It was supposed to become Luxembourg's dream factory. After 13 years and 115 films, Filmland S.A. in Kehlen is closing its studios for good at the end of July.
Major investments are needed to bring the two film studios up to the latest standards, but the partners no longer want to take on that risk. The last few years have been economically difficult, said Bernard Michaux, a producer at Samsa and one of Filmland's partners, in an RTL interview.
The recent bankruptcy of Paul TD, also a partner in Filmland S.A., played no role in the decision to close, he clarified. "There are other partners there, and the partners haven't had to support the company financially in recent years. That means, somehow it broke even. That means it was completely detached from that bankruptcy", Michaux explained.
The only permanent employee of Filmland S.A. will lose his job as a result. However, other film industry companies based in Kehlen can continue to operate there, as Filmland S.A. is not the owner of the site.
Fred Neuen, president of the Film Academy, does not fear a major impact on the sector. "Before Filmland, we didn't have studios either, but films – many films – were still shot here", he said.
Luxembourg will probably attract fewer films that require studio shooting, Michaux acknowledged. Otherwise, it remains possible, as in the past, to rent halls or hangars. Perhaps another operator could be found for the two large studios, he added.
The closure of Filmland is a bad sign for the Luxembourg film industry, said Carlo Thiel, president of the Association of Audiovisual Technicians (ALTA): "Because every service provider that closes down in film is a loss. A loss of social contacts, and of jobs too."
The closure will primarily affect painters, carpenters, and those who build film sets. Film technicians are less affected, as they can also work on productions outside the studios, Thiel explained.
However, times are tough. Many film technicians are quitting because they can no longer make a living from the profession. For Thiel, this is not only due to the major changes affecting the film industry worldwide. He also holds the Film Fund responsible, criticising that too much work is being sent abroad.
"The rules are constantly being adapted. I will be quite impertinent now and say they are often adapted in favour of the producers", Thiel said.
He also accuses producers of carelessness. In his opinion, not enough of the money that the Film Fund gives to foreign co-productions actually reaches the local level. He argues that Luxembourgish producers do not "even bang their fist on the table and say, well no, come on, let's take the whole lighting crew from Luxembourg for once, or let's get all the equipment here in Luxembourg."
For the past two years, ALTA has been working together with the Film Fund and producers to regulate the working conditions of technicians.
