Danny Glover is making a film called Toussaint, about the 18th century Haitian revolutionary hero Toussaint L'Ouverture, and to do it he's just been given a whopping US$18 million from the Venezuelan state.

However Venezuelan filmmakers are concerned that funding that could pay for thirty six of their films, is all going on one US film.

According to Variety a group of filmmakers have written a letter to Danny Glover asking that he reconsider accepting the funds:

They point out that the proceeds, which the Venezuelan congress said came from a recent bond sale with Argentina, were assigned to Glover's project and others without the benefit of any competition.

"What does this say to our young filmmakers, who may conclude that they don't have to compete because it is far easier to curry favor with politicians in order to make their films?" the letter continues. It also reminded Glover that the U.S. and Venezuela have no co-production pact.

Danny Glover is a regular visitor to the country and is an open supporter of Chavez. The production is currently scouting for locations outside of Caracas, and might utilise the new US$13 million studio complex with multiple soundstages that has been built to promote the Venezuelan film industry.

So what is the right thing to do here. The Government have been trying to attract film investment to the country, and how better than a major US production. Although giving the production US$18 million might not sound too much, this is a huge amount to Venezuelan filmmakers, a staggering thirty six films worth they claim.

Is this taking away from the filmmakers who really need the funding now, or is it a long term investment that might attract more productions to Venezuela and therefore more money?