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Uzbekistan has approved a new film rebate programme offering foreign productions up to 4 billion soums (around U.S.$315,000) in reimbursement as it seeks to attract international filmmakers and boost tourism through cinema.
The Cabinet of Ministers has adopted new regulations introducing a tiered reimbursement system for foreign film and television productions. Under the programme, producers will be able to recover between 10% and 25% of eligible local production expenses, depending on the size of their investment, with compensation capped at 4 billion soums per project.
Applications will be submitted through the new Film in Uzbekistan platform, which is scheduled to launch before 1 November. Foreign studios will be required to partner with an accredited local production company and provide documentation verifying all eligible expenditure. Only goods and services purchased from Uzbek tax residents will qualify for reimbursement.
The initiative forms part of Uzbekistan's broader strategy to develop film tourism and attract international investment into its creative industries. Alongside the rebate programme, authorities plan to publish a nationwide catalogue of filming locations, historical landmarks and production facilities to make it easier for foreign studios to film in the country.
Film rebate schemes have become one of the main tools countries use to compete for major international productions.
New Zealand, for example, offers a 20% cash rebate, with an additional 5% incentive for projects delivering wider economic benefits. The programme helped establish the country as a global filming destination through productions including The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and the Avatar sequels, generating billions of dollars in tourism and production spending.
The United Kingdom provides a 25% tax credit for qualifying film and high-end television productions, helping to attract major projects from studios including Disney, Warner Bros. and Marvel. Australia also offers rebates of up to 40%, while India provides reimbursements of up to 40% for qualifying international productions, reflecting growing global competition to attract film investment.
Uzbekistan first introduced a film rebate mechanism in 2020, offering a 20% reimbursement for foreign productions. The latest regulations significantly expand the programme by increasing the maximum rebate to 25% and raising the compensation cap to 4 billion soums, making the country more competitive in the global production market.
Officials hope the initiative will not only attract international filmmakers but also create jobs for local production companies, encourage skills development across the film industry, and showcase Uzbekistan's historic sites and landscapes to audiences worldwide.
Four people were killed, including a child, in Ukrainian strikes on the Russian port city of Novorossiysk overnight, according to the governor of the Krasnodar region. Ukraine's drone forces commander, Robert Brovdi, said Russian military ships were destroyed in the attacks.
A TV channel was struck during a live broadcast on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Russian strikes on Kyiv killed at least three people, the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Meanwhile, drones hit civilian infrastructure in Russia's southwestern Saratov region.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) allegedly launched two ballistic missile attacks against a U.S. Navy warship over the past two days.
Wildfires have broken out in Türkiye’s Antalya province, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate as strong winds fuelled the flames.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said on Wednesday they attacked two U.S. vessels and eight oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, calling the strikes a response to a U.S. attack on five Iranian tankers.
The 83rd Venice Film Festival has opened on the Lido, bringing Hollywood stars and leading filmmakers together for a programme dominated by war, political violence, grief, power and the pressures shaping the modern world.
Britain's King Charles, French President Emmanuel Macron and Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham visited the exhibition housing the historic Bayeux Tapestry on Wednesday (2 September), which depicts the conquest of England by the monarch's ancestor William I in 1066.
Country music legend Dolly Parton, whose songs, unmistakable style and warmth made her one of America’s most enduring entertainers, has died aged 80, her family said on Tuesday.
Kanye West’s first solo concert in Central Asia delivered an estimated five billion tenge ($11 million) tourism boost to Almaty, drawing 31,000 spectators from more than 50 countries.
American actress Hayden Panettiere, known for her roles in TV shows such as Nashville and Heroes, has died at the age of 36, ABC News reported on Sunday, citing her representative.
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