Amid a host of lawsuits by foreign productions looking to recoup money from Romania’s beleaguered cash rebate system, industry insiders say the situation has reached a crisis point, with one leading U.K. financier and executive producer warning that the government runs the risk of “obliterating foreign direct investment” into Romania if a resolution isn’t reached in the coming weeks.
Nearly a dozen lawsuits are currently active in the Romanian court system, which last month ordered the government to pay roughly 642,000 plus legal fees to the producers of “The World to Come” (pictured), writer-director Mona Fastvold’s romantic frontier drama starring Vanessa Kirby and Katherine Waterston, which filmed in Romania in 2019. The government has appealed the ruling.
The U.K. financier, who has two decades of experience in the country, says that an impasse now dragging into its third year has caused “immense reputational damage” to both the government and the industry.
Nearly a dozen lawsuits are currently active in the Romanian court system, which last month ordered the government to pay roughly 642,000 plus legal fees to the producers of “The World to Come” (pictured), writer-director Mona Fastvold’s romantic frontier drama starring Vanessa Kirby and Katherine Waterston, which filmed in Romania in 2019. The government has appealed the ruling.
The U.K. financier, who has two decades of experience in the country, says that an impasse now dragging into its third year has caused “immense reputational damage” to both the government and the industry.
- 6/27/2022
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
The production shutdown prompted by the coronavirus pandemic last spring would have been reason enough to sound the alarm in Romania. But bigger trouble is brewing over the country’s rebate scheme, which has been imperiled by a bureaucratic logjam currently dragging into its second year.
After a bureaucratic reshuffle following a change in government in 2019, the cashback program has ground to a halt. According to the Romanian Alliance of Film Producers, the government owes €35 million ($42.4 million) to international productions that have lensed in the country since the rebate launched in 2018.
Of the two dozen foreign projects to shoot during that period, the only one to cash in on the rebate was Sony Pictures Television’s series “Alex Rider,” according to Iuliana Tarnovetchi, of Alien Film, which serviced the shoot.
“The fact that we don’t have a [functioning] cash rebate is not putting us in any [competitive] situation,” she says. “There...
After a bureaucratic reshuffle following a change in government in 2019, the cashback program has ground to a halt. According to the Romanian Alliance of Film Producers, the government owes €35 million ($42.4 million) to international productions that have lensed in the country since the rebate launched in 2018.
Of the two dozen foreign projects to shoot during that period, the only one to cash in on the rebate was Sony Pictures Television’s series “Alex Rider,” according to Iuliana Tarnovetchi, of Alien Film, which serviced the shoot.
“The fact that we don’t have a [functioning] cash rebate is not putting us in any [competitive] situation,” she says. “There...
- 7/1/2021
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Romanian lawmakers voted Wednesday night to revise the country’s 35-45% cash rebate, topping up the €50 million ($59 million) annual fund to finance the cashback scheme through 2023 and breathing fresh life into the local film industry.
The move ended an anxious period of speculation for the Romanian biz, which saw months-long delays in applications for the rebate after a bureaucratic reshuffle following a change in government last winter. The coronavirus pandemic also put film industry legislation on hold earlier this year.
“This is definitely a good thing for the entire industry,” said Bogdan Moncea, of Castel Film Studios in Bucharest, which serviced the fifth installment in Universal’s “Dragonheart” fantasy franchise. “Castel Film is in the process of negotiating two feature films for the end of the year which are relying on the rebate to be economically feasible. So it would be a positive impact for our business.”
The 35% cash rebate...
The move ended an anxious period of speculation for the Romanian biz, which saw months-long delays in applications for the rebate after a bureaucratic reshuffle following a change in government last winter. The coronavirus pandemic also put film industry legislation on hold earlier this year.
“This is definitely a good thing for the entire industry,” said Bogdan Moncea, of Castel Film Studios in Bucharest, which serviced the fifth installment in Universal’s “Dragonheart” fantasy franchise. “Castel Film is in the process of negotiating two feature films for the end of the year which are relying on the rebate to be economically feasible. So it would be a positive impact for our business.”
The 35% cash rebate...
