London: The Cyprus Film Commission recently concluded a successful three-day roadshow in London, aimed at engaging professionals from the United Kingdom's audiovisual sector. The events, held over the course of last week, targeted both British professionals and Cypriots residing in the UK, offering them insights into the commission's incentives programme designed to attract film and television productions to Cyprus.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Lefteris Eleftheriou, Head of the Cyprus Film Commission and the main speaker at the events, emphasized the competitive edge of Cyprus's incentives programme. He highlighted it as one of the most generous and swiftest cash rebate schemes available in Europe. Eleftheriou's presentation covered the financial incentives available to both foreign and domestic productions, solutions to practical challenges, and the specific criteria companies need to meet to qualify for funding.
Eleftheriou expressed satisfaction with the strong turnout from UK audiovisual professionals, noting that attendance exceeded initial expectations. While they anticipated 10 to 15 participants at the High Commission event, the actual attendance was significantly higher, resulting in a full events hall.
The programme, which promotes Cyprus as a hub for international film and television production, was initiated in 2017 but gained prominence in the following years, especially after the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. With an annual budget of £25 million, the programme currently supports over seven international productions, predominantly from British companies, but also includes French and Scandinavian contributors.
Importantly, the programme mandates collaboration between foreign professionals and Cypriot entrepreneurs, thereby bolstering the local audiovisual industry. The final event in London, held at the Cypriot High Commission, was co-organised with the business association 'Cypriots in the City'. Fanos Theofanous, President of the Association, praised the event for showcasing the strength of collaboration between the diaspora and local institutions in shaping Cyprus's future.
The Commercial Section of the Cypriot High Commission also played a significant role in the success of the event.