HiFilm Productions: A to Z production services

HiFilm is a Romanian production company that provides complete production services for documentaries, advertising, film and television. Founded in 2004 and based in central Bucharest, HiFilm maintains a vast network of connections in the global film industry, from acclaimed directors to specialized camera workers, through which it can recruit the right professional for every task. This enables HiFilm to carry out complex and challenging production projects, ranging from advertisements for Coca-Cola or Danone to feature films like Toni Erdmann, nominated for an Oscar at the 89^th Academy Awards.

The company’s services cover the full range of activities involved in a production, starting with location scouting, casting or set design, and going all the way to post-production.

While undergoing a period of growth, the company faced significant cash flow difficulties related to the gap between supporting production costs and receiving the final payments. In order to support the business, HiFilm sought a loan from Libra Internet Bank, with a guarantee from EIF under the EU’s Cultural & Creative Sectors Guarantee Facility.

“This financing was definitely important, a crucial help for us”, explains company founder Ada Solomon, “Here in Romania there isn’t any real alternative. This type of activity has a very hard time accessing financing from traditional banking”.

Currently employing eight persons, the company has a strong portfolio of productions in both Romanian and international cinema, with customers across Europe. “After a period of significant growth and with a number of projects ongoing, we are currently trying to consolidate the business”, explains Ada, “Without the financing, we wouldn’t have been able to have this stability”.

Company: Hi Film Productions SRL (Romania)

Type of business: media production

EIF financing: Cultural & Creative Sectors Guarantee Facility (CCS)

Financial intermediary: Libra Internet Bank

For further information about EIF intermediaries in Romania, please refer to: http://www.eif.org/what_we_do/where/ro