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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has rolled out film incentives providing for a rebate on up to 40% of qualified expenditure in the country. The country’s Neom region, situated on the Red Sea coast, promises a higher percentage for projects making significant contributions to local industry development.
The budding nature of the Kingdom’s local film industry positions the PSN UAE Partner well to help foreign producers secure regional crew and equipment to make feasible projects that can access these funds.
Contact us with details about your project so we can determine how best to tap you into local incentives.
The Korean Film Council provides a filmmaking incentive of 20-25% to producers of feature films, television series, and documentaries financed by at least 80% foreign capital. Commercials do not qualify.
A minimum of 3-day shoot with qualified expenditure of 100 million KRW (approx. USD 90,000) can access a 20% cash return. The rebate increases to 25% for a minimum 10-day shoot making qualified expenditure of 2 billion KRW (approx. USD 1.8 million).
The incentive is granted upon favorable review by committee taking into consideration the extent to which the work promotes tourism and contributes to the Korean film industry and the degree to which the foreign producer participates in the production.
Share the details of your project with us for a first assessment and consideration of how best to tap into South Korea’s film incentive.
A film incentive in Thailand is now providing a tax rebate of 15%. Hiring of key Thai crew can boost the rebate by 3%. Promotion of Thai tourism can add 2% for a maximum rebate of 20%.
Thai lawmakers have also scrapped a 10% withholding tax on foreign performers. The decision to make foreign actors tax exempt is a film-friendly move that insiders suggest may lead to an increased incentive by 2023.
At present, film projects must spend the equivalent of $1.4m US locally to qualify. A cap of about $2.17m US tax rebate per project applies. TV commercials are not eligible.
Foreign filmmakers interested in the Thailand film incentive must apply during a specific application period and work with a local company that is officially registered with the film and tourism offices.
Tap into our team’s expertise with an email providing details of your project.
Iceland offers a Tax Rebate for the international production of feature films, TV shows, and documentaries. Projects may qualify for a 25% refund, no matter the total cost of local expenditure. The cash back can increase to 35% for larger-scale productions that fulfil three requirements:
The application process is relatively simple and straightforward. Applications must be submitted to the Ministry of Industries prior to the starting date of the production.
Send us an inquiry regarding your project, and we’ll help you work through all the details. We hope to see you soon in Iceland!
Foreign producers who wish to access incentives in Brazil must set-up a local corporation or partner with a local company like the PSN Brazil Partner to facilitate the needed paperwork.
Brazil does have treaties and agreements with countries in North America, Latin America, and Europe which enable international co-productions to qualify for various types of governmental support, assuring that co-produced material is eligible for investor tax credits. Certain states provide additional tax credits. Nevertheless, the main incentive to shooting in Brazil is savings on local crew, transport, locations, and general production expense which can be 30-50% below the US equivalent. Contact us to learn more.
A film incentive granting up to 25% of qualified expenditure is available in Norway. The minimum local spend for all genres is NOK 4 million (USD $400K). Eligibility requires a minimum total production budget of NOK 25 million for feature films, NOK 10 million per episode for drama series, NOK 10 million for documentary films, and NOK 5 million per episode for documentary series. A minimum 30% of total project financing must come from sources outside Norway. The production must document an international distribution agreement.
To help determine timing with the submission calendar we encourage producers to send us project details. We’re at the ready to help facilitate access to this local financial boost for suitable productions.
A cash rebate of up to 40% of all eligible costs is available to qualifying productions that are all or partially produced in Malta. Feature films, Television films, TV Series or Mini-Series, Animation, Creative documentary, Virtual Reality/Trans-media/Cross-media, Reality programme (scripted/unscripted) and Game Shows are all eligible for a cash rebate based on a cultural test to determine the percentage rebate.
The minimum spend in Malta is €100K with an overall budget exceeding €200K. Eligible expenditure in Malta shall never exceed 80% of the overall production budget.
A cash rebate on eligible expenditure of ATL costs is capped at €1,000,000 or 30% of Malta eligible spend – whichever is higher up to a maximum of €5,000,000. There is no cap on eligible BTL costs which include accommodation, air travel, EU labour costs, per diems, location fees and all rentals amongst others.
For pre-approval of the cash rebate, foreign producers must apply with a locally registered production service company like the PSN Italy Partner at least 60 days prior to commencement of principal photography. The cash rebate is returned to the qualifying production within 5 months of final audit submission to the Film Commission.
Send us details of your project so we can help facilitate access to this local financial boost for suitable productions.
Hawaii improves its Production Tax Credit beginning January 1, 2023. From that date the incentive provided to producers of qualifying film, television, and commercial projects ranges from 22 – 27% with a minimum spend in Hawaii of USD$100K. The tax credit also applies to all ATL costs subject to Hawaii income or general excise tax so talent/crew paid via payroll in Hawaii qualify too.
Our team has administered over 100 tax credit claims. Contact us to determine how your next project can qualify.
A cash rebate of 20-30% on eligible production and post-production costs made in Estonia is provided for international production service works and co-production. The rebate increases with the minimum spend.
For the overall minimum feature budget of €1 million there is a 20% rebate for qualified production expenditure (QE) of €200K, 25% for €400K, and 30% for €500K.
For the overall minimum TV series episode budget of €200K there is a 20% rebate for QE of €70K, 25% for €100K and €30% for 150K.
Documentary films as well as full-length, short, and animation series also qualify.
At least 2 creative staff must be tax residents of Estonia to secure the 30% rebate. The rate is 25% for projects employing 1 creative who is a tax resident of Estonia.
