19-10-2012

Foreign producers Apply to Croatian Film Tax Incentives Programme

By Iulia Blaga

    ZAGREB: The first tax incentive scheme is now underway in Croatia with five projects that have applied for the 2.65 m EUR (20 m HRK) available from the Croatian Audiovisual Centre (www.havc.hr). Producers from the US, UK, France and Switzerland are among those that have applied.

    The programme started in July and is unfolding in two phases: the application phase before the beginning of shooting (a minimum of one month before shooting) and submission of the final documents at the end of the production in Croatia.

    "Basically we are waiting now for these projects to finish shooting and to give us the final statements," representatives of HAVC told FNE. HAVC disclosed just one of the five titles involved – HBO's Game of Thrones.  The international productions and coproduction applying for the 20% cash rebate are from the US, UK, France and Switzerland.

    The programme runs on a “first come first served” basis, with 2.65m EUR (20m HRK) allotted annually. The results of the first programme will be announced at the beginning of 2013. The first two years will serve as a test phase for a programme that was the result of extensive lobbying by HAVC, which emphasised the scheme’s financial advantages and its potential to revitalize the Croatian film industry