The Flemish government has decided to end the Screen Flanders program, a financial initiative aimed at attracting audiovisual production and co-production to the Flemish Region of Belgium. The program, which started in 2012, will stop operating from 1 January 2027 as part of a larger effort to reduce public spending. Designed to encourage film and media producers to invest in the region, the program required supported projects to spend money locally, with a budget of €3.5 million per year. Over 15 years, it funded 251 productions with €48.8 million, leading to €317.2 million in eligible audiovisual spending in the region. According to Screen Flanders, every euro of support generated about €8 in local spending. The program allowed qualifying projects such as feature films, documentaries, animation, and series to receive up to €400,000 in repayable support. This money was tied to spending in Flanders and could be repaid in full or in part, depending on the project's revenue. International producers could also access the incentive through partnerships with Belgian co-producers. The decision to end the program is expected to impact both local and international productions that have relied on this support. National projects have used Screen Flanders to fund part of their Flemish expenditure, including Coward by Lukas Dhont, Le Faux Soir by Michaël R Roskam, and The Best Immigrant by Michael Abey. Animation projects such as Dimitri and Sir Mouse have also benefited from the program, with several being showcased at European animation platforms. The program played a key role in supporting Belgium's federal Tax Shelter initiative, which provides tax benefits for film and media production. Screen Flanders argued that its investment helped increase local spending and strengthened Flanders' position as a partner for international co-productions, creating jobs in production, technical, and post-production industries. The decision to end the program has drawn concern from the audiovisual sector. Karla Puttemans, CEO of VAF (the Flemish audiovisual organization), said the program was crucial in maintaining a strong and economically viable audiovisual industry in Flanders. While the core public funding for VAF's Cinema, Media, and Games funds remains in place, the government claims that Screen Flanders is not a central part of its economic and innovation policy. The program's €3.5 million annual budget will be entirely removed as part of efforts to focus public resources on what the government considers key priorities for the Flemish economy. The change may have ripple effects beyond the region, as Screen Flanders was used by Belgian and international co-productions to combine Flemish spending with broader financing frameworks. With the program's end, only Wallimage in Wallonia and screen.brussels will remain as regional film incentives in Belgium. For ongoing projects, the change will not be immediate. Existing commitments will be honored, and the second call for funding in 2026 will proceed as usual. The final 2026 call will be the last opportunity for producers to apply for support under Screen Flanders before it is discontinued.