Mauritius Poised to Become Film and TV Powerhouse
An island paradise once known only for its idyllic beaches, Mauritius has positioned itself to welcome the international filmic community with open arms.
In the last year or so, Mauritius has taken the world by storm as a haven for filmmakers. The country has taken a unified approach to attract internationals to their shores. Not only do they offer a beautiful, idyllic location with beach destinations to boot, but they also have a very strong incentive offering that not many nations can beat.
From 18–21 October 2018 the second Mauritius Cinema Week took place, and the Callsheet joined in the festivities. This included a selection of the best in cinema both locally and globally, as well as awareness around the island’s creative industries. The week took on a strong business approach and included a conference on film financing, a workshop on the jobs of tomorrow’s film industry, as well as masterclasses on the creative aspects of film. The programme was spearheaded by the Mauritian Economic Development Board.
Attractive Rebate System
The Mauritian film incentive offers a cash rebate of 30% on all Qualifying Production Expenditure and up to 40% on certain projects. This QPE is in respect to pre-production, production, and post production on a film project. It includes accommodation, catering, rental or film equipment, ground transport and logistics, air tickets, local and foreign cast and crew. It covers feature films, documentaries, TV productions, serials, commercials, music videos and dubbing work.
The country has one of the highest rebates in the world, and definitely the highest in Africa, surpassing SA’s 20–25% rebate. And because there are no film incentives in India, the island attracts many Bollywood productions. Most European countries receive their rebates in the form of tax credits, with rates of up to 32% in Ireland, while California offers a tax credit of 20–25% on qualifying productions.
Qualified Production Expenditure (QPE) Breakdown
Category of production eligible for up to 40% rebate
- Feature film (including animation): US$1 million (minimum QPE)
- Television drama series or single drama: US$150 000 per episode (minimum QPE)
Category of production eligible for up to 30% rebate
- Feature film (including animation): US$100 000 (minimum QPE)
- Television drama series or single drama: US$20 000 per episode (minimum QPE)
- Television documentary programme: US$20 000 (minimum QPE)
- High-end international television commercial: US$30 000 (minimum QPE)
- Music video: US$30 000 (minimum QPE)
- Dubbing project: US$30 000 (minimum QPE)
What Mauritius Offers the World
The country has a range of beautiful beaches, forest, national parks, and tree-lined avenues that can be used as locations. Other looks include waterfalls and rivers, stunning underwater photography along the protected west coast, and surf breaks along Tamarin Bay. Run-down French colonial architecture makes for interesting backdrops, while sugarcane and tea are available for agricultural looks. Places of particular interest are the Black River Gorges National Park, Casela Nature Park and the coloured earth of Chamarel and Le Pouce. Popular locations are the Botanical Gardens, Le Morne Brabant, Fort Adelaide, hotel premises and beaches.
Mauritius is a firm favourite for the Indian film community. Serenity, starring Anne Hathaway and Matthew McConaughey, was the first Hollywood feature film to shoot on location here. South African production houses such as Two Oceans Production have set up offices on the islands already to better serve their clients.
The country has post-production studios providing digital animation and VFX facilities. It also has a fully-fledged production studio in the pipeline, with the first phase of construction slated to begin in early 2019. The Economic Development Board is open to discussing other investments into infrastructure, like water tanks, for instance. The Board is a one-stop facilitator for filmmakers who need to apply for permits and clearances.
For more information on filming in Mauritius, visit www.filmmauritius.com, call +230 203 3800, or email filminmauritius@investmauritius.com.
