Written by Shona Smith on Dec 4, 2019. Posted in Interviews

Spotlight on FOCUS exhibitor Creative Romanian Film Makers


Is this your first time exhibiting at FOCUS? What has brought Creative Romanian Film Makers to the 2019 event?

Even though most of the companies we represent have been at least once exhibitors at FOCUS, yes, this is our first (of many) time exhibiting at FOCUS. Of course, we scouted the event before committing and we obviously liked what we saw.


Can you tell us a little more are Creative Romanian Film Makers?

Creative Romanian Film Makers is a business association that consists of Romanian production, post production and servicing companies that represents the interests of the Romanian film industry abroad. Also, we are a lobby organization for the industry within Romania, being in constant contact with the Romanian decision makers.


What aspects of working in Romania will you be promoting to delegates at the show?
Of course, the highlight will be the cash back incentive system we have in Romania. It is the most generous one in Europe at least. The 7 companies that came with us as exhibitors are carefully curated producing and servicing companies that operate smoothly with and within the cash back system and are able to guarantee eligibility and successful cashing back for international productions filmed in Romania.


What does Romania offer to incoming productions
As already stated, the highlight is our extremely generous film incentive. First of all, is pretty big in terms of percentage and value. Also, the minimum spent and the percentage within the total budget are more than appealing: the minimum budget is EUR100,000 and the part of the total budget that has to be spent in Romania is 20%. Yes, there is a cap in terms of the amount to be cashed back but it is decently high: EUr10 million.
But Romania and filming in Romania is not only about the cash back. We have several other strong incentives: English speaking crews, English speaking cast and extras, a full range of landscapes (seaside, delta, plains, hills, valleys, mountains, etc.), scenic and untouched nature, post-industrial sites, beautiful rural areas, a full range of seasons, etc. Just come and film in Romania, it’s rewarding and up to 45% of the costs are on us!


What projects have members of Creative Romanian Film Makers been involved with in recent years?
Besides being very active in promoting the Romanian film industry abroad and strengthening the industry inside Romania, Creative Romanian Film Makers are also working in consolidating the filming infrastructure in Romania. We are planning building a large film studio near Iasi, the biggest Romanian city in the North-East region, that will host several sound stages, water tank, outdoor studios, postproduction facilities, logistics areas, rentals, training facilities, etc.


The Romanian incentive has been in place for over a year now, has this been successful?
When Romania finally announced the cash back incentive in October 2018, most of the international industry reacted: “too good to be true”. And yes, some of our own companies were pretty sceptical about it. No, a year later, we have a system that is working, we have the first couple of projects that were completed and cashed back the incentive and the productions that were confirmed as eligible for the cash back for this year have a cumulated budget of more than 150 millions of euro. Yes, we are still to see all this money being spent in Romania and generate the results we are all counting on, but overall, I can say: YES, IT WORKS!

Biography – Mihai Lupu

Mihai Lupu is the managing director of the Creative Romanian Film Makers business association and also manages the Creative Industries Business Federation in Romania. In this positions he is representing the creative sector in the Romanian Export Council but also in the Economic and Social Council of Romania, the main lobby and coordination platform that brings together the public and private sectors in Romania.

Contact Creative Romanian Film Makers at mihai.lupu@fepic.ro +40722690504

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