- 8/20/2020
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Cluj, Romania–A year after introducing a cash rebate of up to 45% to keep pace with neighboring countries in an increasingly competitive region, Romania is seeing signs that the incentive scheme is paying off.
“This year seems to be quite busy—much busier, I would say, than last year,” says Bogdan Moncea, of Castel Film Studios in Bucharest, which recently serviced the fifth installment in Universal’s “Dragonheart” fantasy franchise. “Romania was fairly competitive even before, but many producers would go to a country that had a rebate, even if the cost of doing business in Romania was very competitive.”
He adds: “Now it’s become a lot more attractive in terms of production costs and efficiency. Significantly better than Hungary, significantly better than Czech Republic.”
A €50 million ($56.3 million) annual fund has been set aside by the government to woo foreign productions to this scenic corner of Eastern Europe. The...
“This year seems to be quite busy—much busier, I would say, than last year,” says Bogdan Moncea, of Castel Film Studios in Bucharest, which recently serviced the fifth installment in Universal’s “Dragonheart” fantasy franchise. “Romania was fairly competitive even before, but many producers would go to a country that had a rebate, even if the cost of doing business in Romania was very competitive.”
He adds: “Now it’s become a lot more attractive in terms of production costs and efficiency. Significantly better than Hungary, significantly better than Czech Republic.”
A €50 million ($56.3 million) annual fund has been set aside by the government to woo foreign productions to this scenic corner of Eastern Europe. The...
- 6/7/2019
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
I’ve not actually come across anyone who’s up for sequel to Nicolas Cage’s Ghost Rider but that doesn’t seem to be stopping anyone as the second movie is on the way!
News this morning comes from Romanian website, Hotnews (via CinemaBlend) that the sequel will be called Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance and that shooting begins this Autumn in in Romania but will also be coming to us in 3D. According to the site, this will be the first time that a major Hollywood movie has shot in Romania which is wonderful for the Eastern European country which is still slowly regenerating after years of communist rule.
This news came from the movie’s marketing manager, Bogdan Moncea.
Head over to Hotnews for the full low-down.
News this morning comes from Romanian website, Hotnews (via CinemaBlend) that the sequel will be called Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance and that shooting begins this Autumn in in Romania but will also be coming to us in 3D. According to the site, this will be the first time that a major Hollywood movie has shot in Romania which is wonderful for the Eastern European country which is still slowly regenerating after years of communist rule.
This news came from the movie’s marketing manager, Bogdan Moncea.
Head over to Hotnews for the full low-down.
- 8/26/2010
- by David Sztypuljak
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Nicolas Cage has been an outspoken advocate of bringing Johnny Blaze to Europe when the second "Ghost Rider" film wheels into theaters — and unsurprisingly, it looks like the actor is getting his wish.
According to Hot News, "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" is set to begin production in Romania this fall. Confirmation comes from Castel Flm's marketing manager Bogdan Moncea, who declared that the "Ghost Rider" sequel is set to become the first major American production to shoot in Romania since "Cold Mountain" in 2002.
Additionally, it's been confirmed that "Spirit of Vengeance" will be shot in 3-D, following up on Cage's recent 3-D experience with supernatural revenge flick "Drive Angry."
The Romanian setting for "Ghost Rider 2" isn't entirely surprising, as Cage previously told MTV News of the shooting location.
"I'll be filming it in Romania, which is exciting, since that's where Dracula's castle is," Cage revealed. "The Ghost Rider...
According to Hot News, "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" is set to begin production in Romania this fall. Confirmation comes from Castel Flm's marketing manager Bogdan Moncea, who declared that the "Ghost Rider" sequel is set to become the first major American production to shoot in Romania since "Cold Mountain" in 2002.
Additionally, it's been confirmed that "Spirit of Vengeance" will be shot in 3-D, following up on Cage's recent 3-D experience with supernatural revenge flick "Drive Angry."
The Romanian setting for "Ghost Rider 2" isn't entirely surprising, as Cage previously told MTV News of the shooting location.
"I'll be filming it in Romania, which is exciting, since that's where Dracula's castle is," Cage revealed. "The Ghost Rider...
- 8/24/2010
- by Josh Wigler
- MTV Splash Page
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