After a delegation, led by MIB Minister Anurag Thakur walked the red carpet at Cannes, India on Wednesday rolled out the red carpet for foreign filmmakers to shoot in the country by offering incentives of up to Rs 2.5 crore for co-production and hiring local manpower in such ventures.

Under the incentive scheme, the Indian co-producer of an international film project can claim cash reimbursement of up to 30 per cent of qualifying expenditure in India or up to $ 260,000.

Foreign films shooting in India can claim an additional five per cent bonus up to a maximum of $ 65,000 (Rs 50, 00,000) for employing 15 per cent or more local manpower.

The schemes will provide an impetus to global collaborations with India, attract investment from foreign filmmakers and help promote India as a filming destination, said Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur while announcing a slew of such sops during the inauguration of the India Pavilion at Cannes Film Market, ‘Marche du Film’.

Also present during the occasion were showbiz personalities, including Cannes jury member Deepika Padukone, award-winning music composer A R Rahman, actor-producer R Madhavan, director Shekar Kapur, Indian film certification board chief-lyricist-adman Prasoon Joshi and South Indian film actors Tamannah Bhatia and Pooja Hegde.

A project with ‘co-production’ status from the MIB and from a country that is signatory to the bilateral co-production treaties will be eligible for the incentives. India presently has audio-visual treaties with Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, Russia, Spain and the U.K.International film productions that have received permission for shooting will be eligible for availing the incentives for hiring local manpower.

Projects granted permissions after April 1, 2022 will be eligible for availing the benefits under the incentive scheme.

Thakur said the government aimed to make India a favourite filming destination.

“We have a strong intellectual property regime, and the digital medium now complements the other more established modes of consumption and dissemination such as theatres and movies. This has brought about a democratisation of consumer choice like never before, and our government is intent on preserving this via support to the creative industries,” Thakur said.

He said Indian cinema was undergoing a paradigm shift with the streaming revolution taking the country by storm.

“The popularity of digital/ OTT platforms has changed how films are created, distributed and consumed. Consumers of global and Indian cinema have more choice than ever before,” the Minister said while wooing the international film industry to shoot in India.

The incentives, to be executed through Film Facilitation Office (FFO), will be disbursed in two stages. The final disbursement claim can be made once the project is completed in India and the cash sops will be provided on the recommendation of a special incentive evaluation committee.

 “Indian cinema is not only the story of a 6,000 year old civilisation, not only the story of 1.3 billion tales but also the story of human talent, triumph and the trajectory of New India narrated through your lens”, the Minister remarked.

India is the official Country of Honour at the Marche’ Du Film, organized alongside the 75th edition of Cannes Film Festival, in France. It is the first time the Marché du Film has an official Country of Honour, and this special focus will continue annually with different nations in the spotlight at future editions.