History of the Film Institute

Together with the Social Democrat Minister of Finance, Gunnar Sträng, Harry Schein was the author of the Film Reform, by which the Swedish state and the film industry signed an agreement exempting cinemas from the entertainment tax that existed at the time in return for a ten percent levy on cinema admission tickets. This was to be paid to the Film Institute, which in turn would plough back that money in the form of funding. Part of the Institute's resources would also be used for archive purposes, documentation, and film restoration.

Both the government and parliament recognised the importance of domestic film production, and that the decline in cinema admissions in Sweden made state funding a necessity. They also recognised the need for one collective body to preserve Sweden's national film heritage.

The Film Agreement 1963–2016

Between 1963-2016 Swedish film policy has been regulated and financed through the Film Agreement, irrespective of the political party in government. The agreement was renegotiated at roughly five year intervals. Since 1963, the financial arrangements of the agreement have frequently been expanded and changed.

In 1973 the state began providing direct grants to fulfil the remit of the agreement. 1982 saw the video industry enter as one of the parties to the agreement, joined in 1992 by Sveriges Television and Nordisk Television (now TV 4). In 2006 the other remaining Swedish television companies joined. However, in 1998, the video industry left the agreement.

The film culture-related elements of the Film Institute's activities, such as the archive and the Cinematek film club, have been financed alternately through the years by the Film Agreement and full state financing. 

State film policy from 2017

In May 2015, the government decided to pave the way for a new state film policy, which means that the state took overall responsibility for the financing of the national film policy. The Film Institute is, as of 1 January 2017, solely financed by state funding.

Change of assignment

The remit for film policy has shifted continually over the years. From the end of the 1960s until 1993, the Film Institute also acted as the producer of films. In 1970, the Film School which was originally part of the Film Institute, became part of an independent body named the University College of Film, Radio, Television and Theatre (Dramatiska institutet).

The distribution of support has also changed over the years. In the early years support funding was distributed retroactively to producers, based either on box office success or jury-defined qualities. From the 1970s onwards, production funding was awarded at the discretion of various committees. Since 1993 the film commissioners have allotted funding for the production of new films.

Historical key dates

2024 The government commissions a film inquiry
2017 A new filmpolitic
2002 The film archive in Grängesberg is established
1998 The video industry leaves the Film Agreement
1993 Film commissioner system introduced, The Film Institute stops producing films
1975 The Film Institute acquires AB Hollywood Filmlaboratorium (currently Rotebro Filmservice)
1971 Filmhuset opens
1970 The Film School becomes Dramatiska institutet
1967 Work begins on Filmhuset
1964 First Guldbagge awards presented, National film history collections become the Film Archive of the Swedish Film Institute, The Film School (Filmskolan) opens
1963 The Swedish Film Institute Foundation is formed and the first Film Agreement is ratified

CEOs past and present

2024 Anna Croneman
2023 Åsa Sjöberg (acting CEO)
2022 Anette Novak
2021 Mathias Rosengren (acting CEO)
2011 Anna Serner 
2010 Bengt Toll (acting CEO)
2006 Cissi Elwin Frenkel
2000 Åse Kleveland
1998 Hans Ottosson
1994 Lars Engqvist
1989 Ingrid Edström
1982 Klas Olofsson
1978 Jörn Donner
1972 Harry Schein
1970 Bo Jonsson
1963 Harry Schein