São Paulo launches Brazil’s first cash rebate for foreign productions

We first published news of a cash rebate scheme for international shoots in São Paulo early last year and are delighted to report that the scheme has just been officially launched by Spcine (São Paulo city’s film and audiovisual agency). It opened for applications from October 6,  it was originally planned to go until December 31, 2021. Currently, the applications are suspended until further notice.

The scheme is the first of its kind in Brazil and its aim is to promote the city of São Paulo through financial support for productions and shoots in the city, or which make reference to the city in their narratives. 

In recent years, São Paulo has become – Covid-19 notwithstanding – one of the top Latin American destinations for shoots. The likes of Sense8, Black Mirror and Keanu Reeve’s recent sci-fi series Conquest all had scenes filmed in the city. As these productions no doubt knew, Brazil’s largest city has an incredible talent pool – from Brazilian directors, producers, fixers and post-production houses – as well as a staggering diversity of locations that make filming in São Paulo an attractive and affordable destination for foreign productions.

The rebate scheme is open to feature films (both live action and animation), TV series and foreign advertising campaigns so long as they are filmed partially or entirely in the city. The sums involved will vary depending on the type of project, its budget (there are minimum spends specified) and whether the production meets certain criteria that are designed to stimulate sustainable shoots, support diversity, and value local talent. 

São Paulo City Hall has set aside R$8.5 million ($1.6 million) to spend in this first round of the scheme. There is no cap specified on the rebate amount available to each production, but there is a minimum spend specified for the production – R$2 million ($382,254) in the case of an international TV or film production, or a foreign advertising campaign, which has to be spent in the city via a local production partner. 

The rebates will be between 20 to 30 per cent of the production budget spent in São Paulo. Receiving a 30 per cent rebate rather than 20 per cent will depend on whether the production meets certain sustainability criteria or affirmative action, such as hiring women as well as Black, indigenous and transgender people for key production roles. The full 30 per cent rebate for international TV and film productions or foreign advertising campaigns would be worth upwards of R$600,000 ($115,000) – 30 per cent of the minimum required spend. 

There is also an incentive of R$15,000 ($2,900) for location scouts to explore the city. Read about the full criteria for the five financing lines here.

"São Paulo is such a diverse city, it has huge potential as a filming location, whatever the genre. We're excited to see that the cash rebate scheme has now launched, and look forward to seeing how our international clients take advantage of this,” says Nick Story, Executive Director of Story Productions. “Over the past year or two, we've shot a number of documentaries and TV shows in São Paulo with our clients directing the action entirely remotely. It has revolutionized the way we work, not only keeping budgets down but making it possible to shoot in Brazil while travel here has been restricted."

Have you got a project that could benefit from the São Paulo City’s Filming Attraction Programme? Need a local production partner? Get in touch to discuss the details.

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