How Austria became one of Europe’s leading international film and TV locations

The introduction of Austria’s financial incentive FISA+ is yielding tangible results for a country that boasts eye-popping locations, five-star infrastructure and highly experienced crew. FISA+ is the automatic, non-­repayable subsidy worth up to 35% of film production expenditure in Austria, up to a maximum of $5.5m (€5m) per film and $8.3m (€7.5m) per series.

Cliffhanger 2, a sequel to the 1993 action thriller that sees Sylvester Stallone reprise his lead role, is the first feature to be awarded the maximum funding of €5m. Directed by Jean-Francois Richet, the Germany-

­UK action title from Austria- and Germany-based Supernix and UK sales and production outfit Rocket Science will shoot this autumn at locations in Austria, Bavaria and Penzing Studios, west of Munich.

Guy Ritchie’s Fountain Of Youth, starring Natalie Portman and John Krasinski, secured $2.3m (€2.1m) via the initiative. Austria’s Onoo Two Film has been brought in to facilitate the funding and production.

The second series of Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers, starring Nicole Kidman, shot in Austria and Germany for the first six months of 2024 and was awarded €7.5m. Supernix, which is a joint venture between Philipp Kreuzer’s Maze Pictures and Joe Neurauter’s Occupant Entertainment, was again the local partner.

David Schalko’s Kafka and the fourth season of Vienna Blood also filmed recently in Austria, securing FISA+ support of $3.3m (€3m) and $2.8m (€2.5m) respectively.

“As a UK producer who has produced three of four series of Vienna Blood in Austria, I can speak highly of an overwhelmingly positive experience,” says Jez Swimer of Endor Productions. “Austria provides a wealth of visually exciting locations, the crews are highly professional and the local acting talent is top class and bolstered by a healthy theatre scene.”

Further series supported by FISA+ include HBO’s The Regime, starring Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant and Austria’s Karl Markovics, which received $2.5m (€2.3m). Onoo One Film was the Austrian service producer for the series, which is directed by Stephen Frears. It spent five of the 20-week shoot in Vienna, with Schönbrunn Palace serving as a major location.

Meanwhile, Amazon shot its first Austrian original Beasts Like Us in the country last year, produced by Constanze Schumann and Thomas W Kiennast of Vienna’s Rundfilm.

Growing business

Since January 2023, 113 projects have received some $122m (€109.9m) via FISA+, which was created by the Federal Ministry of Labor and Economy and is handled by the federal development and financing bank Austria Wirtschaftsservice Gesellschaft.

A total of 2,900 shooting days by the 113 projects have created an “Austria effect” of around $386m (€347m) and generated revenues in the territory’s economy of around $1.1bn (€1bn). For every euro of funding from FISA+, three euros are spent directly on production in Austria, said the ministry. In addition, productions may qualify for a 5% green filming bonus and a one‑off payment of $28,000 (€25,000) if a certain number of women are employed as heads of department.

FILM in AUSTRIA has been front and centre of the territory’s efforts to attract productions to the country, overseeing the government’s introduction of FISA+.

FILM in AUSTRIA is the first and central point of contact for monitoring and supporting international film, TV and streaming projects, and applicants for funding within the framework of FISA+. It offers customised information, support and consultation free of charge to international producers, and can advise on local labour and tax issues, Austrian co-production partners and service producers. FILM in AUSTRIA also provides expertise on production challenges in different cities and regions.

Austria is a well-connected country at the heart of Europe. It borders Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Productions can reach a “snow-secure” 13,000-foot mountain within a day of walking around an eye-catching palace or opera house.

Capital city Vienna is on the Danube river and has become a major production hub in the last few years. New studio complex HQ7, with two soundproof state-of-the-art stages tailored to international production standards, opened its doors this year.

“We are excited about how the new FISA+ incentive and the growing infrastructure, particularly new studios, are boosting the Austrian film industry,” says the country’s film commissioner Nina-Anica Keidies. “All these developments, paired with Austria’s unique landscape and its high level of production expertise, strengthen our position as an internationally competitive film location.”

Contact: Nina-Anica Keidies, film commissioner, FILM in AUSTRIA