Payment is made within 10 days of audit approval. The report on the audit is completed within 30 days of submission of required documentation.
Our team is positioned to qualify foreign projects for the Estonia incentive. Contact us to discuss our project.
International productions and co-production of feature films, TV and streaming series, reality TV, and documentaries may receive a reimbursement of up to 30% of qualified production and post-production expenditure (QE) in India. The minimum spending threshold of INR25 million ($325,000) does not apply to documentaries.
The maximum reimbursement of INR20 million ($260,000) per project can increase INR5 million ($65,000) for productions employing 15% or more manpower in India.
Application for this incentive must be made by an Indian service or line production company – such as the PSN India Partner – at least 4 weeks before production commences in India. An interim approval certificate valid for 12 months is issued by the Film Facilitation Office (FFO).
Application for final approval must be made within 90 days of project completion. Payment of 85% of the eligible reimbursement is made upon successful evaluation and audit by the FFO.
The remaining 15% is paid upon FFO receipt of a copy of the project which incorporates the “Filmed in India” credit and the FFO logo displayed prominently.
Contact us to learn more about how your project can benefit from this incentive.
A summer 2022 funding increase of the Czech film incentive comes with the promise to boost the program further in 2023 and 2024.
The Czech Republic offers 20% rebate on qualified local spend for Film & TV, including all post-production work.
There is also a 10% rebate on qualified above-the-line spend (calculated as 66% rebate on withholding tax paid in the Czech Republic by international cast & crew). There is no per-project cap. The minimum local spend is 620,000 USD.
To qualify a project must pass the test for European cultural and production criteria.
Reach out to us to determine the local benefits that await your project.
A 33% cash rebate on qualified expenditure of Film & TV production in the Slovak Republic awaits projects registered with the Slovak Audiovisual Fund.
The minimum spend required to qualify for the cash rebate is €300,000 for a television series of max. 26 episodes, €100,000 for a feature film, and €50,000 for documentary or animation.
Project registration requires the submission of an estimated budget and production calendar. The project must qualify with a minimum 24 points out of a maximum 48 points. Approved projects may accrue expenditures over a 3-year period from the date of registration.
Contact us to discuss how to get the most out of the Slovakia rebate for your project.
Israel provides a cash rebate of 30% to foreign producers of feature films and TV series. The qualified local expenditure ranges from a minimum of 500,000 ILS (≈140,000 USD) to a maximum of 16,600,000 ILS (≈5,000,000 USD).
International production companies may apply via an Israeli producer such as the PSN Israel Partner. Production companies must have produced and distributed at least 2 feature films and/or TV series in the past 5 years to qualify.
80% of the rebate will be paid during filming in Israel against invoices upon obtaining the approval of the professional advisor on behalf of the Ministry of Economy & Industry. The remaining 20% will be given after the production is complete.
Independent of Israel’s incentive is cash back of up to 60% to foreign producers of feature films and TV dramas set in the city of Jerusalem. Producers may only access one incentive per project.
The Jerusalem fund seeks stories written to showcase the city’s locations and landscapes in a positive light, such as a romantic comedy. Part of a high-profile film, such as an opening scene for a James Bond feature, may also qualify as readily as a TV drama if the whole episode takes place in the city.
Scripts seeking to qualify for the incentive will not depict stereotypes of Jerusalem as a place of hatred between Jews and Arabs, a place of Orthodox Jews, a place for bombing, etc.
For consideration, applicants must submit a film synopsis and inform fund managers of the projected spend in Israel, as well as the portion that is earmarked for Jerusalem. 50% of the total shoot days in Israel must be executed in Jerusalem in order to qualify. Initial feedback on viability is normally provided within a few weeks.
Contact us for guidance on how best to qualify your project for incentives in Israel.
Cyprus offers a cash or tax rebate of up to 40% of the BTL and 25% of the ATL expenditures which are made in the Republic of Cyprus. Qualifying projects are scripted films, TV series, documentaries, and reality programs which promote local culture. Foreign productions work with a locally registered company like the PSN Greece Partner to qualify for the more suitable option.
The minimum qualified expenditure must reach €200.000 in the case of feature films, €100.000 for TV drama series or self-contained drama films, €50.000 for documentaries for TV or cinema broadcast and €30,000 for other TV programs.
Eligible applicants will also be entitled to the return of VAT on expenditure upon approval of a production audit. The entire state aid, in any combination of the above incentives, cannot exceed 50% of the total production budget.
Tell us about your project and we’ll share how we can help tap you in to the Cyprus rebate.
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The Film in Malaysia Incentive, abbreviated FIMI, gives a boost to the production of creative content within Malaysia while encouraging support for the Malaysian content production industry.
FIMI promises a 30% cash rebate on all Qualifying Malaysian Production Expenditure (QMPE) following a state audit. A 5% boost in the rebate is granted to projects that pass a cultural test.
It is offered to feature film, TV series, feature animation, animation series & documentary projects.
The minimum expenditure for each genre varies. For example, feature film productions must spend at least MYR 5 million while TV series minimum spend is MYR 385,000 per hour episode.
Contact us to discuss the details of your project, and how it may benefit.
Portugal offers a cash-rebate system which is one of the most attractive incentives in Europe. The rebate applies to projects executed on the mainland, as well as on the archipelagos of Madeira and Açores. Our team has experience tapping into the funds for producers of international projects.
With a minimum expenditure in Portugal of 500.000 EUR (fiction and animation) and 250.000 EUR for documentaries or post-production, international projects may be eligible for a cash rebate of 25% to 30%, depending on a cultural test and the characteristics of the project.
