New Zealand, which already has some of the most generous financial incentives for film, is to launch a fund to help develop feature international films and TV series.
The International Co-Development Fund (ICF) expands the current Co-Production Development Fund for official feature film co-productions. It will include the development and/or packaging of drama series official co-productions or series drama projects with market partners such as a sales agent, streaming platform or broadcaster.
The fund will become operational July 1, and be run by the New Zealand Film Commission. It will have an annual pool of $262,000 (NZ$400,000), which is payable to the New Zealand partner in a co-production as matched development funding.
“SeeSaw and Jane Campion’s acclaimed ‘Top of the Lake’ and more recent series such as ‘The Dead Lands,’ produced by Matthew Metcalfe’s GFC Films for AMC, [and] ‘Straight Forward,’ produced by Philly de Lacey for Screentime, all showcase New Zealand’s ability to deliver world-class and distinctive drama,” said NZFC CEO Annabelle Sheehan. “We want to support more content at this level.”
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The NZFC administers the New Zealand Screen Production Grant for local/official co-production film and television projects (40% cash grant) and international film and television projects (20% cash grant).
The country also has 18 official co-production treaties in Asia and Europe, Australia, Canada, Israel and South Africa.