Irish Tax Incentives Stimulate Production

Anand Tucker




by Sandy Mandelberger, North American Editor





As Ireland attempts to attract international co-productions by offering generous tax incentives to international producers, the newly initiated financial stimulus is already paying dividends for the tight Irish filmmaking community. shake-up in the country's system of tax incentives late last year already is paying dividends for the Irish filmmaking community. Late last year, the Irish government greenlighted plans to raise the individual investor cap for those wishing to invest finance in film in Ireland. The government upped it to £50,000 ($65,000) per annum, from the previous limit of £31,750 and pushed up the relief on it to 100% from 80%.



Those attractive incentives are attracting interest. A case in point is the Spyglass Entertainment production of LEAP YEAR, a romantic comedy to star Amy Adams and Matthew Goode, directed by Anand Tucker (SHOPGIRL, WHEN DID YOU LAST SEE YOUR FATHER). The film is expected to spend some $16.5 million on Irish crew and services, according to a statement released by the Irish Film Board. Tucker is expected to prep and shoot in various locations throughout the country over a four- to five-month period and the project will be co-produced by Morgan O' Sullivan and James Flynn of World 2000, based at Ardmore Studios. Irish production company World 2000 has a long running relationship with Spyglass, having previously worked on REIGN OF FIRE and THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO. For more information on production opportunities on the Emerald Isle, visit: www.irishfilmboard.ie