Thanks to the favorable Film Tax Incentive system, an increasing number of foreign filmmakers are opting to shoot in Lithuania. Recent data published by the Lithuanian Film Centre reveals a significant uptick in corporate investment for film production and the number of film projects benefiting from tax relief in 2023.
According to the Lithuanian Film Centre, film producers leveraging the incentive scheme raised €21.08 million in non-reimbursable funds from Lithuanian companies in 2023. This marks an 18% increase compared to the successful results of 2022. Notably, this figure represents the highest amount received in the entire history of the incentive program.
Additionally, the number of financed films experienced a rise. A total of 101 new films benefiting from the corporate tax credit were financed in 2023: 70 national, 14 foreign, and 17 co-production projects.
Most films are shot in Vilnius
The third season of the German TV series “Sisi,” filmed in Vilnius, garnered the most investment in 2023. Among national projects, the detective series “Wolf’s Palate” by Emilis Vėlyvis, of which part of the scenes were filmed in the capital, secured the largest investment. This project also received funding from the Lithuanian Film Centre.
The Vilnius Film Office highlights the ongoing filming of a German TV series, which is currently benefiting from the tax incentive, in the capital. Based on a novel by Danish writer Peter Höeg, this series will transport viewers to a dystopian near-future. Filming, exclusively conducted in Vilnius, commenced in September last year and is scheduled for completion in March. The filming crew consists of nearly 160 professionals, with over half being Lithuanian.
“Vilnius has provided us with various excellent locations with great potential. In some spaces, we filmed several different scenes. We are pleased with the working conditions and the expertise of local film industry professionals,” states the international production team based in Vilnius.
How does the Film Tax Incentive for film production function?
The primary aim of the corporate tax credit is to create conducive conditions for film production in Lithuania, benefiting both domestic and foreign producers. It offers a corporate tax reduction for Lithuanian companies contributing funds to film production. This allows private sponsors to cover up to 30% of the production budget of a film in Lithuania, facilitating financing for film production in the country.
Based on the press release by the Vilnius Film Office