The main determining factors are: high economic impact in Portugal, expenses made in low density areas, hiring local actors, technicians, services, and suppliers.
Budget for grants in 2019 was at a record high of 20,6 million Euros. Call on us for more details on how we can help your project secure this funding.
In The Netherlands we offer a cash rebate up to 35% for international film productions. The rebate applies to eligible expenditures in The Netherlands for film projects. Qualifying costs apply for all Dutch crew, Dutch cast, and equipment from The Netherlands. Besides this financial benefit, shooting in The Netherlands is very cost effective with competitively priced & completely English-speaking crews, first-class logistical infrastructure, and a wide diversity of interior and exterior film locations at a short distance.
To apply, projects need to be financed for at least 50%, and they need to be fully financed 6 months after the decision of the Fund, or before their first shooting day. Films need to have a production budget of at least 600.000 Euros with a minimum of 150.000 Euros of qualifying Dutch spend. A theatrical release in The Netherlands is obliged.
Please contact us for further information regarding the rebate scheme in The Netherlands and the possibilities.
Trinidad and Tobago offers incentives to producers of scripted projects. Commercials in production and shooting for at least 2 weeks may also qualify. The cash rebate is 35% on local expenditures plus 20% extra for local labour. The minimum spend is pegged at $100,000 per project with an overall annual cap of $8 million.
PSN Brazil can help foreign producers access these incentives. But it should be noted that essential equipment and crew are most often flown in from Caracas, Venezuela where PSN Brazil operates a satellite office. Contact us!
The capital city of Abu Dhabi provides a cash rebate of up to 30% on qualified spend.
The incentive can be applied to production costs for commercials, feature films, television dramas, telemovies, music videos and documentaries.
To qualify, a minimum one-day shoot in Abu Dhabi with expenditure of USD 25,000 is required for commercials and music videos, USD 200,000 for features, and USD 50,000 for TV programs. The maximum rebate paid to commercials is USD 500,000, feature films USD 5 million, and TV shows/series USD 1 million.
The rebate is further offered for post-production on projects shot inside or outside the city. The minimum spend on post-production is USD 70,000 for features,USD 15,000 for TV projects and USD 10,000 for commercials. The maximum rebate is USD 250,000 for feature films and USD 150,000 for TV programs and series.
Contact us to discuss the details of your project, and how we can help you get the most out of this incentive.
Belgium is an attractive multi-layered cake when it comes to film financing, offering multiple attractive incentives to international co-productions on different levels, which can easily be combined.
Most important, there is the Belgian Tax Shelter incentive: it applies to the whole of the country and is open to European co-productions through the European Convention on Cinematographic co-production or to productions set up within the framework of a bilateral co-production agreement between Belgium (or one of its communities) and another state. Such bilateral co-production agreements exist with Canada, China, Israel, Tunisia, and several European countries. Others are currently being negotiated.
The Tax Shelter incentive is open for film, documentary, animation, and TV drama. Based upon the amount of qualifying production costs spent in the European Economic Area and Belgium, it can provide financing up to 42%.
In addition, there are also regional economic and cultural funds, both of which are available to qualifying international projects as well, with financing up to 24%. Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF) and the Centre du Cinema et de l’Audiovisuel (French speaking community) are the cultural funds. Screen Flanders, Screen Brussels, and Wallimage (Wallonia) are the economic funds, investing mainly in international co-productions to stimulate the local audiovisual industry.
This means that for qualifying productions, up to 66% of eligible costs can be financed by the Belgian film funds.
As an EU country, Belgium has also access to the main European sources of funding – i.e. Eurimages and the Creative Europe programme. Speak to us for more details.
The Canton of Sarajevo introduced a film funding initiative in 2020 aimed to promote international film and television production in the region. The rebate is structured to return as much as 30% of qualified expenditure to foreign producers in exchange for the local investment in creative industries.
The PSN Croatia Partner is positioned to help foreign producers access these funds while also shaping productions to take full advantage of other incentives available in the region. Contact us with details about your project so we can determine how best to tap you into local incentives.
A cash rebate amounting up to 25% of qualified expenditure in Slovenia is available for feature films, TV drama, documentaries, and animation projects.
The PSN Croatia Partner is positioned to help foreign producers access the Slovenia rebate while also shaping productions to take full advantage of other incentives available in the region. Contact us with details about your project so we can determine how best to tap you into local incentives.
Germany offers percentage-based reimbursements to international production of non-German projects that are produced completely or partially in the country. These incentives are made available for feature films, documentaries, TV features, and TV series production. Commercial productions are not eligible.
The criteria determining eligible costs and the percentages vary in each federal state of Germany.
The cost savings generally range between 20-30%, though special cases can reach up to 50%.
Please feel free to contact us for more information, we’re glad to help.
Feature films, documentaries, TV films and series can receive a refund of up to 25% of qualified expenditure in Montenegro.
There is a minimum spend of €100.000. Use of local crew, talent and production capabilities is required.
We are positioned to help foreign producers tap into these funds and even combine them with those on offer in Serbia. Contact us with information about your project so we can talk shop.
The film incentive of up to 30% rebate on qualified expenditures in Serbia appeals to a wide range of film projects.
The minimum expenditure and incentive vary by genre:
We have experience ensuring our client productions qualify for the rebate.
Let’s discuss filming your project in Serbia.
A production tax credit of 40% on all payments to Puerto Rico resident companies and individuals + 20% production tax credit on all payments to Qualified Nonresident individuals positions this island nation with one of the more generous film incentives in the world.
