David Martinon, consul general of France, and Olivier-Rene Veillon, director of the Ile de France Film Commission, hosted Tuesday a gala reception in Los Angeles to announce a tax rebate for international productions, showcase France’s world-class visual effects companies and honor the Annecy Animation Festival.
The presenters, many of whom are long established as key production partners on top-grossing Hollywood and French feature films, were enthusiastic about the new incentive to ‘save money’ with a French production partner.
The rebate, worth 20% of all eligible costs, is capped at 4 million euros or about US$6 million, they also control the US$18 million a year Ile de France Film Fund, which is open to foreign productions.
Since 2007, the Ile de France Film Commission has promoted and nurtured the booming French post-production and VFX industry. They organize the event Parisfx, where last year Jeffrey Katzenberg was the guest of honor, showing the first excerpts of Monsters vs. Aliens in 3-D.
The combined years of experience of the seven participating companies, such as ECLAIR Group (100 years), Annecy Animation Festival (50 years), Mac Guff (23 years) and Mikros Image (20 years), along with Buf Compagnie, Duran Duboi and L.E.S.T., totals more than a quarter of a millennium ‘longevity that is impressive for such technically progressive firms.
You can find information about the film commission and individual companies at www.iledefrance-film.com.
