The Austrian Television Fund (FERNSEHFONDS AUSTRIA) provided EUR 30,000 for the documentary “Snow Business”, hence absorbing 9.5% of the overall production costs of EUR 315,260. The investigative documentary was produced by the Austrian production company Navigator Film in cooperation with Artline Films (France). The grant application was submitted at the Television Fund’s third application date 2013; the grant decision was taken on 27 September 2013.
The Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) will first show the documentary on Sunday, 2 November 2014.
„Snow Business“ guides the audience to perfectly prepared slopes, unveiling what is beneath the skiing industry’s snow-white surface. It is a merciless business with inevitable economic and ecological consequences. Yet, there is no end in sight – the industry is expanding, most significantly in Eastern Europe and Asia. And the Austrian ski resort of Ischgl in Tyrol might also not have seen the end of the development – 1,200 snow cannons have already been installed there, and more are likely to come.
The documentary will be broadcast on ORF 2 at 11.05 pm within the dok.film series.
The Austrian Television Fund (FERNSEHFONDS AUSTRIA), established at RTR, is the largest funding agency for television productions in Austria. Funding is provided for the production of television films, series and documentaries with a clearly recognizable economic reference to Austria by production companies with business premises or a branch in Austria. The Austrian federal government makes available an annual budget of EUR 13.5 million. Additional information about the Austrian Television Fund can be found at www.fernsehfonds.at.