Hollywood in Israel: As part of a new program to encourage foreign film productions in Israel, which includes filming and editing of international films and series, support has been approved for 12 productions that will soon be filmed in Israel. The committee, a combination of the Investment Authority of the Ministry of Economy and Industry, the Ministry of Culture and Sports, the Ministry of Tourism, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Investments amounting to 172 million
With the publication of the new aid track, 19 applications were received, reflecting a demand for the program in the amount of approximately NIS 51 million, 2.2 times the budget allocated to the program. The submitted applications will result in an investment in filming movies and TV series in Israel amounting to over NIS 172 million.
Next year, the Investment Authority intends to continue the program to encourage foreign productions in Israel. The partner government ministries believe that the important step will bring with it a significant message, the center of which is the positive branding of Israel in the world as a center for shooting international films and series, using the natural resources and unique and historical filming sites that exist in Israel. Also, the decision will provide livelihood to many Israelis who will participate in the various productions.
The huge production corporations that will come to Israel
Israel has many advantages in the field of the film industry and series that include a good infrastructure of facilities and production services, skilled professionals and an available pool of graduates from leading film schools in the world and it can be a significant focus for foreign productions to film in Israel. Bringing the foreign production industry to Israel will serve as a lever for the development of Israeli culture, incoming tourism as well as financial support, especially after a particularly difficult year and a half due to the Corona epidemic.
Among the productions whose application was approved, we will soon see leading production corporations such as: Mediawan, Fremantle Media, Warner Bros. (WB), Emjag Productions, Showtime from Viacom and other production corporations from Canada, USA, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy and other countries.
“We discovered the beautiful face of the Israeli film industry”
Shlomo Atias, director of the Investment Authority and the person who headed the committee that selected the productions that will receive support, said: “The program puts Israel in line with most of the countries in the world that provide aid and incentives to encourage filming in their territories. During the work process, we discovered the beautiful face of the Israeli film industry and the great global interest in Israel I hope that our assistance will bring more and more foreign production companies to invest in Israel. I thank all our partners in the ministries of culture and sports, foreign affairs, finance and tourism.”