February 2026 marked a turning point for Bulgaria’s film incentive. That month, the Council of Ministers raised the maximum rebate per project from BGN 2 million, about €1 million, to €5 million. That makes the cap five times higher, and it is now set in euros. The goal, according to the government, is to attract more high-budget international productions.
Behind the change is the Bulgarian National Film Center (NFC), the state agency that funds Bulgarian cinema and administers the country’s 25% cash rebate. Under the Film Industry Act, productions can recover up to a quarter of their eligible costs incurred in Bulgaria. The scheme covers feature films, documentaries, animation, and films and series made for TV or streaming, provided they pass a cultural test and are made wholly or partly in the country.
Producers, co-producers and service companies registered in Bulgaria, the EU, the EEA or Switzerland can apply. So can companies from other countries, once registered for at least two years. Meanwhile, a foreign producer without a European partner can apply through a Bulgarian service company, which becomes the applicant.
The process follows three stages. First, the project is registered and approved by a commission. Next, within twelve months, the applicant applies for the rebate amount, with all Bulgarian costs fully financed. Finally, once production wraps, the rebate is claimed and a decision follows within a month. Applications are handled in the order they arrive, and work must begin only after the first application is filed.
Beyond the cash rebate, the NFC has built a practical tool for international producers: Filmcenter.bg. The platform brings together searchable databases of locations, crew, companies and actors, as well as job listings, in one place.
So far, the approach is working. According to the NFC, the scheme brought more than BGN 170 million (about €87 million) in foreign investment to Bulgaria between 2022 and 2024. Projects supported include Disney’s Young Woman and the Sea and Hellboy: The Crooked Man. With a higher cap now in place, Bulgaria is making room for bigger productions.
Read more: Cinema & Video International Issue #209
