The film and TV tax credit of Italy is structured with an eye toward boosting its national industry. The tax credit channels significant funds into national productions as it sets a €20M cap on payouts to a single production company or group of companies for international projects.

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 minimum qualified expenditure is €250,000.

The tax credit is not automatic: not every project can access it. We offer our expertise in preparing the submission for the ministerial approval 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.

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!

Tap into our team’s expertise with an email providing details of your project.

Spain offers tax incentives for international shoots of feature length films, television series, animated films, and documentaries. The incentives are in the form of a tax rebate of up to 30%, except for in the Canary Islands, where it is up to 54%.

Mainland and Balearic Island parameters
-Minimum overall budget 2 million €, minimum qualifying spend in Spain (used & consumed) = 1M€
-General deduction: 30% on first million €, 25% thereafter.
-For series, as from 2023, same ratio (30/25) as above, per episode
-Maximum return capped at 20 million € and for series 10 million € per episode
-Minimum qualifying spend in Spain for animation and VFX projects is € 200K.

Canary Island parameters:
-Minimum overall budget 2 million €, minimum qualifying spend in Spain (used & consumed*) = 1M€
-54% deduction on first million €, 45% deduction thereafter
-For series, as from 2023, same ratio (54/45) as above, per episode
-Max return capped at 36 million €uro per project, and for series 18 million € per episode
-Exclusively in the CI, a tax-exempt certificate can be obtained, hence the cash flowing of IGIC (CI VAT) is almost insignificant

For both instances:
-Qualifying cost (deduction base) may not exceed 80% of total budget
-Total rebate claim may not exceed 50% of production cost.

Requisites:
-Cultural Test compliance.
-Indicate in credits that the production has benefited from the Spanish tax incentive (LIS. 36.2), and acknowledge collaboration of Govt of Spain, specific ministries if applicable, or relevant support from bodies such as local authorities, Film Commissions and Offices, Police Dept, etc.
-Authorize the use of the title of the work and graphic and audiovisual press material that expressly includes specific locations of filming or any other production process carried out in Spain, for carrying out activities and preparing promotional materials in Spain and abroad for cultural or tourist purposes, which can be carried out by state, regional, or local entities with competences in matters of culture, tourism, and economy, as well as by the Film Commissions or Film Offices that have intervened in filming or production.

Notes:
-Creative personnel (Director, Cast, writers, DOP, Prod designer, Editor, Composer, Costume Des, Sound mixer, Makeup & Hair designer) qualify only if EU tax residents. However, technicians and equipment (used & consumed in Spain) do.

The rebate is accessed via a Spanish company Corporate Tax return, for which we create a designated SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle) for each project, this SPV is administered by us and is required to stay operative for some 3 to 4 years.

Only costs incurred after the date of constitution of the SPV will be eligible for the rebate.

Depending on the SPVs fiscal calendar, corporate tax return is submitted 7 months from the end of the fiscal year, and from that time the average refund period is 6 to 7 months.

Cast is subject to withholding tax – 19% if EU, 24% others. This is a direct obligation if not engaged by the Spanish company,

Let’s discuss your project, and how we can work together to secure the rebate for it.

The capital city of Abu Dhabi provides a cash rebate of up to 30% on qualified spend. Officials have announced a boost to 35% effective January 1, 2025. We will update this text as any other changes are formalized.

At present, 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.

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 New Zealand Domestic Screen Production Grant is 40% for local films and television including qualifying coproductions. New Zealand has coproduction treaties with 17 countries.

Both grants are a cash rebate (not a tax rebate). They are paid out after completion.

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.

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.

Portugal offers two distinct forms of an incentive – a Rebate and a Refund – for filmmakers executing projects in the country. Both incentives of 25-30% receive a boost of up to 40% for qualifying expenditures of film and TV projects done in areas of low population density or on the archipelagos of Madeira and Açores.  Our local team can work with producers to determine the extent of local funding made available to international projects.

