Netherlands Film Fund announce 30% rebate cash rebate scheme

The Netherlands Film Fund is to reveal full details of its long awaited new 30% cash rebate scheme in Cannes today [May 16].

Doreen Boonekamp [pictured], CEO of the Film Fund, is predicting that the new €20m scheme will significantly “strengthen the Dutch film industry and position the Netherlands in the international market place”.

The aim now is to lure international production to the Netherlands.

Boonekamp is expecting to receive EU State Aid approval in time for Friday’s announcement at the festival.

The Fund, which has been rushing to launch the scheme as soon as possible, will also present the country’s new National Film Commission on Friday afternoon. 

Insiders are expecting that the first deadline for applications will fall as early as June.

The scheme will offer a 30% cash rebate on production spend in the Netherlands. Applicants are likely to be asked to have half 50% of the overall production budget in place before they apply to the fund.

International productions that receive a grant are expected to have a Dutch distributor aboard. At the point the grant is awarded, producers will be given only a limited time – perhaps as little as six months – to complete their financing.

Early signs are that the maximum grant available will be €1 million – and the minimum production budget for feature films applying will be €1 million. For feature length documentary, the minimum required budget and spend levels will be considerably lower.

The Dutch are hoping that both the production and post-production sectors will be given a major boost by the new scheme.