‘Film in Georgia’ stimulates country’s film industry

Georgia is offering financial support to international filmmakers who choose to shoot their films in Georgia.

The Government of Georgia has launched the Film in Georgia initiative to develop the local film industry and get Georgia on the map as an international film location.

The initiative was part of the state program Produce in Georgia, which supported entrepreneurship and worked to increase the country’s export potential. Recently this program added a new component – Film in Georgia – to promote the country’s cinema potential.

Filmmakers who choose to shoot feature films, television movies, drama series, soap operas, animation and documentary films are encouraged to choose Georgia as their filming location, and by doing so, the Government of Georgia will cover 20 percent of the filming costs.

Georgia’s Economy Ministry said the program aimed to develop the local cinema industry, bring new technologies into the market, improve the qualifications of local cinema industry players, increase Georgia’s cinema market and make the country a more popular and desired film location.

This would also help promote Georgia’s tourism potential, develop the country’s regions and increase the number of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) to the country, said the Ministry.

Guidelines stated only legal entities that were registered in Georgia were eligible to be benefactors of the program.

Additionally, total filming must not be shorter than three days for filmmakers to be considered for the Governmental support.