31/01/2011

The Croatian Audiovisual Centre (HAVC) last week presented its four-year National Strategic Programme for the Audiovisual Industry. The programme was supported by all guild associations and received a warm welcome in the Croatian filmmaking community and media.

The five principal aims of the plan are to:

- introduce a system of tax incentives for film production and stimulate inward investment;
- ensure that country’s audiovisual legislation is implemented;
- increase cinema admissions for Croatian and European films, as well as their audience share on television;
- resolve the status of the Croatian Cinematèque and ensure the restoration and promotion of Croatia’s film heritage;
- digitize the theatrical network.

The plan identifies the most crucial problems in the local industry as the lack of TV investment in creative programming and its lack of support of theatrical film production; low cinema attendance; and the failure to attract international productions to shoot in the country.

“Until 20 years ago, production services provided in Croatia for international productions through [film studio] Jadran Film used to bring an annual profit equivalent to today’s €100m,” says film director Hrvoje Hribar (What Is a Man Without a Moustache), recently appointed CEO of HAVC. “Today, we have no such inward investment because we never introduced tax rebates or other attractive incentives like Hungary, the Czech Republic, Romania or Bulgaria have. There is a lot of interest from foreign production companies in Croatia’s premium filming locations, but they end up opting for other territories because of more favourable financial conditions.”

The plan also includes a new national script development competition, which should help raise the number and quality of local productions.