Mexico Rescinds Imcine Budget Cuts

Mexican president Felipe Calderon is reportedly not going to follow through with the proposed 46 percent cut to the funding of Imcine – Mexico’s National Film Institute – in the 2010 budget.

If the cut had gone through, Imcine’s funds would have gone from $30.8 million to $16.6 million. That would stop the Mexican film industry in its tracks.

After the cut was announced in September, there was plenty of public outcry from the Mexican film community. Culture Secretary Consuelo Salzar (do we have an equivalent?) publicized the budgetary rollback at the opening of the Morelia Film Festival this Saturday (October 3). It was later confirmed by the Calderon administration.

Calderon has an approval rating of around 60% in Mexico, but the film festival crowd booed when his name was mentioned. Many are skeptical about the reversal.

Source:

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118009551.html?categoryid=13&cs=1