- Hubertus Heil advocates for maintaining Babelsberg's competitive edge.
German Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil backs Babelsberg film studio by proposing tax incentives for movie promotion in Germany. He mentioned, "We need to stay competitive with other locations, in Europe and globally, with the studios in Babelsberg." During a visit with Brandenburg's Minister of Culture Manja Schüle (SPD), Heil referred to Babelsberg as "a significant chunk of German history, but also the future."
Since 1912, films such as "Metropolis" directed by Fritz Lang, "The Blue Angel" starring Marlene Dietrich, "The Murderers Are Among Us" featuring Hildegard Knef, and more recently, Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds" and the fourth installment of "Matrix Resurrections" with Keanu Reeves have been produced at Babelsberg.
Heil stated, "Babelsberg is the flagship for the entire republic, the German film industry." It's an economic boon for the region and significant nationally.
He described the proposed federal government model with tax incentives, similar to other countries, as "potentially a stronger pull for investments" compared to the present movie promotion. The funds are not handed out but invested wisely, as the German economic value creation is crucial for jobs and location, beyond its cultural significance.
As per federal government plans, filmmakers will be able to deduct up to 30 percent of their production costs from their taxes in the future. Moreover, at least 20 percent of the revenues will be funneled back into local productions through an investment commitment.
Eike Wolf, head of studio operations in Babelsberg, mentioned that with a couple of larger productions, up to 4,000 jobs could be created. After a large project with director Wes Anderson, there was a lull with some smaller productions in the second half of the year.
Wolf claimed, "A system with tax incentives could make Babelsberg competitive again, especially in Europe." Since the federal government's plans, there's been heightened interest from Hollywood.
The film studio in Babelsberg has a rich history, having produced iconic films like "Metropolis" and "Inglourious Basterds." (Following from) With the proposed tax incentives, more film productions are likely to choose Babelsberg as their location, potentially leading to an increase in job opportunities.