Qualifying formats include commercials, feature films, short films, documentaries, television programs, series in episodes, mini-series, music videos, videogames, recorded live performances and original sound track recordings and dubbing.
The minimum spend requirement is USD $100,000 minimum spend requirement per project ($50,000 for short films). There is no cap on credits for payments to Qualified Nonresident individuals. Payments made to Qualified Nonresident individuals are subject to a 20% withholding over their Puerto Rico sourced income.
We are at the ready to help foreign producers of suitable productions tap into this incentive. Contact us with project details to begin the discussion that can lead to our work together on location in the Puerto Rico.
Film Producers may benefit from a Transferable Tax Credit (TTC) equal to 25% of all expenses incurred in the Dominican Republic that are directly related to the preproduction, production & post-production of their films. The minimum spend is US$500K. Qualified productions are Feature Films, Documentaries, TV Series & Mini-series, Music Videos. This does not currently apply to commercials.
We are at the ready to help foreign producers of suitable productions tap into this incentive. Contact us with project details to begin the discussion that can lead to our work together on location in the Dominican Republic.
Select regions within the state of Florida provide local incentives to filmmakers. Miami-Dade County offers a rebate for qualifying production expenses. Tier 1: A minimum local expenditure between $500,000 and $999,999 for a maximum grant of $50,000 per project. Tier 2: A maximum grant of $100,000 may be available to productions with a minimum local expenditure of $1,000,000.
Feature films, scripted TV content, commercials, documentaries, music videos, animation, and video games can all qualify so long as at least 70 percent of the entire production is produced in Miami-Dade County and reflected as the portrayed location.
Applications should be received at the beginning of pre-production. The rebate is granted upon completion of an audit reviewing expenses, as well as local hire requisites.
Additional incentives of up to $75,000 may be available through county municipalities for qualified local spend and hotel accommodations, as well as the waiving of public location fees.
Contact us to discuss how we can work together to get the most out of Florida’s regional incentives for your project.
The film incentive on offer in Latvia can be improved upon by the incentive provided in Lithuania. The PSN Lithuania Partner services filming in both territories (one third the size of Germany). We are positioned to work with producers to structure a production to optimize the local incentive. Reach out to us with details so we can assist in the assessment to secure maximum funds for your project.
The Taiwan Ministry of Culture provides an incentive of about 30% for qualifying foreign-based productions that shoot a portion or all of their feature film or series in Taiwan.
Qualification for film requires minimum spend of 3 million TWD for award winning directors and 30 million TWD for non-award winning directors. The incentive rebate is capped at 30 million TWD or roughly 1 million USD. “Award winning” stipulates award for best director at either Cannes, Venice, Berlin film festivals or the Academy Awards exclusively. The rebate percentage differs based on spend categories but will roughly translate to a 30% overall rebate.
Qualification for series requires minimum spend of 3 million TWD for award winning directors and 60 million TWD for non-award winning directors. The incentive rebate is capped at 20 million TWD or roughly 750,000 USD. “Award winning” stipulates award for best director from either International Emmy, Primetime Emmy, or Seoul International Drama Awards exclusively. The rebate percentage differs based on spend categories but will roughly translate to a 30% overall rebate averaged out.
This incentive is not available for projects from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan. This incentive is also not available for any projects that are funded in whole or in part by Mainland Chinese financing.
We encourage producers of qualifying projects to reach out to us for local assistance at securing the incentive and executing their stories.
The Lithuanian Film Tax Incentive offers an opportunity to save up to 30% of the film production budget through a private investment scheme.
Foreign filmmakers must cooperate with a local production company like ours to submit the application. The local company will assume responsibility for finding a local film donor willing to invest up to 30% of your production budget in exchange of a reduced corporate income tax.
This win-win sees foreign film production companies receive financial assistance for filmmaking in Lithuania; private donors in return can deduct the amount granted for the filmmaking process from their taxable income. The estimated net profit for the donor participating in the scheme is up to 11,25%.
The incentive is available for the production of feature films, TV dramas, documentaries, and animated films. It includes domestically produced, co-produced, or commissioned films. At least 80% of eligible film production costs must be incurred in Lithuania. The total amount of eligible spend in Lithuania must exceed 43,000 EUR.
Qualification for funding also relies on a project meeting cost and script criteria. Reach out to us with details so we can assist in the assessment to secure funds for your project.
The Singapore Film Commission provides an incentive for feature film production that can reach 40% of qualified local expenditure on manpower, services, equipment, IP and more.
The objective is to nurture local talent and collaborate with regional talent to raise the global profile of the “Made-with-Singapore” brand.
Call-for-proposals are held biannually. Foreign producers may apply with Singapore-registered companies like us to access this support. Reach out with info about your project for us to share how we can work together.
Generous tax incentives are available on the island of Ireland. The structure of each differs between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, and both systems operate independently and under separate rules.
In the Republic of Ireland, Section 481 applies to feature film, TV Drama (single or series), animation, and creative documentary (it is currently NOT applicable to commercials). It is a tax credit of up to 32% of ‘eligible expenditure’ based on the cost of ALL cast and crew working in Ireland, regardless of nationality, as well as goods, services, and facilities purchased in Ireland. As Variety says, ‘The increase in Ireland’s tax incentive, Section 481, and other changes, such as a broadening of the eligible spend covered by the tax credit to include the fees for Hollywood talent, will give Ireland one of the most generous production environments in the world.’
In Northern Ireland, the UK system of tax relief applies. The qualifying criteria vary a little depending on the medium – film (theatrical release), high-end TV, animation, children’s TV, video games. In brief this means that tax relief is available at 25% of qualifying expenditure once a number of conditions are met.
