This institute released, on Tuesday, the provisional list of eligible projects and projects excluded from the first phase – which ran between April and May – of the incentive programme (‘cash discount’) for film and audiovisual production and expedition excavations and promotion in Portugal.
The published list includes twenty film and TV projects that will benefit from an allocation of seven million euros, although the amounts that will be allocated to each of them have not been disclosed.
The three projects that received the best scores were “The Fall,” a film by Simão Cayat (Leopardo Filmes), “Ilhas,” the first feature film by Mário Patrocinho (APM), and “Memórias do Cárcere,” a project by Mário Barroso (Leopard Films).
Another project from the production company Leopardo Filmes, by Paulo Branco, entitled “Lavagante”, which the director António Pedro Vasconcelos (1939-2024) wanted to make, an adaptation of the work of José Cardoso Pires, whose production was now assumed by Mario Barroso.
The film features “Ya Temsah” by Basil Da Cunha (producer of Keep Walking), “Banat Al Nar” by Pedro Costa (Optic), “Chico” by Latifa Saïda (Bando a Party), the series “Circus of the Monsters” (Sky Dreams), “Strawberries with Sugar” (Seemydreams), and “Masterminds – The Guardians of the Mind” (Watermelon).
They are joined by the project “Luzia”, directed by Leonor Nuevo, which was accepted through two applications submitted by producers Terratreme Filmes and Laranja Azul – Produções Culturais.
Although deemed eligible, six applications were excluded “because they exceeded the incentive’s allocation”, out of a total of €7 million, the ICA says.
Under the legislation, this incentive from the Tourism and Cinema Support Fund also allows for the financing of exploration and promotion missions “for foreign producers who are considering the possibility of filming in Portugal.”
In the first phase of the program, three projects were accepted: “Cold Mind Recce” by Spy Manor Productions, “O Pescador do Tejo” by Diagonal Bla, and “The Tiger`s Boxer” by Caracol production company.
Lusa asked ICA for further clarification on the published list, specifically on the amounts allocated to each request, but did not receive a response in time.
Under the order approved by the previous government, published at the end of March, the second phase of access to this incentive, also allocating seven million euros, should take place in September.
This incentive, called the “cash discount”, is granted within the framework of the Tourism and Cinema Support Fund (FATC), which was created in 2018 and extends to 2026.
This incentive mechanism, for which demand has exceeded its financial capacity, applies to film and audiovisual productions that have a minimum expenditure in Portugal that can range between 200,000 and 500,000 euros.
“Fast and Furious 10” and the “Star Wars” series “Acolyte” are examples of productions that have already benefited from this incentive; but several Portuguese projects have also been supported, such as the series “Rabo de Peixe” and “Matilha”, the film “Mal Viver” by João Canejo, and “Grand Tour” by Miguel Gomes.
FATC access regulations were changed this year in response to what happened in previous years, when the funds available covered only the first applications submitted, resulting in dozens of applications being excluded.
After the re-evaluation, the previous government changed some of the admission rules, namely the eligibility requirements, where the order of entry became just one of the criteria of the registration system.
The previous government, led by António Costa, also created – and included in the 2024 State Budget – another incentive called “cash back”, with a total allocation of 20 million euros, for larger budget projects and series that “carry out at least 2.5 million euros of eligible expenditure within the national territory”, as stated in the regulation.
According to information on the official page of the Portuguese Film Commission, “requests for cash refunds will be opened in due course.”
