Lisbon, July 19, 2024 (Lusa) - A total of 20 film and television projects have been admitted to the first phase of access to combined production incentives of €7 million from the Tourism and Cinema Support Fund, the Cinema and Audiovisual Institute (ICA) has revealed.
On Tuesday, the ICA released the provisional list of eligible projects and projects excluded from the first phase - which took place between April and May - of the cash rebate incentive programme for film and audiovisual production and prospection and promotion missions in Portugal.
On this list are 20 planned films and series, which will benefit from an allocation of €7 million, although the amounts to be awarded to each one have not been revealed.
The three projects with the best scores were ‘A queda’, a film by Simão Cayatte (Leopardo Filmes), ‘Ilhas’, Mário Patrocínio's first feature-length film (APM), and ‘Memórias do Cárcere’, a project by Mário Barroso (Leopardo Filmes).
Another project by Paulo Branco's production company Leopardo Filmes, entitled ‘Lavagante’, which filmmaker António-Pedro Vasconcelos (1939-2024) wanted to make as an adaptation of a work by José Cardoso Pires, and which Mário Barroso is now directing, was also accepted.
The film projects ‘O jacaré’, by Basil da Cunha (produced by Continue Walking), ‘As filhas do fogo’, by Pedro Costa (Optec), and ‘Chico’, by Latifa Saída (Bando à Parte), and the series ‘Circo de Feras’ (Sky Dreams), ‘Morangos com Açúcar’ (Seemydreams) and ‘Masterminds - Os guardiões da mente’ (Watermelon) were also accepted.
They are joined by Leonor Noivo's project ‘Luzia’, which was accepted through two applications submitted by the production companies Terratreme Filmes and Laranja Azul - Produções Culturais.
Although considered eligible, six applications were excluded "because they exceeded the allocation defined for the incentive" out of a total of €7 million, said ICA.
According to the legislation, this incentive from the Tourism and Cinema Support Fund also allows for the financing of prospecting and promotion missions "by foreign producers who consider the possibility of filming in Portugal."
In the first phase of the programme, three projects were accepted: ‘Cold Mind Recce’ by Spy Manor Productions, ‘O pescador do Tejo’ by Diagonal Bla and ‘The Tiger's Boxer’ by Caracol.
Lusa asked ICA for further clarification on the list, namely on the amounts allocated to each application, but did not receive a response in due time.
According to the decree approved by the previous government and published at the end of March, the second phase of access to this incentive, also with €7 million in funding, should take place in September.
This incentive, known as a "cash rebate", is awarded under the Tourism and Cinema Support Fund (FATC), created in 2018 and extended until 2026.
This incentive mechanism, which has been in greater demand than its financial capacity, applies to cinema and audiovisual productions that make a minimum expenditure in Portugal of between €200,000 and €500,000.
The film ‘Fast & Furious 10’ and the series ‘Acolyte’ from the ‘Star Wars’ universe, are two examples of productions that have already benefited from this incentive; but many Portuguese projects have also been supported, such as the series ‘Rabo de Peixe’ and ‘Matilha’, and the films ‘Mal Viver’ and 'Viver Mal' by João Canijo, and ‘Grand Tour’ by Miguel Gomes.
The regulations for accessing the FATC were changed this year in response to what happened in previous years, when the funds available only covered the first applications submitted, leaving dozens of applications out.
After a reassessment, the previous, Socialist government changed some of the admission rules, namely the eligibility requirements, with the order of entry being just one of the criteria in a scoring system.
That government, led by António Costa, also created - and included in the state budget for this year - another incentive scheme, called a "cash rebate", with a total allocation of €20 million, for projects and series with a larger budget and which "make at least 2.5 million euros of eligible expenditure in Portugal," according to the regulations.
According to information on the Portugal Film Commission's official website, "applications for the cash refund will be opened in due course."
SS/ARO // ARO.
Lusa
