Co-production

Qualifying as a British film under one of the UK's official co-production treaties provides a number of advantages: productions are eligible to apply for BFI funding and for the benefits of the UK's tax relief system. Films made as official co-productions are not required to pass the Cultural Test for British film.

Bi-lateral co-production treaties

The UK currently has nine active bi-lateral treaties with:

European Convention on Cinematographic Co-production

The UK is one of many countries currently signed up to the European Convention on Cinematographic Co-production. You can view a copy of the agreement and list signatories on the Council of Europe website.

New treaties

The UK/Palestine treaty has now been ratified and is in force. The UK has signed a treaty with Morocco which is subject to constitutional procedures and ratification before it can come into force. The UK is also in early negotiations with China.

Applications for British Film Certification under the Co-production Treaties

Before you make your application please read through the co-production guidelines. Applications for British Film Certification should be made to the BFI Certification Unit. Producers should apply for Provisional Certification at least 4 weeks before Principal Photography starts.

or write to:

The Certification Unit
British Film Institute
21 Stephen Street
London W1T 1LN

or you can ask for a form by telephone: +44 (0)20 7173 3214 or e-mail: anna.mansi@bfi.org.uk or certifications@bfi.org.uk.

List of productions which have received final certification under a co-production agreement.

Further Information

Filmmakers are encouraged to contact the Certification Unit as early as possible to discuss their application. The unit are happy to meet producers at any stage of development and work with them on their applications. For further details on the Cultural Test or to discuss a particular project please telephone Anna Mansi, BFI Certification Manager, on +44 (0)20 7173 3214 or e-mail: anna.mansi@bfi.org.uk or certifications@bfi.org.uk.

Specialist Advice

You can also view HMRC's guidance on tax relief and co-productions on their website. For further information on UK tax relief, click here. Media lawyers and accountants can provide advice on British qualification and accessing UK tax relief. Contacts can be found in the UK production directories below.

How to find a UK co-producer

The following sources are useful for finding contacts for UK producers/production companies:

Film & TV Fond and the BFI, in partnership with the Nordic Embassies and MEDIA Desks. The purpose of the initiative, during the 61st International Berlin Film Festival and European Film Market, is to encourage creative co-production relationships between the UK and the Nordic countries. The initiative is timely in the wake of a number of notable film and TV collaborations between the territories, as well as the recent success of Nordic films in the UK market. All of these successes have been built on strong creative foundations, and demonstrate the potential for talent driven co-production in these regions and audience appetite for such projects.

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Last Updated: 13 Apr 2012