With more federal funding, the production of large series such as the Netflix success “The Queen’s Gambit”, which was largely filmed in Berlin, is to be increasingly lured to Germany. According to a new guideline, a quarter of the costs incurred in Germany can be covered by federal funds with up to ten million euros.
“German or European characteristics” are eligible for funding
“Series produced in Germany are successful worldwide. They stand for authentic, captivating material, great talents and innovative narrative forms,” said Minister of State for Culture Monika Grütters of the German Press Agency in Berlin. The maximum funding of the German Motion Picture Fund has been increased from four to ten million euros, “in order to be able to offer an attractive production location even for highly budgeted series”.
The prerequisite is that the production can demonstrate a special German or European character. The CDU politician was confident of “keeping large series productions and with them talented and creative people in Germany”.
The federal government wants to ensure the special German or European characteristics by means of a “cultural property test”, it says in the guideline (PDF file). The aim is to keep expensive series such as the Netflix series “1899” by the “Dark” makers in Germany or to bring them here.
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