Written by Kianna Best on Jul 11, 2022. Posted in Incentive News

Rio de Janeiro launches new cash rebate

RioFilme, a government agency affiliated with Rio de Janeiro’s city hall, launched their new cash rebate on 7 July 2022. With a total investment of BRL15 million, the incentive will account for an up to 35% rebate. The focus is on attracting investments from international territories and other Brazilian states to increase resources in the Rio de Janeiro audio-visual sector and promote the city’s landscape. Applications for the incentive will continue until all funding has been distributed.

Image courtesy of Raphael Nogueira by Unsplash

A part of the BRL55 million related to the Carioca Audio-Visual 2022 incentive programmes launched on 30^th March of this year, the RioFilme rebate will be distributed through three channels of proposals.

• Productions filmed in Rio de Janeiro with great international potential will account for BRL2 million per proposal totalling to BRL9 million.
• National reach production from other Brazilian states filmed in Rio de Janeiro will account for BRL1 million per proposal, totalling to BRL4 million
• International commercial campaigns filmed in Rio de Janeiro with BRL2 million in resources will account for BRL500,000 per proposal in investments.

Although there is a desire to encourage the participation of international productions and those from other Brazilian states, there is a primary concern for the local Rio de Janeiro audio-visual sector. All proposals that are made must have a Rio production company proponent either associated with the co-production or provision of production services. This proponent should also have headquarters that have been established in the city for at least two years. The use of local skill is an additional requirement for attaining the incentive. At least three heads of the technical and artistic teams must be Brazilians who have lived in the city for at least two years.

Image courtesy of Agustin Diaz-Gargiulo by Unsplash

In terms of filming, there are two breakdowns for international productions and for those of other Brazilian states. For international involvement, at least two locations must identify Rio de Janeiro and the premiere of the final product must take place in a minimum of six non-Lusophone countries with at least 100 million inhabitants. Other Brazilian territories are required to include a minimum of five identifiable Rio de Janeiro locations. In terms of advertisements, only one identifiable Rio de Janeiro location is required. It must also be noted that feature films are to be either fiction or animated, and a series must have at least three episodes of either the fiction, animation, or reality genre.

This incentive is the first of its kind in the city and is set to have tremendous impact on the developing audio-visual sector in Rio de Janeiro. Aiming to leverage at least BRL50 million in resources through the reception of the incentive, the investment of said resources and the global attention for the city will vastly improve Brazil’s presence in the film and television industry.

Image courtesy of Rio Film Commission