is submitted only by the film's European sales agent, appointed directly by the producer. Distributors take part in the campaign coordinated by the agent: the project must have at least 7 distributors, of which at least 2 are from countries with low audiovisual capacity.

How much does the Films on the Move grant cover?

The call reimburses 90% of the actual eligible costs of the promotion and distribution campaign. The grant cannot generate a profit, and the remaining 10% is covered by the beneficiaries.

What are the submission deadlines for Films on the Move 2027?

There are two deadlines: 21 January 2027 and 15 July 2027, both at 17:00 Brussels time (18:00 Romanian time). The project can be submitted in either of the two call windows.

Is online distribution also funded?

Yes. The call covers distribution in cinemas and/or online. However, most of the campaigns in a project must be cinema releases.

What is the total budget of the call?

The total budget is €23.5 million, compared with €21 million for the 2026 call.

Official sources

• EACEA – launch of the Creative Europe 2027 work programme and calls (30 September 2026)
• Funding & Tenders portal – CREA-MEDIA-2027-FILMOVE: deadlines, budget, documents
• Films on the Move 2027 call document (PDF)
• Creative Europe Desk Ireland – Films on the Move 2027 call conditions
• Creative Europe Desk Romania – Films on the Move (2026 call and contact)

Information checked on 5 October 2026. Conditions may be changed by the managing authority — check the guide in force before you submit.