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.
The C5+1 ministerial meeting in Samarkand has strengthened economic ties between the U.S. and Central Asia, with Uzbekistan securing 54 agreements ...
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said regional issues should be res...
Armenia could face soaring gas prices, a sharp drop in remittances and tighter restrictions on migrant workers if its membership of the Eurasian Ec...
U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for continuing to target Russia's energy infrastructure, while Russian strikes on Kyiv overnight killed at least one person and damaged a metro station.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Norway for talks about the Russia-Ukraine war. He is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who arrived in Oslo earlier. Witkoff will also meet European officials.
French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the violence, looting and vandalism that erupted during cost-of-living protests across France. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu held crisis talks on Monday, calling for partial curfews and raising the possibility of a state of emergency.
An oil tanker caught fire after striking a naval mine in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said late Sunday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said regional issues should be resolved through diplomacy and blamed the United States for insecurity and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, speaking at a joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday.
A former gang leader was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison on Tuesday for orchestrating the 1996 drive-by shooting death of hip-hop star Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas, capping the prosecution of a long-unsolved murder that shaped the golden age of rap music.
Here’s your AnewZ Daily Brief for 14 October 2026, featuring the top five culture and entertainment stories from around the world.
Two paintings by French Impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir worth millions of dollars have been recovered a month after they were stolen from a French Riviera museum. Four men have been charged in connection with the theft, while two other suspects have been released without charge.
Iran has unveiled the restored mausoleum of 13th-century mystic Shams Tabrizi in the northwestern city of Khoy, with plans for a cultural tourism route linking the site to the shrine of renowned Persian poet Rumi in Konya, Türkiye.
AnewZ has premiered its new documentary film Kontrapunkt in Berlin, exploring more than two centuries of shared German-Azerbaijani history and the legacy of German communities in Azerbaijan.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment