Euro-puddings - the international co-production, its woes and welcomes

[The Silly Swede]

I saw a proper euro pudding this evening. "Night train to lisbon" by Bille August. A German-Swiss-Portuguese co-production starring Jeremy Irons, Christopher Lee, Melanie Laurent, Bruno Ganz and Charlotte Rampling among others. Worked surprisingly well.

[George White]

Canada used to be an excellent place to film co-productions, given all the tax breaks, etc. Lots of fun stuff came from here in the 70's and 80's. I highly recommend checking out Paul Corupe's wonderful Canuxploitation website, where he discusses these films:

http://www.canuxploitation.com/article/copro.html

I've linked to the co-production page, but do yourself a favour and check out the rest of the site. It's very interesting, informative, and entertaining. And Paul's a great guy who knows his stuff!

Yes, the UK_Canadian Tax shelter that almost killed both countries' industries. Hence why the supposedly Hampshire countryside in Equua looked suspiciously North American or why the British-made Murder by Decree was filled with Canadians. The Alistair maclean Nazis in the Arctic thriller Bear Island is one of the more weirder Can-Uk, as is Death SHip.

[The Silly Swede]

I didn't know you were practiced in the world of independent film-financing, Silly Swede.

Well I have picked up a little something here and there.

[Dom D]

I forgot the name but Luc Bessons company is the most interesting at the moment. They're really filling a niche Hollywood is ignoring plus keeping the likes of Luam Neeson and Statham off the dole queue. Which is noble work. At the moment Australia offers good incentives for Australian production which is causing Hollywood to funnel films through Australian companies as co productions like the recent Gatsby adaption. Its a very dodgy practice.

[Zane C.]

Canada used to be an excellent place to film co-productions, given all the tax breaks, etc. Lots of fun stuff came from here in the 70's and 80's. I highly recommend checking out Paul Corupe's wonderful Canuxploitation website, where he discusses these films:

http://www.canuxploitation.com/article/copro.html

I've linked to the co-production page, but do yourself a favour and check out the rest of the site. It's very interesting, informative, and entertaining. And Paul's a great guy who knows his stuff!

[Zane C.]

My favourite remains the classic HORROR EXPRESS, with Cushing and Lee. An excellent example of a fun movie with an international flavour, recognizable actors, and longevity on the world b-movie scene. I don't know a cult movie fan who DOESN'T know this movie and enjoy it.

[Richard--W]

It is still what drives independent Cinema.

Hell, shoot a film in Serbia (Low labour costs +20% cash incentive for everything you spend there), have your special effects done in Canada (15-25% tax discounts on everything that costs) co-finance it through Belgium, France or Germany (so it counts as a EU production and get tax funds), add some British to get access to the national lottery fund and finance the rest through a tax-shelter scheme in the US and your 50 million US budget is actually only costing you 25 million. (which you of course have already got by pre-Selling the film to distributors around the world.

Which is how Anthony Minghella financed his big-budget independent films; my favorite is COLD MOUNTAIN (2003).

I didn't know you were practiced in the world of independent film-financing, Silly Swede. That's exactly the sort of deal-maker every independent production company wishes they had. We missed this year's American Film Market where the international world gathers to deal in indy films. But we'll be shopping for finance at the next one.

[The Silly Swede]

It is still what drives independent Cinema.

Hell, shoot a film in Serbia (Low labour costs +20% cash incentive for everything you spend there), have your special effects done in Canada (15-25% tax discounts on everything that costs) co-finance it through Belgium, France or Germany (so it counts as a EU production and get tax funds), add some British to get access to the national lottery fund and finance the rest through a tax-shelter scheme in the US and your 50 million US budget is actually only costing you 25 million. (which you of course have already got by pre-Selling the film to distributors around the world.

Though as you say, this isn't nearly as charming as the old day when half the actors in a film were all dubbed foreigners.

Harry Alan Towers was certainly a favourite. Shooting a 'Nam film in apartheid South Africa? Why not. Harry knew his shit.

[George White]

What is the Euro-pudding, i.e. international co-production's significance in film? Many criticised the likes of De Laurentiis, Sandy Howard, Harry Alan Towers, Lew Grade, even Golan-Globus for using tax incentives and so on to fund the Film Industry via multiple location shoots, quota casts by nationality rather than type and so on. What are your favourite Europuds?