Production companies, studios, post-production businesses, VFX providers and technology companies have established the Czech Association of Film Industry, creating a new collective voice for businesses operating across Czechia’s audiovisual production chain.
Known by its Czech abbreviation UFP, the association was officially introduced during the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Its founding members include Barrandov Studio, Prague Studios, PFX CZ, Sirena Film, Film United, Stillking Films, Mia Film, OKKO Production and Czech Anglo Productions.
The organisation is led by Petr Tichý of Barrandov Studio as chairman, with Prague Studios’ Radomír Dočekal serving as vice-chairman and PFX CZ’s Tomáš Srovnal as a board member. According to Tichý, its mission is to support the long-term development, prosperity, competitiveness and sustainability of the Czech audiovisual industry.
Incentives and Competitiveness Among Key Priorities
UFP’s priorities include the development of production incentives, workforce training, studio and post-production infrastructure, legislation, technological innovation and the international promotion of Czech production services. By bringing together companies from several areas of the industry, the association is intended to represent the operational and economic needs of the sector alongside its cultural importance.
Production incentives will be particularly important as Czechia competes with other European territories for international film, television, animation and digital production. The country currently offers a 25% rebate on eligible expenditure for feature films, fiction series and documentaries, rising to 35% for qualifying animated works and digital production.
Developed by the Ministry of Culture and administered by the Czech Audiovisual Fund, the programme is open to Czech and international audiovisual projects produced in the country. Rebates are paid after production has been completed and eligible expenditure has been audited, while international applicants must work with a Czech production service company to enter the programme.
Eligible expenditure used to calculate the incentive can reach CZK 450 million per project, although the calculation basis may represent no more than 80% of the total production budget. Projects must also pass a cultural test and meet minimum requirements concerning running time and local expenditure.
Alongside incentives, the new association is expected to address the availability of skilled crews, specialist training and continued investment in studios, post-production facilities, visual effects and production technology. These areas will be central to Czechia’s ability to accommodate both domestic projects and large-scale international productions.
The launch of Czech Association of Film Industry gives companies working throughout the Czech production ecosystem a shared platform for discussions with public institutions and international partners. Its formation also reflects a wider effort to protect Czechia’s competitiveness by connecting financial incentives with workforce development, infrastructure and technological capacity.