Contact us for more information. We’re here to help.
Film Incentives Colombia has broadened the benefits for foreign content creation and turned the country into one of the most appealing and attractive destinations for international creatives in South America.
Foreign film, video, and gaming companies can now apply for one of two kinds of incentives:
The minimum investment to apply is $475.000 USD:
For more information, contact us, we are pleased to help.
The Panama Film Incentive program offers a 25% cash rebate for production costs taking place in the country. Eligible content formats include commercials, feature films, television pilots, television series, music videos, industrials, documentaries, and video game design and creation.
A minimum local expenditure of $500,000 USD is required to qualify. Full rebate can be escrowed upfront with a local bond company to cash flow the production. A period of 12-16 months are needed to process the rebate with local authorities.
Our team is experienced at securing the Panama film incentive and guiding foreign producers through the entire process. We help to secure conditional rebate approval and we work with a specialist, certified public accountant – vetted by the Panama film commission – to streamline the audit procedure and comply with the rebate requisites.
Tell us more about your project so we can work together toward making it happen in Panama.
Spain offers tax incentives for international shoots in the form of a tax rebate of up to 30%, except for in the Canary Islands where it is 50%. Navarre offers 35% via tax credit.
General Incentive: 30% Tax Rebate
*General incentive of 30% in the first million euros and 25% for the rest of the expenditure made in Spain
*Foreign production types: feature length films, television series, animated films, and documentaries.
*Maximum rebate limit: 10 million Euros.
*Beneficiaries: Spanish companies which are registered in the Film and Audio-visual Arts Institute’s register of audio-visual producers.
*Rebate base: Eligible expenses incurred in Spain.
*Eligible expenses: Creative staff with a registered address in the country or in another European Union member state, up to a maximum of 100,000 Euros per person/technical or complementary service.
*Minimum expense incurred in Spain: 1 million Euros and 200.000 euros for Animation and VFX projects
*Procedure: The refund must be applied for by the Spanish company, during the month of July of the year after the end of filming.
Navarre Incentive: 35% Tax Credit
As Navarre is a chartered territory with its own taxation system, it also has its own Corporation Tax Law which applicable tax benefits are subject to in this community: Article 65.2. Regional Order 24/1996, dated the 30th of December, on Corporation Tax (Text applicable on the 31st of December 2016) Rebate for investments in film and series audiovisual productions.
*Beneficiaries: Companies which are based in Navarre, and which are registered in the Film and Audiovisual Arts Institute’s register of audiovisual producers.
*Shoot duration: At least a week.
*Procedure: The incentive goes up to 35% for a mixed modality rebate of the corporation tax plus fiscal credit. If the tax to be paid is not high enough to cover the total amount of fiscal credit, the rest could be deducted from the Income Tax over the following years for a maximum of 15 years.
Canary Islands Incentive: 50% Tax Rebate
When shooting in the Canary Islands, there are special conditions involved if you want to access tax incentives, as the region complies with two of the conditions set by the European Commission to qualify for this tax system – it is an insular and outlying territory. The same common law is applied with a series of mark-ups.
* General incentive: 50% in the first million euros and 45% for the rest of the expenditure made in the Canary Islands.
* Maximum rebate limit: 5.4 million Euros (the maximum amount of deduction will likely be increased to EUR 18 million in the short term).
* Beneficiary: Companies with a registered address in the Canaries, which are registered in the Film and Audiovisual Arts Institute’s register of audiovisual producers, and which are managing the production overseas.
Let’s discuss your project, and how we can work together to secure the rebate for it.
The incentive in Romania is offered for film production and includes fictional short- or medium-length movies, animation features, TV Series, DVD or internet movies, or movies made to support culture and artistic ventures.
All qualifying productions can access a tax rebate ranging from 35% – 45%.
Minimum spend in Romania: 100.000 euro.
Maximum rebate: 10.000.000 euro per project / producer.
Registration and cultural test (40-50 days).
Subsidy request (30 days before shooting).
Only 20% of the total production budget must be spent in Romania.
Transparent process to get the money back within 4 – 6 months.
Contact us and share more details about your project so we can work with you to get the most out of local incentives in Romania.
Feature films, series – fiction, animation, and documentary projects are eligible for state rebate of 30% of qualified expenditure in Poland. Here are some notes on the application process to provide guidance for eligibility.
• Producers may apply for up to four projects per application round, including projects from previous application rounds with a pending decision;
• To be eligible for consideration, applications must contain every single piece of accompanying information that is requested (script, director’s explication, synopsis, budget, estimated production costs, script rights agreement, etc.);
• All applications are to be submitted in Polish;
• Important: Applicants must provide proof (letters of intent, memorandum, or co-production agreement) of the remaining sources of financing (i.e. excluding the grant requested from the Institute);
• The submitted project budget must comply with the cost limits set for a given year;
• The project review process lasts 90 days;
• The final decision is at the discretion of the General Director of the Polish Film Institute and takes into account the opinions of appointed experts;
• The grant decision remains valid for six months. This can be extended by a maximum of another six months;
• During this period, the producer must finalise an agreement with the PFI (having completed the budget and signed the remaining production agreements);
• If the film makes a profit, the grant is to be reimbursed (applicable only in the first six years after the film’s premiere).
