Netflix Funds New Relief Efforts in Netherlands, Spain

Netflix and The Netherlands Film Fund have partnered on a new relief effort for film and TV productions to help the hardest-hit workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, following on the streamer’s similar arrangements with organizations in Spain, the U.K., France and elsewhere.

Netflix will make €1 million available in the Netherlands to launch the fund. Bero Beyer, director of the Film Fund, said: “This is fantastic news. As a Fund, our goal is to continue the productivity of the Dutch film world and to ensure that the entire chain is maintained in such a way that beautiful Dutch productions can be seen this autumn and later. We’re very excited for Netflix’s support for film and TV professionals alongside the support of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science just announced for the broader cultural industry.”

Lina Brouneus, director of co-production and acquisition at Netflix, said: “We are grateful that we are able to work with The Netherlands Film Fund to support the most affected employees in the TV and film industry. The creative talent in the Netherlands and our local partners with whom we create content together are vital to the success of Netflix. We want to do our part to help those who most need our support in these unprecedented times.”

Netflix has also joined forces with Acción Cultural Española (AC/E), Academia de Cine and Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales (ICAA) for an assistance line for audiovisual professionals hardest hit by COVID-19 in Spain. Netflix will donate €1 million to this emergency fund.

José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, Minister of Culture and Sport of the Spanish Government, said: “From the Ministry of Culture and Sports, we are pleased that in a short time it has been possible to articulate a collaboration between public and private organizations, in order to seek solutions to support the film and audiovisual sector, as required by this situation. One of the objectives of this initiative was the agility of its implementation, guaranteeing rigor and transparency, something that is only possible thanks to the consensus between the parties involved, each contributing with knowledge, time and technical resources and, in the case of Netflix, also financial resources. We would like to thank the service for its generosity, commitment and solidarity with the audiovisual industry in Spain.”

Mariano Barroso, president of the Spanish Film Academy, added: “From the Spanish Film Academy, we welcome initiatives like this one, aimed at alleviating the damage the pandemic is causing to film workers. We encourage other private and public initiatives for the reactivation of the cultural industries. We are convinced that exceptional measures are needed at this exceptional time. We trust that the public authorities will promote and channel whatever measures are necessary to guarantee the survival of our industry.”

José Andrés Torres Mora, president of Acción Cultural Española, commented: “The exceptional circumstances (and the pandemic produced by COVID-19 is one) demand exceptional responses. Now is the time to join forces to alleviate the damage the virus is causing in people’s lives, in the economy and in society. Netflix wanted to provide solidarity to the audiovisual sector, which from AC/E thank, support and accompany, with the hope that more companies, organizations and institutions will join.”

Diego Avalos, VP of original series at Netflix, said: “We’re grateful to be able to work with ICAA, Acción Cultural Española y Academia de Cine to support the hardest-hit workers in TV and film production. We want to do our part to help those who most need our support in these unprecedented times.”