by Film incentives sweetened as nation realizes sheep aren’t enough
In what can only be described as a cinematic courtship worthy of a three-hour Bollywood epic, New Zealand is rolling out the red carpetand substantial financial incentivesto woo Indian filmmakers back to Middle-earth. The New Zealand Film Commission has decided that if hobbits can find love in the Shire, surely Bollywood can find profit in Queenstown.
The commission’s CEO Annie Murray, speaking with the enthusiasm of someone who’s just discovered that India makes more than 1,800 films annually, announced that New Zealand is slashing its minimum spend requirement from a hobbit-sized NZ$15 million to a more manageable NZ$4 million. “We realized we were pricing ourselves out of the market,” Murray didn’t quite say, but definitely implied while adjusting New Zealand’s competitive positioning.
The desperationsorry, “strategic pivot”comes after the revelation that the India-New Zealand co-production treaty, signed roughly 15 years ago, has been used exactly once. Once! That’s fewer times than most people have watched “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy in a single sitting. The lonely film that did utilize the treaty, “Beyond the Known World,” was apparently shot so long ago that it predates most of Gen Z.
What’s particularly delicious is that recent Telugu blockbusters “Kannappa” and “Game Changer” filmed in New Zealand without bothering to use the co-production treaty at all. It’s like being ghosted by someone who still shows up at your housejust through the side door instead of the front. “We filmed in your beautiful locations,” these productions essentially said, “but we’re not ready to make it official.”
The New Zealand delegation of 13 filmmakers descended upon the WAVES Film Bazaar in Goa like tourists discovering vindaloo for the first timeexcited, overwhelmed, and slightly unsure what they’ve gotten themselves into. They’re courting everyone from Bollywood to Tollywood, casting a net so wide it could catch every fish in both the Tasman Sea and the Indian Ocean.
Te O Kahurangi Waaka, chief advisor for Maori strategy, emphasized the importance of cultural protocols, essentially warning Indian filmmakers that you can’t just show up and start filming without proper respect. “It’s important that we build relationships,” she explained, in what might be the most diplomatic way of saying “Don’t treat us like a cheap backlot with pretty mountains.”
The commission is banking on direct flights between India and New Zealand starting by early 2027, eliminating the current inconvenience of connecting through Singapore. Because nothing says “we want your business” quite like making producers spend 20+ hours in transit with multiple layovers to scout your locations.
Murray nostalgically recalled the 2000 film “Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai,” which was partially shot in New Zealand and apparently caused such a surge in Indian tourism that New Zealanders briefly wondered if they’d been invaded by Hrithik Roshan fans. “Films are our cultural ambassadors,” Murray said, presumably hoping that the next batch of Indian productions will bring even more tourist dollars than Frodo and friends.
SOURCE: https://variety.com/2025/film/markets-festivals/new-zealand-film-incentives-india-co-production-revival-1236589981/
SOURCE: Bohiney.com (https://variety.com/2025/film/markets-festivals/new-zealand-film-incentives-india-co-production-revival-1236589981/)
