Portugal Film Commission

New measure to reinforce the position of Portugal on the international route of cinematographic and audiovisual creation and production.

The Portugal Film Commission (PFC) is a project group recently created by Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 85/2019, of 31 May, to contribute to strengthening the position of Portugal on the international route of cinematographic and audiovisual creation and production.

This project group meets the objectives of fostering and promoting the film industry in Portugal as a preferred international shooting destination and as a country that has attractive and competitive conditions justifying being on the route of international producers; removing red tape obstacles.

The PFC was created following the work of the interministerial group that launched initiative "PIC Portugal — Filmar em Portugal", a platform which is being redesigned and that offers integrated online services in order to, in particular, meet the needs of the players in this industry and modernise and streamline administrative procedures and permits to shoot in Portugal.

Under this recent piece of legislation, the PFC will be contributing to publicize the Tourism and Cinema Support Fund, in Portugal and abroad, as an instrument designed to attract cinematographic and audiovisual production to Portugal. Through Decree-Law no. 45/2018, of 19 June, this Fund created a new incentive to encourage production and shooting in Portugal.

The Fund aimed to replace the prevailing tax regime by a more favourable incentive mechanism to cinema and audiovisual production, through the system of cash rebate. This is a grant regime, contingent upon the fulfilment of cultural and cinematographic audiovisual requirements, indexed to the production cost in national territory. The incentive to cinematographic and audiovisual production and attraction of international shootings to Portugal seeks to enhance and promote the image of the territory and country, in line with the objectives of cinematographic and audiovisual policy as a cultural activity.

The incentive to cinematographic and audiovisual production and attraction of international shootings to Portugal seeks to enhance and promote the image of the territory and country, in line with the objectives of cinematographic and audiovisual policy as a cultural activity.

The grant amount for 2019 is 12 million euros.

The maximum amount for each project is, as a rule, 4 million euros and only the productions for international distribution will be eligible.

The Fund Regulations were approved by Ministerial Order 490/2018 of 28 September (2nd Series), establishing the types and intensities of the aid to be granted, the eligibility conditions and all other application requirements, the obligations of the beneficiaries and the terms under which the entities responsible for managing the aids will coordinate with one another.

In this context, the PFC will ensure a simpler and streamlined approval process to film in Portugal, in liaison with the regional film commissions, the diplomatic network and the associations and companies in this industry.

The Resolution came into force on 1 June 2019.