Film executives in Abu Dhabi are in talks with their Canadian counterparts over a joint plan to produce movies in the UAE, in a move that could prove a major boost for the country's fledgling film industry. David Shepheard, the director of the Abu Dhabi Film Commission (ADFC), said "preliminary discussions" regarding a co-production agreement with Canada had already taken place.
Such an agreement would aim to "stimulate productions between the two countries", he said. "Could Canada be the first country with which Abu Dhabi has a co-production agreement? I think so. We've been having discussions over the last year or so. We're looking to see how [Canada] structures its various government support programmes," said Mr Shepheard. The discussions were with "a mixture of various government bodies, and the federal film organisation [in Canada]", he said. "It's part of our message that the UAE is very serious about building a film industry. The co-production agreements would only spark off projects that are relevant to both countries."
The success of the agreement would hinge on plans to introduce incentives for film producers to shoot in the UAE. Reciprocal arrangements could see UAE film-makers shoot on location in Canada. The forms of incentives are still under discussion. Tax breaks, the most common form of incentive in other markets, do not apply because of the UAE's minimal taxation policies. However, industry executives point to discounted or free airline tickets and hotel accommodation, low charges on location shoots and a straightforward cash fund as possible incentives the government could offer.
Joint Emirati-Canadian film productions would earn "national status" in both countries. Canada has several such agreements internationally, but the plan, if it comes to fruition, would be a first for the UAE. Financing films is often easier under co-production agreements, which allow producers to take advantage of tax benefits, resources and locations to shoot movies across different territories.
The 2001 film Amelie, for example, was set in France, but some of the filming was undertaken in Germany under a co-production agreement, according to data available on the Internet Movie Database. Film-makers in the UAE said a deal with Canada could help the Emirati film industry grow. Tim Smythe, the chief executive of the Dubai production house Filmworks, which brought big-budget Hollywood films such as The Kingdom and Syriana to shoot in the UAE, said co-production agreements, in particular, could help in financing independent Emirati films.
"Independent films often need to source financing from a number of countries. [Co-production] has become one of the most important factors in financing independent films," he said. "Anything that is being negotiated would be most welcome. There are no co-production agreements at the present moment. One of the main goals of film commissions [such as the ADFC] is to form co-production agreements." However, executives said a prerequisite of such an agreement would be a system of government incentives in the UAE to help finance films.
Canada is known for its generous tax breaks and other financial assistance to producers, which has helped it draw productions from the US. But there are no comparable incentive schemes in the UAE, which has acted as a deterrent for international productions to be made here. "There's got to be a benefit for the parties of that co-production agreement, whether in filming, post-production or special effects," said Mr Smythe.
However, talks to introduce incentives for the movie industry are under way. "There has been positive movement, but I'm not at liberty to comment further at this time," he said. Mr Shepheard said plans for an incentive programme in Abu Dhabi were at "the research stage". Stefan Brunner, the chief operating officer at Imagenation Abu Dhabi, which is developing a number of Emirati films, said a co-production agreement with Canada would be "brilliant" news for the industry.
"We want to do co-productions down the road, with Canada for instance," he said. "Canada is a country very close to the US, with the look and feel of the US, but doesn't have some of the complexities … It's much more open to co-producing [arrangements]." Mr Brunner said similar agreements between the UAE and other Middle East countries could also be beneficial. "We will need the region to tap into talent and resources we may not have here … You need to bring it in from other parts of the region," he said.
Mr Brunner cited regional countries that already had established film industries, such as Jordan and Egypt, as examples. Mr Shepheard said the ADFC was also looking to form co-production agreements with other countries. "We've got a study under way looking at various European countries," he said. "India and China are also key for us." @Email:bflanagan@thenational.ae