Key features of the revised incentive
Under the revised framework, eligible film and television productions remain entitled to a cash rebate equal to 25% of qualifying expenditure incurred in Bulgaria. The maximum rebate per project, however, has now been increased to EUR 5 million, up from the previous cap of EUR 1 million. The Bulgarian National Film Centre (NFC) administers the incentive in accordance with the Film Industry Act and implementing regulations.
Eligible productions
The scope of eligible productions remains unchanged. The cash rebate continues to apply to the following categories of audiovisual works:
- feature films with a running time exceeding 70 minutes;
- films and series produced for television or on‑demand streaming platforms, including series with episodes of at least 40 minutes;
- a documentary film with a duration of more than 60 minutes or a documentary series with a duration of more than 40 minutes per episode; or
- animated film or animated series with a total duration of more than 24 minutes.
Eligibility is subject to the project being produced wholly or partly in Bulgaria; intended for public exhibition or broadcast and meeting the applicable cultural test requirements.
The incentive scheme is open to both Bulgarian and foreign productions, provided that all statutory conditions set out in the Film Industry Act and its implementing framework are satisfied.
Conclusion
The increase in the cash rebate cap signals Bulgaria’s intention to position its film industry as a viable destination for larger‑scale multinational productions, and to make Bulgaria even more competitive regionally.
For more information on Bulgarian rebates and incentives for film and TV production, contact your CMS client partner or the CMS experts who contributed to this article: Anna Tanova, Partner and Andrea Andreev, Associate.
