GERMANY
DIGITAL FUTURE
The 27th NRW Media Forum (June 9 – 11 2015) will be discussing topics related to the future of the media, broadband and digital industries in close co-operation with ANGA COM -Europe ́s leading trade fair for broadband, cable and satellite – and INTERACTIVE COLOGNE, a conference and festival for the creative digital and internet industry.
NRW Prime Minister Hannelore Kraft will be opening the NRW Media Forum and ANGA COM at the Cologne Exhibition Centre and, at the same time, launching the opening topic for the first day of the conference.
The events scheduled at the Media Forum will address current developments in the world of digital media, notably the political discussion on a convergent media system to meet future needs. In cooperation with Interactive Cologne, the agenda at the Cologne Chamber of Commerce and Industry will focus on the continuing transformation of media content and usage, the changing television and film landscape, as well as social communication.

DEDICATED TO CANADA
After the United Kingdom, Scandinavia and the Benelux countries, Canada will be the guest of honor at the FFF (FilmFernsehFond Bayern) Business Lunch which takes place every year in Cannes to support the international work of Bavarian producers.
Market analysis has indicated that there are quite a few Bavarian-Canadian projects in the pipeline, and the partnership between Québec and Bavaria has certainly contributed to such good relations. Canada is not only an internationally significant film location, but it is also somewhat of a pioneer in the areas of animation and games.
Bavarian State Secretary Franz-Josef Pschierer will participate in this year’s Business Lunch and, later in the year (September 29th – October 3rd 2015), he will accompany a delegation to Montreal.

CROATIA
HIGH PROFILE PRODUCTION
In the first quarter of 2015 alone, twelve international productions have chosen, or are considering Croatia as a filming location: six projects applied for support from incentives (20% rebate) in 2015, and an additional six are in the pipeline.
The projected local spend is approximately 27.6 million Euros; 2.5 times as much as in 2014.
Filming in Croatia this year are: “Dig”, a NBC/Universal crime series; “Fan”, featuring Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan, the first ever film collaboration between India and Croatia; and the third season of the crime series “Crossing Lines” starring Donald Sutherland.
The sixth season of HBO’s “Game of Thrones” (picture above) returns to Croatia for the fifth year in a row this summer; the German ARD is filming a mini-series in Split about a fictional local detective, “Branka Marić”; whereas at the end of May, Marion Hänsel will shoot “En amont du fleuve” (“River Upstream”), a psychological drama about two half- brothers who, after the death of their father, accidentally find themselves on a journey through uncontaminated nature during which they get to know each other.
The legendary “Winnetou” films shot in the 1960s in Croatia are under- going a revival with the “Winnetou” Trilogy filming in original locations from the 60s this fall.
The largest production this year will most likely be the French/US ac- tion film “The Lake”, produced by Luc Besson and directed by Steven Quayle. The film is scheduled to begin filming in Croatia in June/July.

SPAIN
AMERICAN ODYSSY
American Odyssey” an NBC produced serial set mainly in Mali and New York, was shot for two days in Barcelona: Nostromo Pictures was hired to carry out the service with the support of the Barcelona Film Commission.
The serial is directed by Peter Horton (“Grey’s Anatomy”).
The plot revolves around world politics, industrial espionage and military secrets surrounding three strangers (sergeant Odelle Ballard, corporate lawyer Peter Decker and political activist Harrison Walters), who join efforts to discover the truth that leads them to an international conspiracy. The serial was premiered in April in the USA.

ILLES BALEARS CO-PRODUCTIONS
In its first year of operations, the Illes Balears Film Commission has provided its support and cooperation for more than 30 projects including, most prominently, the filming of the feature-length film “Un Petit Boulet” by French director Pascal Chaumeil, the Israeli production “Ibiza” directed by Shay Kanot and “Great Continental Railway Journeys” for the BBC.
The creation of the new website www.balearesfilm.com makes it easier to search for locations, companies and professionals, as well as to obtain authorizations and take all the steps needed to secure filming permits.
Filming on the Balearic Islands allows producers to benefit from the new incentive (Tax Rebate) plan approved by the Spanish government earlier this year.

LATVIA
CO-PRODUCTION WITH JAPAN
The feature film “Magic Kimono” (2016) is a modern day fairytale about a Japanese woman’s discovery of herself and also a tragicomedy about the art of cookery and the kimono, with the meeting between Japanese and European food culture as its core.
Helmed by internationally acclaimed film director Maris Martinsons, starring Japanese screen diva Kaori Momoi and actor Issey Ogata, it will be pitched for world sales and financiers at the Marche du Film 2015 by producers linda Krukle (Krukfilms, Latvia), Sten Kristian-Saluveer (Oree films, Estonia) and Eiko Mizuno Gray and Jason Gray (Loaded films, Japan).

FRANCE
THE NEW TAX REBATE
The French Tax Rebate for International Productions (TRIP), implemented in 2009, helps foreign filmmakers shoot in France by reimbursing them 20% (30% from January 2016) of the eligible expenses incurred in the country.
It applies to both animated and live action projects, including TV series and feature films.
The incentive has been well received since its launch with nearly 100 productions financed to date, spanning many different countries and genres – from Japanese manga films to European art house movies, from Chinese action comedies to Hollywood blockbusters.
Any foreign production can be eligible as long as it spends at least €1 million of qualifying expenditure in France or at least 50% of its production budget (new for 2015!), and shoots for at least five days in France (live action), excluding animation and VFX.
There must also be a link between the “dramatic content of the movie and France’s heritage, territory or culture” which is evaluated by means of a Cultural Test. Not only will French and European characters and locations score points, but also French-speaking countries and non-defined characters and settings: animals, lost planets, aliens, gods and monsters…
However, the production cannot be qualified as a French production or an official French co-production, since these have their own set of incentives and rebates. Recently the TRIP line-up has included: “The Minions” (USA), “Hunger Games 3” (USA), “Bastille Day” (USA), “Tamasha” (India), “Wine Wars” (China) and “The Five Misfortunes of François Jane” (Australia, USA)

POLAND
KRAKOW FILM FUND
The Krakow Film Commission recently created a new tool exclusively for supporting international co-productions called the Krakow International Film Fund. Working closely with the well-known Krakow Regional Film Fund, this new project focuses on developing cooperation between the European audiovisual sector and the rest of the world.
The open call for the first international competition started on April 20th and will end on May 25th 2015.
In order to be submitted for the Competition, a film production must be connected with Krakow in terms of the topic, origin of the filmmakers and, most importantly, the place the film is produced. Moreover there must be at least two producers from different countries.
Lately the Krakow Film Commission – through its main project the Krakow Regional Film Fund – supported the following international co-productions: “Magic mountain” by Anca Damian (France, Romania, Poland), “The Red Spider” by Marcin Koszałka (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland), “Červený kapitán” by Michal Kollar (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland) and “Demon” by Marcin Wrona (Israel, Poland).

PORTUGAL
FILM&TOURISM FESTIVAL
From this year the Arrábida Film Commission (Portugal) has taken on the responsibility of organizing the 4th edition of the Finisterra Arrábida Film Art & Tourism Festival which was held from May 6 – 10 in Sesimbra, Portugal.
This tourist promotion film festival aims to promote the region and its amazing natural landscapes to the world of the 7th Art.
Big productions have been shot here, including “007”, “Hornblower”, “House of Spirits”, “Invisible Circus” and “Odysseus”, with Sesimbra increasingly becoming a feature of the map of major international productions.