26/03/2025 - According to a recent study, for every euro granted through the incentive, an average of €4.08 was spent within the country, benefitting local crews, facilities and suppliers

The latest edition of the annual "Monitor on the Economic Effects of the Film Production Incentive" report (in Dutch, "Monitor Economische Effecten van de Stimuleringsmaatregel Filmproductie in Nederland") reveals that the Netherlands Film Production Incentive generated over €1.04 billion in production spend for the Netherlands’ audiovisual industry between July 2014 and December 2024. 

According to the study, for every euro granted through the incentive, an average of €4.08 was spent within the country, benefitting local crews, facilities, and suppliers. More than half of the supported projects were made through international co-productions, highlighting the scheme’s role in fostering cross-border collaboration. 

In a significant development for 2024, the scheme experienced its first oversubscribed funding round in a decade. As a result, the guidelines for the points-based assessment system have been further clarified. Going forward, in case of oversubscription, a positive financial and business evaluation alone will no longer suffice—projects will be selected based on a points-based ranking system to determine eligibility for funding. An independent research agency is currently conducting an evaluation of the incentive’s overall functioning and impact, with results expected to be known by mid-summer this year.

Between 2014 and 2024, a total of 749 projects received €254.3 million in support, resulting in €1.04 billion in local expenditure. Of these, 638 film projects were granted €178 million in the form of cash rebates, generating €739.4 million in production spending in the Netherlands, €569.8 million of which can be directly attributed to the incentive. The breakdown of the supported film projects includes 152 documentaries, 21 animated features, and 465 fiction films. Recent notable examples include the documentary De Wilde Noordzee (directed and written by Mark Verkerk, produced by EMS Films), the animated family feature Tummy Tom 2 – A New Friend for Tummy Tom (directed by Joost van den Bosch and Erik Verkerk, penned by Burny Bos and staged by Phanta Film), and the drama Alpha. [+see also:
film review
interview: Jan-Willem van Ewijk
film profile] (directed and written by Jan-Willem van Ewijk, a Baldr Film presentation), currently screening in Dutch cinemas and starring Gijs and Reinout Scholten van Aschat in the leading roles.

Since 2017, high-end series have also qualified for the incentive. Over this period, 111 series productions received €76.4 million in support, generating €299.2 million in domestic spending. This group includes 24 documentary series, 10 animated series, and 77 drama series. Recent highlights include Investigation Art Mysteries (I AM), a youth documentary series on art heists (directed by Martijn Blekendaal, written by Finbarr Wilbrink, and produced by Harlem District); the second season of internationally acclaimed drama Máxima (directed by Saskia Diesing, penned by Rifka Lodeizen and Daan Gielis, a Millstreet Films production); and the second season of award-winning children’s series Saïd & Anna (directed by Hilt Lochten, written by Jeanine Cronie and Fiona van Heemstra, with Phanta Basta! producing). Nearly half of the supported series were international co-productions involving countries such as Belgium, Germany, the UK, South Africa, Norway and the USA.

Launched in 2014, the Netherlands Film Production Incentive was introduced to boost international cooperation, elevate professional standards, and increase production activity within the country. It also aims to enhance the Netherlands’ competitiveness as an attractive destination for audiovisual production. Through a cash rebate mechanism, producers can apply for a reimbursement of up to 35% of eligible production costs incurred in the Netherlands. 

The 2014-2024 "Monitor on the Economic Effects of the Film Production Incentive" report was compiled by research institute Het Creatief Kapitaal. 

The full report (in the Dutch language) is available to peruse here.