International Film Co-Productions with Italy: France, Germany, Spain, UK, USA, Japan and South Korea

Co-producing with Italy gives a film access to Italian tax credit and Ministry of Culture funding, to Italian locations and crews, and to a wider European market. Whether a project qualifies as an official co-production, rather than a simple co-financing deal, depends on the legal framework that links Italy to the partner country. This guide explains the options for Italy’s main international partners. For the rules of the multilateral framework, see our guide to the European Convention on Cinematographic Co-production.

How an official co-production works

An official co-production is recognised by the competent authorities of each country involved: in Italy, the Direzione Generale Cinema e Audiovisivo of the Ministry of Culture. Once recognised, the film is treated as a national work in each country, and each co-producer can access the funding of its own country for its share.

Recognition depends on a legal basis, which can be:

• a bilateral co-production agreement between Italy and the partner country;
• the Council of Europe Convention on Cinematographic Co-production, for multilateral projects between Parties, and for bilateral projects between Parties that have no bilateral agreement with each other.

Each framework sets its own minimum and maximum financial shares, requirements on the creative and technical contribution of each co-producer, nationality rules for key personnel, and a list of mandatory contents for the co-production agreement. The application is usually filed before principal photography.

France, Germany and Spain

Italy’s main European partners are linked to it both by bilateral agreements and by the European Convention, and they share a long tradition of co-production. In practice:

• France — the Italy–France co-production agreement is one of the most used in Europe. French co-producers can combine CNC support and regional funds with the Italian tax credit and Ministry contributions, often with Eurimages on top;
• Germany — German co-producers bring federal and regional film funds, which usually require spending in the region concerned. The spending obligations of each fund must be planned together with the Italian shooting and post-production schedule;
• Spain — Spanish co-producers can access national and regional incentives, including the tax incentives of some autonomous communities. Italy–Spain co-productions are frequent in animation and in projects aimed at Latin American markets.

For bilateral projects between these countries the bilateral agreement applies. For projects involving three or more partners, the European Convention prevails and allows minority shares down to 5%.

United Kingdom

After Brexit, UK producers no longer have access to EU programmes such as Creative Europe MEDIA, but the United Kingdom remains part of the Council of Europe framework. Italy–UK official co-productions are therefore usually structured under the European Convention, alone or as part of a multilateral project with other European partners. The UK’s own incentives and the Italian tax credit can then be combined, each for its own share of the production.

United States

The United States has no film co-production treaties, including with Italy. A US company cannot be an official co-producer of an Italian film in the treaty sense. US projects usually work with Italy through:

• executive production services, with an Italian company providing production services in Italy and accessing the international tax credit for foreign productions;
• co-financing, where the US partner invests in an Italian or European official co-production without being a recognised co-producer;
• a European structure, where the project is set up as an official co-production between European partners and the US company comes in as financier or sales partner.

The choice between these structures affects who owns the rights, who can claim which incentives and how revenues are shared, and should be made before the deal memo is signed.

Japan

Italy and Japan signed a film co-production agreement in Tokyo on 28 June 2023. It entered into force in September 2024, and by spring 2025 the Italian Ministry of Culture reported five co-productions already in progress under the agreement. Italy–Japan co-productions are now recognised as national films in both countries, opening Italian funding to Japanese partners and Japanese support to Italian ones.

South Korea

On 7 September 2026, Italy and the Republic of Korea signed their first film co-production agreement in Saint-Paul-de-Vence. It will enter into force once both countries have completed their ratification procedures. Its main features are:

• National treatment — recognised co-productions are treated as national films in Italy and in Korea, but each benefit goes only to the co-producer of the country granting it;
• Financial shares — each country contributes between 20% and 80% of the budget, with possible exceptions down to 10%–90%; multilateral co-productions with third countries range from 10% to 70%;
• Creative contribution — purely financial co-productions are not provided for: the minority partner must also bring a creative and technical contribution;
• Authorities — the Direzione Generale Cinema e Audiovisivo in Italy and the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) in Korea, with applications filed before principal photography;
• Master and rights — each co-producer owns a share of the original master, but intellectual property rights are excluded unless the co-production agreement provides otherwise, so ownership and exploitation of the rights must be regulated in the contract.

Korea’s industry is highly structured, with large investment and distribution groups often holding the rights in films. For Italian producers, the months before the agreement enters into force are the time to verify rights, find partners and prepare contracts that already comply with its annex.

What every co-production agreement needs

Whatever the framework, the co-production agreement filed with the authorities must be precise. It should cover:

• the title, authors, director and budget, with each co-producer’s financial, creative and technical contribution;
• ownership of the rights and of the master, territories and revenue sharing;
• cost overruns and savings, and what happens if recognition is refused in one country;
• decision-making, final cut and festival submission;
• credits, insurance and dispute resolution;
• clauses on the use of artificial intelligence, which Italian tax credit rules now require;
• a complete chain of title for the underlying rights.

Frequently asked questions

Can a US company co-produce a film with Italy?

Not as an official co-producer, because the United States has no co-production treaties. A US company can work with Italy through executive production services and the Italian international tax credit, as a co-financier of an Italian or European official co-production, or as a sales and distribution partner.

How do Italy–UK co-productions work after Brexit?

The UK is no longer part of EU programmes, but remains part of the Council of Europe framework. Italy–UK official co-productions are usually structured under the European Convention on Cinematographic Co-production, either bilaterally or as part of a multilateral project.

Is there a co-production agreement between Italy and Japan?

Yes. It was signed in Tokyo on 28 June 2023 and entered into force in September 2024. Recognised Italy–Japan co-productions are treated as national films in both countries.

Is the Italy–South Korea co-production agreement in force?

Not yet. It was signed on 7 September 2026 and will enter into force once both countries have completed their ratification procedures. Until then, Italy–Korea projects can be developed with ordinary contracts, but without official co-production status.

What is the difference between a co-production and co-financing?

In an official co-production each co-producer is recognised by its national authority, brings a creative and technical contribution and shares ownership of the film, which is treated as a national work in each country. In co-financing a partner invests money, usually in exchange for revenue or rights in a territory, without becoming a recognised co-producer.

Further reading

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