Georgia’s cash rebate program attracts American filmmakers

A new American television series is being filmed in Georgia.

United States (US)-based filmmakers confirmed they would shoot their TV series in Georgia and had applied to the Georgian state cash rebate program, which would assist them financially while filming.

The series, titled Marisa Romanov, will tell the story of an American journalist who travels to Georgia to learn about her roots.

The series was based on the 2001 short film of the same name, which was picked for the Official Short Selection of the Venice Film Festival.

The new small screen production will feature elements of crime and drama and cast several American actors for the episodes currently being filmed.

Produced by Noirtainment Film and Television Production Company since 2015, the main part of the story will be filmed in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi.

The series was created by producer and publicist Miranda Spigener-Sapon and a team of executive producers including New York-based Georgian filmmaker Gela Andrew Suli.

The Los Angeles-based Noirtainment studio specialised on films of the neo-noir genre.

The cash rebate incentive offered by Georgia to international filmmakers was the subject of an article by cinema review website www.hollywoodreporter.com:

Georgia was the first former Soviet republic outside the Baltic area to develop an incentives scheme. Last year, it announced plans for a 20 percent-plus cash rebate and has been promoting its 'Film in Georgia' initiative in Berlin," said the website.

Within the initiative, film and television projects made in Georgia could be reimbursed by the state up to 25 percent of the expenses they incur while filming.

The Film in Georgia program was formally presented by Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili in Tbilisi in January.