Written by Shona Smith on Feb 28, 2019. Posted in On Location / Production News

Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch set to record highest spend by a foreign production in France

Shooting in the Charente region of France, Anderson’s film The French Dispatch will spend EUR27 million in France, the biggest budget on record for an incoming film.

French reports suggest that EUR8 million of the expected EUR27 million budget will be spent in Charente, Southwest France. The film's production in Charente is centred in the city of Angouleme, a historic, fortified city. Dubbed the “balcony of the southwest” due to its position on a plateau overlooking the Charente river, the city has the scenic credentials that warrant an Anderson-style makeover.

Little is known about the film, which features a star cast including Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Fargo), Tilda Swinton (Okja, The Grand Budapest Hotel) and Timothee Chalamet (Interstellar, Ladybird). Hollywood insiders have said that The French Dispatch will tell the story of journalists at an American newspaper outpost in post war France.

Over one thousand extras will be needed for the film, as well as the use of local production professionals and labour. On a visit to the set in Angouleme, President of the Centre National du Cinema (CNC), Frederique Bredin, said “We encourage productions to come and film in France with the production credit. In reality, it is an investment. When we spend one euro on the credit, it brings ten euros of expenses to the region, which generates three euros of social and fiscal revenue as well as employment”.

Last year, Mission Impossible broke the previous high spend record after spending EUR25 million on location in France. However, this made up less than a seventh of the action adventure films total budget. The French Dispatch, in comparison, is expected to shoot most, if not entirely within France.

France’s TRIP tax rebate provides a 30% tax rebate for incoming productions. Fictional feature films and TV series, as well as post production work qualifies. Qualifying expenditure must exceed EUR250,000 or 50% of production budgets must be incurred in France and live action films must shoot at least five days in France.