FOCUS talks to Mojca Plansak of the Slovenia Film Commission

FOCUS talks to Mojca Plansak from The Slovenia Film Commission, exhibiting for the first time in 2018

What brings you and the Slovenia Film Commission to FOCUS this year?

Slovenia will present its film locations for the first time at FOCUS 2018, with the ambition of inviting producers to shoot their films there. Slovenia implemented a 25% cash rebate scheme in 2017, so we believe it is precisely the right time to show what sort of locations we can offer.

What are you hoping to get out of the event and what in particular will you be promoting at FOCUS 2018?

Together with our partner, the Slovenian Tourist Board, we will be promoting the specifics and advantages of filming in Slovenia. We are hoping to put Slovenia on the map of trustworthy filming countries, with excellent film crews, beautiful and daring locations, good services, and convenient accessibility of locations for shooting films, commercials, TV series, etc.

Please tell us briefly about Slovenia as a location filming destination?

Slovenia is a land of four distinct macro regions: the Alpine, Mediterranean and Karst, Thermal Pannonian, and Central Slovenian region with the capital city of Ljubljana, all of which can provide distinct and unique film settings. As a filming destination, Slovenia has many advantages. Most importantly, even the most distant film locations in Slovenia are not more than two hours from Ljubljana, the technical centre, by car. It is also possible to shoot at various locations during the same day, as one can be surrounded by the rolling hills of Pomurje in the morning, while enjoying the sea or looking down from an Alpine summit in the afternoon. Slovenia boasts two climate zones as well: the continental and the coastal. This is extremely convenient for filming, especially during the winter.

The Slovenian film industry is able to provide the logistical and technical support for international film producers as well as offer a wide range of filmmakers, film experts, artisans, and assistants, all of them experienced in the film arts and film production, mobile, and used to international cooperation.

Aside from the breathtaking natural features and lovely cities with remarkable architecture, highly experienced professionals in various fields of film industry can help you with your project. Furthermore, there are no restrictions concerning the access to filming in public spaces. Obtaining permits is a straightforward process with no extraordinary rules – it typically takes up to five business days for permits in the cities. Moreover, financial incentives are available for all kinds of visual productions. Last year, the film industry public funding introduced a 25 % cash rebate.
In short: Slovenia provides unique filming locations and all the logistic and technical support that goes with it!

What productions have recently been filming in Slovenia?

A number of movies have already been shot in Slovenia in the past. In 2007, Slovenia was selected to be one of the locations for The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. The reason was that it resembled New Zealand, where previous Narnia movies were filmed. Furthermore, Bollywood film producers have discovered Slovenia – one of the films shot in Slovenia even featured the Indian star actor Upendra, who said he felt like he was in heaven in Slovenia. Apart from movies, Slovenia is also popular for shooting commercials.

In 2017, the following projects acquired the right to cash rebate in accordance with the Cash Rebate Scheme of the Republic of Slovenia: Intrigo (Great Britain), Belly of the Whale (Ireland), Black Knight (Korea), and I Just Wanted to Be a Rock Star (Italy) – a series scheduled to be shot in Slovenia in October and November 2018.

In the first half of 2018, the right to cash rebate was acquired by the following film projects: Who the Fuck You Think You Are Slavoj Žižek? (UK); Don’t Be Afraid If I Hug You (Italy), a feature film shot in September 2018; and Memories of the Alhambra (South Korea).
 

To meet The Slovenia Film Commission team at FOCUS 2018 at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London on the 4th & 5th of December 2018, register for a FREE delegate badge here.

Mojca Planšak

Mojca Planšak, MSc – in various professional capacities, she has worked in the field of media, cultural management, and the cultural sphere for more than twenty years. Between 2008 and 2010, she was the Assistant Director at Zavod Maska – a non-profit institute for publishing, production (performances, interdisciplinary and visual artworks), education, and research. Between 2008 and 2010 she lectured at the University of Maribor and Ljubljana as an assistant (the subjects of media communications and journalism). During the last ten years she has been, on various occasions, a close associate of the Maribor Theatre Festival Borštnikovo srečanje and Maribor Puppet Theatre, where she was an executive producer, international coordinator, and public relations representative. Since last year, she has worked at the Slovenian Film Centre, a public agency of the Republic of Slovenia.