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The film industry in Eastern Europe, long popular with Western filmmakers because of the cheap local talent and infrastructure, is facing increasing competition as many U.S. states offer incentive programmes, and even far-away New Zealand and Australia try to sweeten deals, Variety said. Just two international features scheduled for release in 2009 were shot in the Czech Republic, down from 15 five years ago.
Hungary has proved an exception, however, largely because of a tax incentive programme launched in 2004. Though the incentives were suspended briefly last year by the European Union because they gave Hungary an unfair advantage, they were reintroduced until 2013 after "cultural eligibility" criteria were included, and Hungary's film industry is "bouncing back".
The number of co-productions in Hungary rose from 13 in 2006 to 25 in 2007 and 48 in 2008, according to data from Hungary's National Film Office.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI)
Read the Variety article in full
