Netflix and the Mexican Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMACC) announced the creation of a MX $ 25 million (USD 1 million) fund called ‘Covid-19 Support Fund for the Film and Audiovisual Industry’, in order to help more than thousand workers in the sector,whose productions had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. Netflix has already implemented a similar initiative in March.

According to what AMACC has officially reported, money will be awarded to  assistants, coordinators, technicians and operators from the different production departments, such as filming, sound, art, makeup, wardrobe, on-location, transportation and others.

‘Technical and manual workers are the backbone of the film and audiovisual industry. We hope that, by working together, we can support them in these difficult times. Netflix’s commitment to this fund is most welcome and we hope other players in the industry can contribute. We have already called on them to expand support to benefit more workers’, said Monica Lozano, AMACC’s President.

From Netflix they have also expressed themselves on the initiative through Francisco Ramos,  the platform’s VP Originals in Latin America. ‘The partnership with AMACC is essential to help workers in the industry that make productions in Mexico possible and we want to be with them in these difficult times. We thank the Academy for its collaboration and commitment to this initiative’, he said.

According to AMACC, those interested in receiving financial support can request it by completing an application form, which will be available from this Wednesday, April 15th. Applications will be evaluated by a committee made up of members of AMACC, the Mexican Institute of Cinematography (IMCINE) and the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).