The information was translated using the ChatGPT service.
At its meeting on 1 June 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers decided to allocate an additional state budget funding of 1,994,857 euros for co-financing foreign films shot in Latvia for film projects in the third selection round organized by the Latvian Investment and Development Agency (LIAA) in 2023. It is planned that with the additional funding, seven joint film projects of Latvian and German, Israeli, French, Swiss, Finnish, and Irish producer associations will be implemented.
As a result of project implementation, funding of 9.79 million euros will flow into the Latvian economy for filming needs, and the amount paid in taxes will amount to 3.12 million euros.
"Joint foreign film projects not only help strengthen the competitiveness and exportability of Latvian film professionals in the international market but also promote Latvia's recognition in the film industry and provide income in other related economic sectors - logistics, accommodation, catering, and other services. In 2022 and 2023, efforts were made to attract foreign producers. Thus, at this year's Berlin Film Festival, negotiations were started with Netflix about filming opportunities in Latvia, and an agreement was reached that in the fall, representatives of the largest film studios in the US and Europe will come to the Baltic states to position the Baltic region as an excellent location for filming, including offering state support programs," emphasizes Minister of Economy Ilze Indriksone.
By approving additional funding for the state support program for foreign film shooting in Latvia in 2023, the following projects could be implemented: • Continuation of the series "Sisi" about the last Austro-Hungarian empress Elizabeth by the producer association "Cinevilla Films" and the German Story House Picture GmbH, • Feature film "Haims and Grēta" by the producer association Ego Media and the Israeli ZAO Films, • Joint project "Terra X One day in..." by the producer association "Cinevilla Films" and the German Story House Picture GmbH, • Joint project "Two Prosecutors" by the Latvian producer association "White Picture" and the French SBS Productions, • Joint project "Glass Wall" by the Latvian producer association TASSE FILM and the Swiss Snakefilm GmbH, • Joint project "After Us Only Floods" by the Latvian producer association TASSE FILM and the Finnish Art Films Productions, • Joint project "Restoration at the Greison House" by the Latvian producer association "Studio Locomotive" and the Irish Fantastic Films Ltd.
To attract foreign investment, various financial mechanisms have been established in many countries in Europe and around the world, both in terms of taxes and funds, so that foreign film producers would be financially interested in shooting films in a particular country, recovering part of the invested funding. In March 2022, the Latvian government approved a state support program for foreign film shooting in Latvia developed by the Ministry of Economy.
For granting state co-financing for foreign film shooting, LIAA organizes an open competition for project applications twice a year. The available co-financing amount for one project is 20% of the total eligible expenses specified in the co-financing agreement, while for eligible salary payment positions, the co-financing amount is 30%. Co-financing is granted if the film mentioned in the project application simultaneously meets the following conditions – the film is shot entirely or partially in Latvia; the services of physical or legal persons registered in Latvia are used in the filming; the total film project costs for feature films and animation films reach at least 711,436 euros, but for documentary films – at least 142,287 euros; on the day of submitting the project application, the foreign producer has funding available according to the financing plan of at least 50% of the total film shooting costs.
Previously, support for foreign film shooting in Latvia was administered by the National Film Center (NFC). It can be mentioned that from 2016 to 2020, the NFC co-financed the creation of 25 foreign film projects in Latvia. The creators of these films invested 16,557,031 euros in Latvia, and the co-financing paid to these projects amounted to 3,008,719 euros.
In 2018 and 2019, TV series "Heirs of The Night" (Netherlands, Germany, Norway) were shot partly or fully in Latvia, where season 1 and 2 were filmed in Latvia by 85%. Another notable film is the art film "Ravens Hollow" (United Kingdom), which was filmed 100% in Latvia in 2021 (mostly in Cinevilla).
Among the significant film projects financed with the support of the co-financing program and made in Latvia, one can mention Sergei Loznitsa's drama "A Gentle Creature", produced in Latvia by the company "Film Angels Studio". The film premiered in the 2017 Cannes Film Festival competition program. In 2019, the Finnish director J. P. Valkeapää's film "Dogs Don't Wear Pants" premiered internationally during the Cannes Film Festival, supported by the co-financing program and the film studio "Tasse Film".
Thanks to the support of the co-financing program, large-scale feature film series have also been shot in Latvia - for example, the series "Heirs of the Night" produced by the Dutch company "Lemming Films". In 2021, the support of the co-financing program was significant for the filming of the historical series "Sisi" in Latvia in cooperation with the Latvian film studio "Cinevilla Films", which is a project of the experienced German film studio "Story House Productions". In 2022, the partial shooting of the second season of the TV series SISI also continued in Latvia. In 2020, with the support of the co-financing program, filming took place in Latvia for the film "Wedding II" (Vesele 2), produced by the Latvian film studio "Tasse Film" and co-produced by the Polish film studio "Studio Metrage" by Voiceka Smaržovska.