Buenos Aires launches 20% rebate scheme for international productions

The Government of the City of Buenos Aires - through the Buenos Aires Film Commission (BAFC) - has launched a 20% incentive programme for international productions filming in the city.

The scheme - which includes a reimbursement of 20% of expenses, with a maximum of $600,000 ($75m pesos) per project - is available for companies that undertake international co-productions or provide international production services with overseas investment for feature films or fiction series, which are filmed completely or partially in Buenos Aires. 

In order to qualify for the cash rebate, projects in the pre-production, production or post-production stage must commit to a minimum of four days of filming in the Argentinian capital, and spend at least $660,000 ($80m pesos). 

BA International Production (BAIP) is expected to contribute to 8,000 jobs for the AV, gastronomic, and hotel sectors. It is further expected to impact the city’s local landscape on an international level - by attracting tourists to the filming locations in which the city will play host.

Speaking about the production incentive, Mora Scillamá, director of cultural and creative development for Ministry of Culture of the City of Buenos Aires said: “From Impulso Cultural we accompany the work of the audiovisual sector through BASet and BA Audiovisual, areas that make it possible to carry out filming in the City and promote the access of neighbors to local productions.

“In addition, with the [BAFC] we are working to position the City's audiovisual industry in the international market, with specific actions such as the one we are launching today with great joy and after much work, BA Production International, to attract foreign investment and promote growth,” she added.

BAIP will evaluate productions based on their contribution to the “visibility and promotion of Buenos Aires as an audiovisual plaza abroad”, the economic and technical feasibility of the project and the background of the companies involved.