Practically speaking, all Estonian cinemas work as commercial companies. In fact, Estonia currently lacks an art-house cinema. In the coming years the ministry of culture, in co-operation with the Estonian Film Foundation, aims to establish a centre for quality films.

The centre will receive support from the state budget in order to show European and other quality films and distribute them all over Estonia. in addition, the ministry of culture has launched a programme for re-establishing a network of rural cinemas.

The objective of the programme is to reopen cinemas in different counties. The programme will be financed in co-operation with local governments and private sponsors. Estonia participates in the work of The Audiovisual Observatory (1996) and since July 2002 has been a full member of the European union programme supporting audiovisual industry, Media Plus, and the media training programme.