Hungary is a popular location for the shooting of Hollywood and international film productions with studios bringing not only staff but also own equipment and requisites for shooting, which require special treatment and customs clearance.
From 1 January 2019, the film productions registered with the National Film Office may account for costs acknowledged for the purposes of the film subsidy according to the Film Act* amended at several points. This may come handy for the domestic production of series with many characters but the base of the film subsidy may reduce in the case of employing high-paid, typically foreign stars.
The shooting of The Alienist, nominated in two categories at the 2019 Golden Globes, and Genius: Picasso, nominated in the category for best actor, both took place in Hungary. How does the Corporate Income Tax (TAO) system in Hungary assist in raising the funds to cover film production costs and what role does the comfort letter have in the planning and raising the funds to cover the costs of film production?
Following a green light from the EU Commission, the level of indirect film related tax rebate in Hungary rises to 30% from 11 June 2018. The boosted proportion of film incentive is guaranteed to 31 December 2024, thus in an ever-more competitive regional situation the Hungarian film industry has a much better chance of maintaining its role as market leader. No changes are expected in the application process for film grants.