The next movie you watch may be filmed in Israel

“In recent years, Israel has emerged as a television and cinematic content superpower, and the Israeli story generates global interest and curiosity.”

By World Israel News Staff

Twelve new foreign movie productions are slated to be shot in Israel after the Israeli government awarded grants totaling 23 million shekels ($6.7 million) to subsidize the production costs.

An inter-ministerial committee, which includes the Investment and Development Authority in the Ministry of Economy and Industry, the Ministry of Culture and Sport, the Ministry of Tourism and the Foreign Ministry, this week approved 12 grant requests from Israeli production companies.

The productions, which are to be handled by Israeli companies on behalf of foreign filmmakers, are expected to bring in over 172 million shekels ($50 million) for the Israeli film industry.

The approved projects include films produced by corporations including Mediawan, Fremantle Media, Warner Bros. (WB), Emjag Productions, Viacom Showtime and other production corporations from Canada, the U.S., Brazil, France, Germany, Italy and other countries.

“Thanks to the directive to encourage foreign movie productions, Israel has joined a prestigious club of countries that provide incentives for international productions to encourage them to film in their countries,” Foreign Ministry director-general Alon Ushpiz said.

“In recent years, Israel has emerged as a television and cinematic content superpower, and the Israeli story generates global interest and curiosity.”

“In addition to promoting cooperation agreements in the field of cinema, the Foreign Ministry is working to strengthen bilateral and diplomatic connections through culture and the new directive will both strengthen the Israeli economy and encourage tourism, and present the beautiful face of Israel that we all know.”

The Israeli production companies that won funding during this round include Abot Hameiri Communications, Strawberries Productions, Green Productions-Kurland Greenspan, Split, Snowball VFX, Spiro Films, FIRMA Films, udiVsagi Productions, Bustan Films and Hive Studio Jerusalem.

“The program puts Israel in line with most countries of the world that provide assistance and incentives to encourage film production in their territory,” said Shlomo Attias, director of the Investment and Development Authority.

“In the course of our work, we have discovered the beautiful face of the Israeli film industry and the significant international interest in Israel. I hope our assistance will bring more and more foreign production companies to invest in Israel. I thank all our partners in the ministries of culture and sport, foreign affairs, finance and tourism,” he said.