Azerbaijan Proposes Amendments To Cinema Law To Attract Foreign Film Investment

A series of amendments have been proposed to Azerbaijan's "Cinema Law", Azernews reports.

The draft law was included in the agenda of the Culture Committee of the Azerbaijan National Assembly's meeting on January 19.

The proposed changes aim to align the legal regulation of the film industry with modern international practices, clarify key concepts, expand institutional mechanisms for state support, and increase the attractiveness of the cinema industry for investment.

The draft includes the expansion and clarification of sector-specific definitions. Notably, terms such as "national film," "foreign film," "co-production film," and the stages of film production (preparation, shooting, completion) are added to Article 1 of the law.

Additionally, the terms "local producer" and "foreign producer" are defined separately.

These changes will clarify the status of subjects in legal relations, increase transparency in the application of state support and incentive mechanisms, and align the law with international legal terminology by replacing "jointly filmed film" with "co-produced film." This refinement enhances the law's language and style.

An amendment to Article 3 establishes the involvement of foreign producers in film production within Azerbaijan as a specific state policy. This will foster the country's integration into the international film market and promote cultural diplomacy.

Further provisions in Article 13 provide for partial reimbursement of expenses for foreign and co-production films in accordance with established rules.

This financial incentive mechanism, successfully implemented in many countries, is expected to attract foreign investments, develop the local service sector, and create new job opportunities.

In summary, the adoption of the draft law will improve legal regulation in Azerbaijan's film industry, increase the number of international and co-production projects, attract foreign investment, and raise Azerbaijan's cultural and creative potential on the global stage. Moreover, it will broaden cooperation opportunities between the public and private sectors.

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