The Hollywood Reporter: Advantages to Filming in Georgia

BERLIN - The Hollywood Reporter has published an article about the progress of Georgian film production in the last few years.

The Film office and other representatives of several countries were in Berlin over the past week to tout their new production incentives at the European Film Market amid the increasing competition for Hollywood and other international shoots.

Foreign film makers are being encouraged to use the unique Georgian landscape and architecture to shoot their films.

THR reported that Georgia was the first former Soviet republic outside the Baltic area to develop an incentive scheme. Last year it announced plans for a 20% plus cash rebate and has been promoting its “Film in Georgia” initiative in Berlin.

Film in Georgia formally launched last month and currently an additional 5% on top of the standard rebate is available for those films that signal that they have been shot in Georgia, for example by showing the flag or well-known buildings.

The Georgian Film Commission’s David Vashadze told THR that there is a request that any films shot in Georgia should cast the country in a positive light.

"The application process is fully online and you can apply with a script and a treatment. Funds are released within 90 days of presenting audited accounts of in-country spend," he said.

Georgia also offers architecture that reflects a jumble of European Asian and Soviet style and has landscapes ranging from snow-covered mountains to desert and seaside within a few hours’ drive of each other.

According to THR, the scheme has already attracted two projects – a Bollywood movie and a pilot designed to appeal to a US network show.

Photo: Giorgi Mrevlishvili