Studio Babelsberg's managing director for production, Rainer Schaper, called for changes to German tax legislation during a speech at this week's Media Forum NRW in Cologne.

Schaper criticised current laws under which non-German talent is taxed when shooting in the country. Earlier this year, Schaper successfully beat off rival bids to bring Jean-Jacques Annaud's $90m Enemy At The Gates to Babelsberg, but warned that prohibitive tax laws could discourage other big-budget productions from shooting in Germany.

"Some actors leave in outrage when they hear they have to pay more than half their fee to the German finance authorities," said Schaper. "Even expenses for hotel, taxi and subsistence, which are reimbursed by the production company, are taxed as well."

Schaper assumed responsibility for production at Babelsberg after the departure of studio boss Friedrich-Carl Wachs and Studio Babelsberg Independents' head Arthur Hofer.

His demand came just as Alan Rudolph's latest feature, the $8.5m German-US co-production Investigating Sex, wrapped near Berlin this week with a cast boasting Nick Nolte, Neve Campbell, Jeremy Davies, Tuesday Weld, Julie Delpy and Til Schweiger.