Majority Co-Production:
• The project in general must follow the requirements set in the European Convention on Co-production;
• Co-production projects are evaluated based on artistic potential and must compete against domestic projects (same funding sources);
• The maximum subsidy for a contemporary full-length feature film is set at 4 million PLN (approx. 1 million Euro) or no more than 50% of the budget;
• If the director of the film is of Polish nationality, rules of a majority co-production apply even if Polish financing accounts for less than 50% of the budget;
• For international co-productions, the application must include details on the total amount to be spent on Polish territory, as well as a list of creative and production elements contributed by the Polish side;
• When applying for a subsidy for film production, the producer’s own contribution must amount to no less than 5% of the total expected cost of the project.
Minority Co-Productions:
• In bilateral co-productions, the Polish contribution must account for at least 20% of the total budget;
• In multilateral co-productions, the Polish contribution must account for at least 10% of the total budget;
• For a Polish co-producer of a European feature film, the maximum subsidy is 2 million PLN (approx. 500,000 Euros), which cannot exceed 50% of the Polish financing;
• For a Polish co-producer of a non-European feature film, the maximum subsidy is 1.5 million PLN (approx. 375,000 Euros), which cannot exceed 50% of the Polish financing;
• For minority international co-productions, the summary page of the global production budget must be included with the application, with totals converted into Polish zlotys (PLN), and including the exchange rates, as well as a detailed budget of the Polish side, indicating expenditures on Polish territory;
• For minority co-productions, when applying for a subsidy for film production, the Polish producer’s own contribution must amount to no less than 5% of the total expected cost of the project;
• The artistic contribution must be adequate to the requested subsidy and meet the minimum requirements listed below:
Features: At least one Polish head of department (DoP, set designer, editor, composer);
Animation: Producing part of the animation in Poland, and at least one Polish artist (director of animation, storyboard writer, author of artistic project, composer);
Documentaries: At least one of the following: Use of Polish archives, Polish character or subject, Polish artist (DoP, composer, editor)
• At least 80% of the subsidy must be spent in Poland.
Contact us for further assistance.
Commercial, feature film, and documentary projects may receive up to a 40% refund on qualifying production expenditures in Mauritius. The PSN South Africa Partner company is registered locally on Mauritius to extend the country’s incentives to our clients
Our team is at the ready to partner with producers of qualifying projects in order to benefit from these local incentives in Mauritius. Contact us with the details of your project, and let’s discuss how to make it happen!
The South Africa government offers an incentive to co-productions filmed in the country in order to support the local film industry. We can help foreign producers tap into available funds. Feature films, tele-movies, television drama series, documentaries, and animation with a total production budget of R2.5 million and above may benefit.
The available rebate is 35% of the first R6 million of Qualifying South African Production Expenditure (QSAPE) and 25% of the QSAPE on amounts above R6 million.
Applicants must create a Special Purpose Corporate Vehicle (SPCV) incorporated in the Republic of South Africa solely to produce the film or television project. The SPCV and parent company(ies) must have a majority of South African shareholders of whom at least one shareholder must play an active role in the production and be accredited in that role.
An applicant must be the entity responsible for all activities involved in making the production in South Africa and must have access to full financial information for the whole production.
Our team is at the ready to partner with producers of qualifying projects in order to benefit from the local incentives in South Africa.
Contact us with the details of your project, and let’s discuss how to make it happen!
Film, TV, videogames, and commercials working through us can qualify for a reimbursement of up to 17.5% of their total spend in Mexico.
10% of that figure is derived from the 0% VAT applied to international projects due to the ‘export product’ status. The remainder is a cash rebate known as ProAV, which is available for projects with a minimum spend in Mexico of 40 million pesos in prep & production (approximately USD 3.5 million) or 10 million pesos in post (about USD 770,000). When combined, the minimum spend is 40 million pesos.
Contact us about your project, and we’ll happily answer any questions to help bring your shoot to Mexico.
Eligible productions filming in Jordan can benefit from a 10% to 25% cash rebate on qualified expenses in the Kingdom. Productions of film, TV, radio, commercial, photography, gaming, animation, 2D, or 3D may qualify.
For a minimum spend of 1-3M US dollars the cash rebate is 10%. From 3-5M US dollars, it increases to 15%. 20% cash rebate is paid for qualified expenditure from 5-7M US dollars. Expenses above 7M US dollars may qualify for 25%, with a cash rebate cap of $2M US dollars.
This cash rebate is in addition to the tax exemption applied to sales, customs, and salaries of non-Jordanian cast and crew, provided all requirements are met.
The rebate is processed by a production service company registered in Jordan. Local hire of at least 50 crew members and training for 20 Jordanian interns should be integral to the production. The Royal Film Commission (RFC) logo is to be included in the end credits as well as collaboration with promotional activities in Jordan.
Let’s discuss your project, and how we can work together to secure the rebate.
Croatia offers percentage-based reimbursements to international producers of feature films, documentaries, animation, TV features, and TV series that are produced completely or partially in the country. Commercial productions are not eligible.
The benefit is based on the cost of Croatian tax residents (cast and crew) working in Croatia, as well as goods and services purchased in Croatia.
The Croatian Cultural/Qualifying Test comprises three categories, including the use of European cultural content; creative collaboration, with Croatians or Europeans in leading roles and the crew; and the use of Croatian production capacities, such as studios or locations. To be eligible, the project has to score 12 out of 34 points, granted that at least 4 points are scored in each category.
You can earn back up to 25% of the qualifying local expenditure. Contact us.
France offers a Tax Rebate for International Production (TRIP) of non-French projects that are completely or partly made in France. Commercial productions are not eligible. This incentive targets feature film, TV dramas, series, and animation. Provisional determinations can be made in under one month.
