06-01-2020

Ukraine Launches Cash Rebate Programme For Foreign Film Production

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    KYIV: The Ukraine is launching a cash rebate for foreign film productions starting 2020. Feature films, documentaries and animated films can apply, as well as TV feature films or animated series, commercials and music videos. Under the scheme foreign productions will be able to get back up to 25% of the qualified costs for producing films in the Ukraine, and an additional 5% if they pass the cultural test on Ukrainian subjects.

    The Ukrainian rebate system was initiated in 2015 and it was signed by the President in 2017 for 16.6% rebates of the 25% cash rebates asked by the film industry. The law didn't come into force and in September 2019, the new Parliament voted for new amendments finally making way to 25-30% cash rebates.

    Ukranian film producers hope to become strong competitors for foreign film production to the Czech Republic, Romania, Poland and other central European neighbours who all have had production incentives in place for some time. A number of high profile central European coproductions have shot in UKR recently, including the epic historical TV series Slavs / Slovania by Jozef Koleják, Veronika Kolejáková and Ján Luterán, a Slovak/Ukrainian coproduction between Wanda Hrycová´s Wandal Production and Andrey Yermak´s European Partnership Media Group.