Flemish Film in Crisis: Directors Blame Wasted Subsidies

Veteran Flemish film directors Jan Verheyen and Marc Punt have launched a blistering attack on the Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds (VAF), accusing the state-backed funding body of wasting millions of euros in taxpayer money on films that few people watch. In an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws, the veteran filmmakers claimed the Flemish film industry has been “hijacked by fringe figures” prioritizing inclusion policies over quality and audience appeal.

The Scale of the Problem

The controversy comes amid a damning investigation by HLN revealing that between 2021 and 2026, the VAF allocated €31.3 million in production support to 83 film projects — of which only 22 have reached cinemas. Meanwhile, Flemish cinema attendance has collapsed from a stable 1.7–2.4 million annual viewers between 2008 and 2018 to just 803,000 in 2024, a 55% decline in two years. A modest recovery to 843,000 in 2025 has done little to ease concerns.

“The VAF cannot keep justifying that a million in Flemish government money goes to a film that doesn’t even attract 10,000 viewers in its own country,” Punt told HLN, as reported by investigative journalist Mark Coenegracht.

A System Captured by Insiders?

At the heart of the directors’ criticism is a claim that the VAF has been captured by a small network of insiders. Two production companies — Menuetto and A Private View/Lemming Film — account for 19 of the 83 subsidized projects, nearly 20% of all productions. Menuetto’s founder, Hans Everaert, served as the VAF’s own financial director for nearly a decade before founding his production house. Since 2021, Menuetto has received €5.2 million in production support, yet only one of its films, ‘Mexico 86’, has reached cinemas — attracting just 7,000 viewers.

Verheyen argued that the VAF has been “hijacked by fringe figures and representatives of interest groups” with “little feeling for cinema — let alone the economic context — but all the more for concepts like inclusion and diversity.”

Inclusion Requirements Under Fire

A particular flashpoint is the VAF’s requirement that all funding applications include an “inclusion note,” demonstrating sufficient representation of women, people with foreign roots, and people with disabilities in both crew and cast. Punt acknowledged that striving for diverse representation is not inherently wrong, but called its imposition as an absolute requirement “going too far,” arguing it restricts artistic freedom.

VAF director-intendant Karla Puttemans, who took over in 2025 after 25 years at the fund, defended the policy in an interview with VRT NWS, stating: “For us at the VAF, that is absolutely a both-and story, but not for every film in the same way.” She added that the VAF does not propagate making films about “woke themes,” but noted that few commercial projects are currently being submitted.

The ‘Patsers’ Paradox

The most striking example of the VAF’s controversial approach involves ‘Patsers’, the most popular Flemish film of 2025 with 230,000 viewers. Its producers were denied VAF support for a third installment, ‘Patsers for Life’, with the fund telling them “the fund is not there to sponsor successful franchises.” Verheyen called this decision symptomatic of a system that has lost touch with its audience.

A Broader Cultural Debate

The conflict reflects a fundamental tension in many European public film funding systems: should subsidies prioritize artistic merit, festival recognition, and social representation — or commercial success and broad audience appeal? Flemish films achieve significant international festival recognition at Cannes, Berlin, and Venice while struggling to attract domestic audiences. Puttemans has pointed out that Flemish films reached 11 million viewers on VRT, VTM, and Play in 2025, suggesting audiences are watching Flemish content, just not in cinemas.

As ScreenDaily reported in October 2025, Puttemans described her strategy as “evolution not revolution,” emphasizing stability and talent development. Her appointment was covered by Deadline in March 2025.

What’s Next?

Verheyen and Punt stop short of calling for the VAF’s abolition, acknowledging that without subsidies, virtually no Flemish films would be made. Instead, they propose a “committee of wise men” — experienced industry figures who could provide context and guidance to the VAF’s selection committees.

The controversy is likely to prompt questions in the Flemish Parliament, particularly given the VAF’s mandate from the Flemish government to both support film production and reach as many Flemings as possible. With Minister of Culture Caroline Gennez (Vooruit) now facing pressure to respond, the future direction of Flemish film funding hangs in the balance.