Vienna lures international filmmakers with €2 million in funding

Vienna lures international filmmakers with €2 million in funding
Vienna lures international filmmakers with €2 million in funding
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Written by Harry Johnson

The City of Vienna announced a two-million-euro fund for international filmmakers. The goal of attracting traditional film productions and television series, especially with the rise of streaming platforms, is one that will benefit both the tourism and local economies.

Research by TCI, a Brussels-based international online market research company, suggests that one out of ten visitors decide to visit Vienna because of a film. The Vienna Film Incentive will capitalize on this data to promote Vienna as a destination by helping fund international filmmakers who film at least two full days in the city. With destination-based productions like _Emily in Paris_ creating buzz and attention for their settings, Vienna is poised to join the fray.

“The Vienna Film Incentive is a contemporary funding instrument. By extending the scope of funding to formats produced for streaming providers, it reflects the latest developments in the filmmaking industry,” explained Executive City Councilor of Finance, Business, Labor, International Affairs and Vienna Public Utilities Peter Hanke.

“This funding scheme should be seen as a source of assistance with ties to the tourism industry. It is intended to benefit Vienna’s visitor economy – both from a business and tourism perspective,” he added.

In 2021, Vienna served as a setting for around 80 international cinema and TV productions. This rising number served as a catalyst for Vienna to incentivize production with the Vienna Film Incentive. Past productions demonstrate the economic impact on the city. Netflix spent more than five million euros filming _Extraction 2_ in Vienna. Preparations ran for around half a year before shooting began and involved 900 Austrian and international workers. Conventional productions also generate considerable investment. _Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation_ earned Austria around 3.5 million euro and brought Tom Cruise to Vienna.

The Vienna Tourist Board will act as the point of contact and processing body for the Vienna Film Incentive. Director Norbert Kettner revealed the rationale: “Film images have been an integral part of the image building toolkit for every destination ever since moving pictures were first shown to an audience in 1895. And now this new source of funding is helping to expand our portfolio. In addition to conventional international marketing communication activities, we are now in a position to instrumentalize film funding as a way to raise awareness among prospective visitors.”

The goal is not just to attract more visitors, but to help generate more immersive experiences and elevate Vienna’s profile on the international scene. By generating more familiarity with the city and its offerings through the big and little screen, the city is investing in its future for the long run.

About the author

Avatar of Harry Johnson

Harry Johnson

Harry Johnson has been the assignment editor for eTurboNews for mroe than 20 years. He lives in Honolulu, Hawaii, and is originally from Europe. He enjoys writing and covering the news.

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