“After evaluating our neighbour countries’ experience, we were expecting to receive about eight applications per year and were hoping to approve three to four of them,” Rolandas Kvietkauskas, Head of the Lithuanian Film Centre, said. “However, in less than six months we have given the green light to three projects and another three should be approved very soon.”

The three approved projects are We Will Sing, a co-production with the UK ‘by British director Robert Mullan; Helena by Finnish director Antti Jokinen; and Music in Ice by Russian director Yuri Vasiliev. The Lithuanian spend on the three projects has amounted to more than 1.7 m EUR.

Producers from the UK, Japan, Germany and Spain (among others) have already expressed their interest in the incentives scheme. Inquiries are also coming from documentary and animation filmmakers as well as from feature film productions.

Approved films must have a local investor, with funds going toward the Lithuanian production budget. The minimum spend in Lithuania is 43,443 EUR.

Representatives of the fund will host daily sessions to discuss tax incentive opportunities in Lithuania from 5pm to 7pm at the Lithuanian Films pavilion at Marché du Film at Village International Pantiero, Pavilion No. 221.