DEPARTMENT FOR
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT News Release (120/08) issued by COI News
Distribution Service. 19 November 2008
An era of closer
collaboration between UK and Moroccan film-makers is expected when
a new film co-production agreement between the two countries takes
effect next year.
UK and Moroccan Government officials have now successfully
completed negotiations on the treaty, which will enable UK and
Moroccan film-makers to work together to co-produce films that
will be eligible for national status in both countries.
Culture Minister Barbara Follett said:
"The United Kingdom and Morocco have a shared history of
film-making, from Lawrence of Arabia to more recent productions
like Black Hawk Down and Troy. This agreement will give
film-makers an economic incentive to work together and build on
that legacy, by giving them access to the benefits available in
both countries.
"As Morocco continues to be a hot location for film-makers,
this further strengthening of our cultural ties can only be a good thing."
Chief Executive Officer of the UK Film Council John Woodward said:
"The UK is delighted to be taking its filmmaking
relationship with Morocco a stage further, through the forthcoming
signing of a co-production treaty. This will provide a really
exciting opportunity for Moroccan and British filmmakers, artists
and technicians to work together and to share stories by allowing
them to share financial resources and to get films made.
"As such it's a fantastic way of building up and
sustaining both of our industries, which is ever more important in
the global economy of film."
The benefits of having a co-production agreement with Morocco include:
* giving film-makers access to sources of funding and support in
both countries;
* providing an incentive to film-makers to use UK post-production
facilities for films shot in Morocco;
* proving UK films with access to distribution networks in
Morocco and further afield in North Africa;
* allowing British-African stories to be told which might
otherwise not have been; and
* potentially increasing the number of film tourists to the UK.
Research shows that some film locations get up to a 30% boost in
bookings from fans visiting locations in their favourite films.
The UK-Moroccan co-production treaty is expected to come into
force in the first half of 2009. There are already a number of
co-productions in the pipeline which have been developed in both
Morocco and the UK.
Notes to Editors
1. Negotiations on the detailed annex to this agreement have now
been completed by officials. The agreement will come into force
shortly, once constitutional procedures have been completed in
both countries.
2. The treaty with Morocco will be the eighth of the UK's
bi-lateral co-production treaties; additionally the UK is
signatory to the European Convention. Over 400 co-production films
have been over the last 7 years, including over 140 minority UK
co-productions, with an average UK expenditure of 35% which is
worth over £1 billion to the economy.
Public enquiries 020 7211 6200
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http://www.culture.gov.uk