Film in Georgia: Georgia creates top conditions for film producers

Georgian Gov't has launched the ‘Film in Georgia’ initiative to develop the local film industry and get Georgia on the map as an international film location. Kazbegi. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Agenda.ge, 25 Jan 2016 - 15:31, Tbilisi,Georgia

Major players in the international film industry are coming to Georgia to learn more about the country’s unique filming environment.

Disney officials and Bollywood representatives from India were some of the film industry experts who recently came to Georgia to learn more about the Government of Georgia’s initiative to stimulate the local film sector by offering favourable conditions for local and international film makers.

Earlier the Government announced it would offer financial support to film makers in an attempt to attract small and big budget film producers to Georgia.

The initiative was part of the ‘Produce in Georgia’ state program, which supported entrepreneurship and worked to increase the country’s export potential.

Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili will present the 'Film in Georgia' program tomorrow at Karvasla Exhibition Centre in Tbilisi.

Georgia's capital Tbilisi is one of the favourite locations for international filmmakers. Photo by N. Alavidze/Agenda.ge.

As part of this, Kvirikashvili will speak about and launch a new part of the program – the Cash Rebate mechanism. This will allow film makers to enjoy top conditions while producing films and documentaries in Georgia, and take a 25 percent cash rebate for carrying out their activities here.

In particular, filmmakers who choose to shoot feature films, television movies, drama series, soap operas, animations, reality shows and documentary films in Georgia will be refunded 25 percent of their "qualified expenses”.

The ‘Film in Georgia’ initiative 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 in Eastern Europe.

Georgia’ Ministry of Economy said 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.

Disney explores Georgia

High officials from an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate the Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney, visited Georgia on September 20, 2015.

The aim of the visit was to share its experience with Georgian film makers and film industry experts.

Vice President of Disney MaryAnn Hughes and head of Entertainment Partners Joe Chianese - one of the leading providers of entertainment industry software – met Georgian cinema industry representatives in Tbilisi and spoke about the local and international film market.

Bollywood comes to Georgia

At the end of last year Bollywood film representatives visited Georgia several times to learn about Georgia’s filming potential.

Georgia’s Minister of Finance Nodar Khaduri hosted Bollywood producer and director Abbas Mastan at his Tbilisi office on December, 2015. Photo by Georgia's Ministry of Finance. 

After several visits the film makers decided to utilise Georgia and shot three movies, two musical clip and five advertisement video in the country.

The guests said the support offered from the Government of Georgia was one of the deciding factors for choosing Georgia.

International directors film in Georgia

More recently a French drama film named The Search written, directed, produced and co-edited by Michel Hazanavicius, and co-produced by Thomas Langmann was filmed in Georgia.

Additionally Australian film Partizan was also filmed in Georgia, which featured world-famous French actor Vincent Cassel.

About $7 million GEL was spent in Georgia to film The Search and Partizan, and more than 1,000 local people were employed while these films were shot.

The main filming locations were capital city Tbilisi, Rustavi, Likani, Borjomi, Tusheti and Javakheti.