Jan Roekens has been appointed Head of Production of the Screen Flanders economic fund. From mid-January on he will follow in the footsteps of Alain Collart for the analysis and evaluation process of the Screen Flanders applications. This will happen in close cooperation with the Enterprise Flanders Agency.
Jan Roekens graduated as master in Economic Sciences and earned a postgraduate in marketing. He followed producers' training classes ACE and EAVE.
Since 1995 Roekens is active within the production company Sophimages, where he produced both short and long features, documentaries and dance films. Roekens is also a founding member of Flanders Doc and national coordinator for EAVE
Screen Flanders is an initiative of the Flemish Minister-President Kris Peeters and the Flemish Minister for Cultural Affairs Joke Schauvliege. Via Screen Flanders the government of Flanders offers financial support to audiovisual productions that spend (part of) their budget within the Flanders Region. Belgian producers can apply to receive up to € 400,000 ($546,680) refundable advances by way of economic support to cover their audiovisual expenses in the Flanders Region. Foreign producers interested in applying for the fund can coproduce with a Belgian producer that satisfies all the selection criteria.
The Screen Flanders fund has processed 3 calls since its launch in 2012 (1 call in 2012, 2 calls in 2013). A total of 40 applications have been approved for a total amount of € 9.2 million ($12.5 million) repayable support. This amount stands for € 36.2 million ($49.3 million) of audiovisual expenses in the Flanders region.
The annual budget of Screen Flanders is provided and distributed by Agentschap Ondernemen (Enterprise Flanders). The Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF) manages the applications and promotes the fund.