Film Co-Production Agreement signed with India

Prime Minister John Key says the signing of a Film Co-Production Agreement between New Zealand and India will be a great boost to the film industries in both countries.

The Agreement will encourage further cooperation between New Zealand and India's film industries by enhancing screen co-investment, joint creative input, and film crew interaction.

“India is a rapidly rising player in the region, and we want to build on our already strong cultural and economic ties,” Mr Key says.

A number of Bollywood blockbusters, such as “I Hate Luv Stories” and “The Players”, have been filmed partly in New Zealand, and there are significant potential benefits for our creative industries in gaining access to the India film market.

Mr Key will go on the set of “The Players” when he visits Film City in Mumbai tomorrow.

“The influence of these films, with an audience of millions, has been instrumental in stimulating Indian interest in New Zealand as a tourism destination. This Agreement will also offer greater certainty to investors looking to fund New Zealand-India film co-productions.”

Film co-production agreements allow approved film and television projects to gain the status of “official co-productions” which gives film projects access to the benefits accorded to national films in each of the co-producers’ countries. This includes access to funding and incentives, as well as facilitating temporary immigration and importation of equipment - within existing regulations.

New Zealand currently has 11 bilateral film co-production arrangements in force.

The Agreement, signed by Prime Minister Key and Prime Minister Singh in New Delhi today, has been negotiated between New Zealand's Ministry for Culture and Heritage and India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.