Israel Tourism Ministry allocates NIS 340 million for public tourism infrastructure projects

Israel government to support 12 foreign movie productions for filming in Israel

For the first time: As part of a new program to encourage foreign movie productions in Israel, which includes recognition of photography and editing of international movies and series, 12 foreign productions were approved this week for filming in Israel

An inter-ministerial committee, which includes the Investment and Development Authority in the Ministry of Economy and Industry, the Ministry of Culture and Sport, the Ministry of Tourism, and the Foreign Ministry, this week approved requests of 12 Israeli production companies for grants of about NIS 23 million, submitted within the first round of the program in Israel. 

With the publication of the new financial support track, 19 requests totaling NIS 51 million were received, reflecting the demand for the program – 2.2 times the budget allocated to the program. The applications submitted will result in investment in filming movie productions and television series in Israel totaling over NIS 172 million. 

Among those productions that have been approved, we will soon see leading production corporations such as: Mediawan, Fremantle Media, Warner Bros. (WB), Emjag Productions, Viacom Showtime, and other production corporations from Canada, USA, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy and other countries.

The list of Israeli production companies that won funding during this round: 

  • Abot Hameiri Communications Ltd.
  • Strawberries Productions (2004) Ltd.
  • Green Productions -Kurland Greenspan Ltd.
  • Split
  • Snowball VFX Ltd.
  • Spiro Films
  • FIRMA Films
  • udiVsagi Productions Ltd.
  • Bustan Films Ltd.
  • Hive Studio Jerusalem Ltd.

In 2023, the Investment Authority announced its intention to continue the program to encourage foreign production in Israel. The government ministries which are partnering in the project believe that this important step will positively brand Israel throughout the world as a center for foreign movie and series production, thanks to the country’s unique natural resources and historic locations. The decision will also provide livelihoods to many Israelis who will work in different productions. 

Israel has many advantages in the field of movie and series production that include a good infrastructure of facilities and production services, skilled professionals, and an available pool of film graduates from leading international schools. Israel can be a significant center for foreign productions to film their movies in the country. Bringing foreign movie production into Israel will serve as a lever for the development of Israeli culture, incoming tourism as well as financial support, especially after the particularly difficult period caused by the pandemic.

Director, Marketing Administration, Tourism Ministry Pini Shani: “The Ministry of Tourism invests and encourages foreign movie production in Israel. It is well known that viewers are inclined to visit the places featured in the movies they enjoy, with movie stars they admire. Foreign movie productions will create another medium through which Israel will be exposed as an attractive tourism destination. The productions will offer broad exposure to Israel in an attractive way, to many different audiences around the world. The budgets that the Tourism Ministry allocated to support these foreign productions have justified the investment, and more so.”