The Brazilian Senate approved the draft legislative decree concerning the Brazil-China Film Co-production Agreement, signed in 2017.

Under the terms of the agreement, films produced as co-productions will be recognised as national films in both countries. The financial contribution of each party to the agreement must account for no less than 20% and no more than 80% of the total production budget.

These percentages must also be observed in the composition of the creative and technical teams, as well as in ownership rights and the distribution of the revenue generated. The agreement also provides for exemption from duties on the temporary admission of filming equipment, establishes requirements for the approval of projects by the competent authorities of both countries, and defines rules that facilitate the temporary movement of professionals involved in the productions.

The rapporteur for the proposal, Senator Humberto Costa of the Workers’ Party, highlighted the importance of the agreement for Brazil. According to the Senator, the partnership has considerable potential, given the size of the Chinese film market, currently one of the largest in the world, with a large number of cinema screens and a significant level of economic activity in the sector. In this context, the formalisation of a co-production agreement represents an important mechanism for expanding the access of Brazilian film productions to the Chinese market.

(Source: Rádio Senado, 9 July)