To be eligible, projects must pass a cultural test, which assesses European cultural elements in the story as well as French and European locations, characters, sources, landmarks, creators, crew, and French technical hubs. There’s a minimum of 5 shooting days required for live-action. Animated productions and VFX-intensive projects have their own specific cultural test, acknowledging the specificities of the genre.
The amount allocated comprises 30% of the qualified film expenditures incurred in France with a minimum expense of €250K and max of €30 million. VFX-intense projects (spending more than €2 million on VFX) may qualify for up to 40%. The TRIP is given to the French company managing the production/animation/VFX in France on behalf of the foreign producer.
Please note that the TRIP exclusively targets non-French productions. Support for co-production, making a production French via a co-production treaty and the CNC, may be an alternative some producers wish to explore.
Send us an email with details about your project, and we?ll do our best to help find the best way to make your production work with us here in France.
Film incentives are plenty across the USA and vary greatly state by state. Certain states offer tax advantages for any motion picture project inclusive of commercials while others restrict their offerings to only feature films and television series. Savings can differ greatly depending on a host of factors, including in-state spending, budget range, shooting in economic disadvantaged areas, using local vendors, and hiring local crew.
The minimum qualified spend can range from $50,000 on any project in Massachusetts to $75,000,000 feature films in California.
Incentives paid in the form of tax rebates or transferable tax credits can range from 5% to 40%.
Please contact us for more information or guidance to find tax advantages for your project.
Uruguay offers cash rebate incentives for foreign film projects that are completely or partly made in the country. The broad-based reimbursement to qualifying projects are available to producers of commercials, feature films, short films, music videos, animations, documentaries, TV productions and series for all types of media distribution services such as TV, OTT, VOD, Streaming, Theatrical releases, etc.
A minimum production spend of USD 300.000 in Uruguay is required to benefit from the 20% cash rebate for commercials. The rebate cap is USD 100.000. The rebate increases to 25% of eligible costs for all other types of projects spending more than USD 300.000 in the country. The max. cash rebate other types of projects is USD 1.000.000 per project.
Rebates are made directly to the foreign producer, though a local production service company must be hired to work locally with the foreign production company. Government paybacks can be expected 3 months after the production wrap and successful presentation of an audit.
Also worth noting is that production expenses within this framework are VAT exempt.
These are the fundamental parameters. Precise details are best explored on a case-by-case basis so don’t hesitate to reach out to us with your project’s details. We aim to maximize the savings available to your foreign production in Uruguay.
As one of the production service companies registered by Uruguay’s Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAU), we are also positioned to discuss co-productions eligible for Uruguay. It is helpful to note from the outset that selection processes make this approach practical for qualifying productions with all needed documentation prepared for submission at least 3 months prior of starting principal photography in the country. Local film financing options can also be explored.
Application process (Submission-Evaluation- Approval) totals 30 days.
Write us with details about your project and the form of assistance you seek. We’re here to help bring your project to shoot with us in Uruguay and to benefit with all our country has to offer.
Canada provides tax credits for non-Canadian projects that are made in the country. Commercial productions are not eligible. The incentive targets cinema and film, scripted TV, animation, and visual effects.
Depending on the Canadian province, foreign producers can access combined federal and provincial tax credits on eligible labour and on local qualifying spend.
The refundable federal tax credit is equal to 16 % of the qualifying labour paid to Canadian residents during the making of a qualified production, net of any “assistance” which includes the various provincial tax incentives.
The province of Quebec offers 20% of qualifying Québec Labour and other non-labour expenditures (qualified goods and services).
The province of British Colombia (BC) offers 33% of qualifying BC labour expenditures.
Visual Effects and Animation Tax Credits
British Columbia and Quebec are the 2 provinces offering very attractive tax incentives for visual effects and animation.
Quebec offers 16% tax incentive for labor-based computer-aided special effects and animation & Shooting of scenes in front of a chroma key screen.
In BC, the Digital Animation or Visual Effects (DAVE) Credit is 17.5% of qualifying DAVE labour.
Minimum Budget Requirement
Feature: Total Film Budget $1M CAD (Global budget)
TV Series:
Contact us to further explore how your next project can qualify.
The New Zealand Screen Production (International) Grant made available to qualifying production expenditure is 20% for television, film, other non-feature formats, post, digital, and visual effects. The grant is a cash rebate (not a tax rebate) and gets paid out after completion.
The New Zealand Domestic Screen Production Grant is 40% for local films and television including qualifying coproductions. New Zealand has coproduction treaties with 17 countries.
Qualifying expenditure includes goods and services provided in New Zealand, including offshore above-the-line cast (for whatever period they are in the country) and crew if they are in New Zealand for more than 14 days.
Contact us to discuss your project, and how it can benefit from New Zealand’s grant.
Australia offers percentage-based tax rebates to qualifying international productions and co-productions that are produced completely or partially in the country. These incentives are made available for fiction or documentary features, TV films or series, post production, and special effects. As of April 2019, productions distributed on SVOD’s may also qualify.
The criteria determining eligible costs and the percentages vary according to the type of production and the state (s) that you shoot in.
The cost savings through the Producer Offset can be up to 40% with other incentives ranging between 16.5 -35%. Each state has various film funds that offer additional incentives to attract more filmmakers.
Please feel free to contact us for more information, we’d be glad to help.
Greece offers a cash rebate of 40% for all production & post-production expenses spend in Greece. The minimum local expenditure is 100,000 Euros, and there’s no cap on the budget.
Feature films, scripted TV content, documentaries, animation, and video games that pass a simplified Cultural Test criteria can all qualify. Advertising commercials cannot qualify for the incentive.
