Written by Kianna Best on Nov 28, 2024. Posted in Incentive News

Denmark to launch new foreign filming incentive

Denmark is catching up to its Nordic counterparts with the announcement of their foreign filming incentive on the horizon. The upcoming rebate program set to kick off in 2026 will provide an annual pot of USD 17.5 million, twice the size of Sweden’s funding for foreign productions. The rebate on eligible expenses is planed for a significant 25%.

Image courtesy of Nick Karvounis by Unsplash

From the dramatic white chalk cliffs of Møns Klint to the unique light, sandy beaches of Skagen where the North Sea meets the Baltic, Denmark is packed with striking locations at every filmmakers ask. But lacking any financial incentive to sweeten the experience, more cost effective alternatives have seen these locations and many more forgone or even doubled in neighbouring regions. However, such a reality has taken a turn for the better with the announcement of a 25% rebate for eligible expenses within reach.

Set to come into action from 2026, the incentive will see a USD 17.5 million annual investment for foreign film and television productions, boosting activity in the country unlike seen before. On the announcement, Denmark’s minister of culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt stated that the country “has a huge strategic interest in paving the way for strong film and TV productions.”

“It’s a waste of jobs, Danish storytelling tradition and exposure of our fantastic kingdom,” Engel-Schmidt added on the impact of not having a film incentive in the years prior.

This new incentive will fill a gap in production in Denmark that has resorted to filming in surrounding regions such as Miss Smilla’s Feeling for Snow, set in Denmark and Greenland, but shot in Latvia, Lithuania and Iceland. Netflix has taken a keen interest in many Nordic locations, with 16 planned productions in Sweden, six in Norway from 2024-2026, but only three planned in Denmark.

Come and meet Vision Denmark at FOCUS London 2024 held at the Business Design Centre, Islington, from 10-11 December. Register HERE for your complimentary delegate pass.