The Refund for film and TV productions making a minimum qualifying expenditure in Portugal of 2.5M EUR is 30% on the first 2M EUR and 25% on surplus. There is a cap of 6M EUR for feature films and 3M EUR per episode.

The annual budget for the Refund is €20M. It is made available to filmmakers on a first-qualified, first-served basis.

Smaller scope fiction and animation projects with qualified minimum expenditure in Portugal of €500.000 may be eligible for a cash Rebate of 25% to 30%. Documentaries and post-production may also qualify with a minimum expenditure in Portugal of €200.000 for documentaries or post-production.

The Rebate is capped at €1.5M EUR per project. The 2024 Rebate budget is €14M. There is an application period in the spring and another in the fall.

Above-the-line expenditures in an EU territory, such as actors, may also qualify for the Portuguese film incentives.

To encourage filmmaking in Portuguese regions of low population density or on the archipelagos of Madeira and Açores, local expenses such as hotels & accommodation can qualify for an incentive boost up to 40% Rebate or Refund.

A cultural test and the characteristics of the project are taken into consideration for the the Rebate and the Refund. Influential factors include high economic impact in Portugal, expenses made in low density areas, and hiring local actors, technicians, services, and suppliers.

 Call on us for more details on how we can help your project secure this funding.

Australia offers a host of highly attractive production incentives (inclusive of both grants and tax rebates) for qualifying international productions and co-productions that are produced completely or partially in the country. These incentives are made available for SVOD’s, fiction or documentary features, TV films or series, post-production, and SFX.  Cost savings may be available through the Producer Offset (up to 40% for features and 30% for non-features) or the Location Offset (30% for qualifying Australian production expenditure over AUD $20 million and AUD $1.5 million per hour for television series).

Each Australian state has various film funds that offer additional incentives to attract more filmmakers.

The criteria determining eligible costs and the percentages vary, according to the type of production and the state(s) that you shoot in.

Please feel free to contact us for more information, we’d be glad to help.

A 2024 update to the film incentive in Greece has streamlined the process while ensuring that a 40% cash rebate remains available for all Greek qualifying expenses related to pre-production, filming, post-production, animation, and CGI.

Eligible projects include feature films, scripted TV shows, creative documentaries, animation films, and video games. Advertising spots, reality shows, and sports programs are excluded.

The minimum Greek spend requirement is €200,000 per feature film projects or up to 16 episodes of TV shows with a minimum spend of 120.000 Euros per episode. For projects with local expenditures exceeding €8 million, the 40% cash rebate will also cover the fees of the international director and two leading actors.

During the previous years, 85 international projects have been awarded -and cashed out already- approx. 94.000.000 euros as 40% cash rebate for their production expenses in Greece.

A minimum annual budget of €55 million is now allocated for cash rebate grants, supporting over €175 million in productions annually. The rebate cap per project is set at €8 million, with the potential to increase to €10 million for projects that promote Greece.

Our team has serviced over 30 long form TV and feature film projects, supporting more than 120 shoot days annually with crews of 80 to 120 persons plus cast and extras, along with equipment and gear needs, for clients like Warner, Netflix, Grandview, ITV, RTL Studios, Banijay, Freemantle, Polsat, and more.

We have the expertise and a dedicated team to manage all cash rebate procedures seamlessly. Moreover, safety and sustainability remain at the core of our operations, ensuring a responsible and secure environment for all involved.

If you believe Greece could be the ideal location for your next project, reach out to setup a call so we can walk you through the advantages of shooting in our wonderful country!

A summer 2024 call for new projects marked the official return of the re-instated film incentive of Romania. A maximum of €10M is made available as a cash rebate applicable to 30% of local eligible spend. The rebate requires a minimum local spend on qualifying genres as outlined:

• €100,000 for feature film (over 60 min.)
• €100,000 for each episode of a series
• €50,000 for documentary film
• €15,000 for short films, animation films of at least 5 min., or animation series.