Project approval is determined within 15 days upon submission of a script synopsis and budget estimate. The rebate is granted 180 days upon submission of the auditing report.
If a production spends over 4.000.000 Euros in Greek tax entities, then the same amount for international cast & crew fees will be eligible for 40% cash rebate too!!!
Tell us about your project and we’ll share how best to tap into the Greek rebate.
Ukraine offers a rebate of 25% + an additional 5% for projects meeting specific cultural criteria. Companies registered in Ukraine or foreign producers working under contract with a Ukrainian production company like PSN Ukraine may apply.
To qualify, projects should pass a culture test and have a minimum total budget of 750,000 Euros for feature films, 560,000 Euros for TV drama series, 320,000 Euros for commercials and music videos, 190,000 Euros for tele-movies, and 120,000 Euros for documentaries. Note that in the case of commercials, 10% of the rebate must be reinvested to support Ukrainian debut films.
Reach out and tell us more about your project so we can make it happen together.
The UK offers up to a 25% tax relief on non-UK projects that are partly or fully made within the UK. Qualifying sectors are feature films, high-end television, animation, children’s television and video gaming. Television Commercials are currently not part of the incentive.
The project must qualify as British by either passing a Cultural Test (a points based series of questions mostly focussed on the cultural content, crew, locations, cast) or can qualify as an official co-production.
Each sector has different requirements for tax relief qualification but are mainly factored by core UK expenditure (video gaming UK/EEA), airtime, minimum budget spend and content that is intended for broadcast (including internet) or theatrical release.
Theatrical productions, orchestral concerts, and exhibitions are also able to reclaim tax and have their own guidelines and requirements but do not need to apply for and pass a cultural test.
Please contact for further questions and information.
Italy offers many different incentives for feature films, documentaries and TV series productions.
Commercial productions are not eligible.
INTERNAL TAX CREDIT
An Italian production company can obtain up to 40% of the eligible costs of the total budget as tax credit for feature films, documentaries and TV series productions. The tax credit is not automatic: not every project can access to it so we offer our expertise before submitting to the whole ministerial process and then managing it.
There are two phases of application: the first one determines if the project is eligible for the tax credit, the second one starts as soon as it is determined that the project can obtain the credit. From when the second phase starts, a year passes before the credit is transferred to the firm.
The PSN Italy team can analyze a project to determine potential eligibility for the credit, processing times and all the necessary costs.
EXTERNAL TAX CREDIT
To encourage investment in the film industry, there is also a tax credit of 20% for Italian companies outside the industry, which can arrive up to 40% if the film obtains a fund from the state as well. This specific possibility requires that the local film company is involved in development of the project, the sooner the better.
Eligibility for both tax credits is subject to approval by the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, MIC.
FUS – Unique Fund for Performing Arts
The government provides direct funding for projects it determines a priority, following a study of the script, writers, actors, Italian talent, historical & cultural interest, and more. Funding is both for the development stage and the production of the project. Production companies which retain partial rights of a film may apply. The evaluation process usually requires that a producer seeking this funding applies at least one year in advance.
REGIONAL FUNDS / FILM COMMISSION FUNDS
Each Italian region publishes a fund with specific budgets for films, documentaries and TV series every year.
Criteria determining eligible costs and the type of assistance vary from region to region and can be either confirmed or modified each year. It is necessary to have the documentation ready at least six months before the application to the fund, therefore the application needs to be considered long before the starting of the project.
Tell us more about your project so we can help determine how to best take advantage of the incentives now available in Italy!
Chile offers a cash rebate of up to 30% for production of feature films, TV series, or digital platform series. The minimum qualified spend in the country is USD 2 million. The project cap is USD 3 million.
Foreign producers access the rebate by establishing a co-production agreement with a local producer like the PSN Chile Partner.
Contact us to discuss the details of your project, and how we can work together to make it happen in Chile.
In Hungary there is a 30% subsidy on the total cost of the film production. All qualified production costs can be included – that is, for the expenses that are spent in Hungary and those foreign expenses that are directly associated with the scenes shot in Hungary. There is no limit to what size the budget can be when applying.
Subsidies are only available for feature films, documentaries, and drama series. They are not eligible for commercials, reality shows, or soap operas.
There is a ‘cultural test’ which reduces the chance of receiving a subsidy if the production does not portray European locations in the scenes, and if the project is purely about violence. Content that is severely detrimental to minors (i.e., adult movies) is not likely to be accepted either. Productions employing a significant amount of Hungarian crew members increase the odds of receiving a subsidy.
Subsidy funds are, in all cases, delivered after the shoot, often at the end of the year. Producers must have the full amount of shooting funds at their disposal for the shoot.
Write us an email with your production plans, and we can elaborate on the subsidies your project may be eligible for. Let us assist you to work out the best possible options!
Austria is encouraging foreign productions to bring their shoots to the country. The incentive goes up to 25% of the eligible production costs for feature films and documentaries.
To be eligible for service productions, the total production costs of a fiction film should be at least EUR 4 million, while the minimum spend in Austria should be EUR 400,000.
The productions should pass the cultural test, which consists of four main categories: cultural content, film professionals, production criteria, and exploitation.
The film incentive program is called FISA (Film Industry Support Austria), and it runs under Austria’s Federal Ministry of Digital and Economic Affairs. They make the final decision on who gets the grant, while the whole process is managed by the so called Austria Wirtschaftsservice (aws) and Location Austria–The National Film Commission.
Payment normally happens in two instalments: 30% at the start of the production and 70% after reviewing the final costs.
Please don’t hesitate to share your plans with us so we can help you to understand if your production is eligible for the subsidy!
