Lok Sabha Question No. 288 (STARRED), answered on 2018-03-15
Subject: Agreement on Film Co-Production
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, SUDHEER GUPTA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *288 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.03.2018

## AGREEMENT ON FILM CO- PRODUCTION

## *288. SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO: SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA

## Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  set  up  a  Committee  on  Promotion  and Facilitation to facilitate permission for foreign and domestic filmmakers for shooting feature films and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has signed an Agreement on film co-production between India and Israel recently and if so, the details thereof along with the terms and conditions of the Agreement;
- (c) the  benefits  likely  to  be  accrued  to  the  country  as  a  result  of  the Agreement;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  signed  similar  Agreements  with  other countries and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  promote  Indian cinema in other countries?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING [SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI]

- (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT AS REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *288 FOR ANSWER ON 15.03.2018

- (a): No Madam, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has not set up any Committee  on  Promotion  and  Facilitation  to  facilitate  permission  for domestic  filmmakers  for shooting in India, but has  set  up  Film Facilitation Office (FFO) to facilitate permission to foreign filmmakers for shooting  in  India.  FFO  has  been  set  up  with  a  view  to  promote  and facilitate film shootings by foreign filmmakers.
- (b): On  behalf  of  the  Government  of  the  Republic  of  India,  the  Ministry  of Information  &  Broadcasting  has  signed  an  Agreement  on  Film  Coproduction with the Government of the State of Israel on 15.01.2018 in New Delhi. Copy of the Agreement on Film Co-production between the Government of the State of Israel and the Government of the Republic of India will be available on the website of the Ministry, once it becomes operational.  The salient features of the Agreement are:
- (i) Any co-production produced in pursuance of this Agreement shall be considered by the Competent Authorities as a national film and shall be  entitled  to  all  the  benefits  which  are  or  may  be  accorded  to national films by each of the Parties under their respective national laws.  These  benefits  accrue  solely  to  the  co-producer  of  a  country that grants them.
- (ii) These films shall be entitled to claim all state support and benefits available to the film and video industries and the privileges granted by the provisions in force in the respective countries.
- (iii) The Parties shall facilitate the temporary entry and the re-export of any film equipment necessary for the production of an approved coproduction  film,  subject  to  their  respective  domestic  legislation(s). The Parties shall also do their best to enter and reside the persons employed  in  the  making/  promotion  of  an  approved  co-production film in its territory for the purpose of participation.
- (c): The key attraction of a co-production especially under a Treaty, is that it qualifies as a National production in each of the partner nations and can  access  benefits  that  are  available  to  the  local  film  and  television industry  in  each  country.  Benefits  may  include  Government  financial assistance, tax concessions and inclusion in domestic television broadcast quotas. Such treaties not only enable Indian film makers to leverage tax rebate but also benefit from relatively relaxed visa norms in partner countries. The benefits are as under:
-  Access to a common pool of creative, artistic, technical, financial and marketing resources.
-  National films status to such co-produced films in both countries and their participation in the film festivals as domestic productions of both countries.
-  Incentive for carrying out production and post-production work in participating countries.
-  Access to resources through co-production country which may otherwise may not be available in the home country.
- (d): India has signed co-production treaties with Italy, Germany, Brazil, UK &  Northern  Ireland,  France,  New  Zealand,  Poland,  Spain,  Canada, China, Korea, Bangladesh and Israel.
- (e): The  Ministry  of  Information  &  Broadcasting  has  introduced  'Film Promotion Fund' as an additional activity under the existing component 'Participation  in  Film  Markets  in  India  and  abroad'  of  the  12 th   Plan Scheme  'Development,  Communication  and  Dissemination  of  Filmic Content' to provide financial assistance to film makers whose films are selected in any competition section of any international film festivals for repute or an award event. The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting also  participates  in  different  film  festivals  like  Cannes  Film  Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, BRICS etc. to promote Indian cinema abroad.