Czech Audiovisual Fund (Státní fond audiovizuálních děl)

Overview

The Czech Audiovisual Fund (CAF) is the main public financing body for the audiovisual industry in the Czech Republic. It supports all stages of audiovisual production, plus promotion, distribution, and related areas. The CAF also administers production incentives for audiovisual content made in the Czech Republic. The Fund operates from an annual budget of approximately EUR 91 million, with roughly EUR 64 million allocated to production incentives and EUR 27 million to selective support.

The organization was originally established in 2013 as the Czech Film Fund (Státní fond kinematografie). On January 1, 2025, a new Audiovisual Act (Act No. 480/2024 Coll. on Audiovision) took effect, transforming the institution into the Czech Audiovisual Fund and expanding its mandate beyond traditional film to include series, video games, and digital production. The Czech Film Center and Czech Film Commission, both part of the Fund since 2017, continue to operate under the new structure.

The Fund's income comes from parafiscal levies on cinema ticket revenues (2%), broadcast advertising revenues (2%), cable and satellite broadcast revenues (2%), and a 3.5% obligatory assessment on VoD and streaming platform revenues (1% levy plus a 2.5% combination of levy and direct investment obligation). The state budget matches the levy amounts: equal contributions for selective support and six times the levy amount for production incentives. This funding structure, combined with the new streaming levy on platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime, has substantially increased the Fund's budget compared to its pre-2025 levels.

Production Incentive: Cash Rebate Structure

The Czech production incentive operates as a cash rebate on qualifying Czech production expenditure. The rebate rates and minimum spend thresholds differ by project type and are governed by European Commission state aid rules.

Rebate rates effective January 1, 2025:

The maximum rebate cap per project is CZK 450 million (~EUR 18 million). Eligible costs cannot exceed 80% of the total budget, and the sum of all state aid may not exceed 50% of the total budget (60% for cross-border co-productions, up to 90% for difficult audiovisual works). The registration fee is CZK 30,000 (~EUR 1,200).

For international costs paid to foreign cast and crew who pay withholding tax in the Czech Republic, the rebate covers 66% of the withholding tax actually paid.

Changes effective January 1, 2026:

The Audiovisual Act amendment introduces updated minimum spend thresholds, reduced minimum runtimes, and a new incentive for documentary series. The registration fee increases to CZK 60,000 (~EUR 2,400). Projects registered from 2026 onward may submit only one application for payment (previously two were allowed). Minimum runtimes drop to 60 minutes for feature films and 20 minutes per episode for fictional series. The minimum Czech spend for feature films increases to CZK 18 million (~EUR 720,000).

Selective Support Programs

The Fund provides selective support in four categories: support of cinematography, support of television works, support of animated audiovisual works and video games, and support of audiovisual infrastructure. Each category is managed by a dedicated council that evaluates applications, decides on support amounts, and sets conditions for funded projects.

Selective support covers development, production, distribution, promotion, and infrastructure projects. The Fund uses a consultant system in which experienced filmmakers assess grant applications, providing practitioner-level evaluation of artistic merit and feasibility. Czech filmmakers applying for selective support should understand the council structure and the specific calls published by the Fund, as each call defines its own eligibility criteria, budget limits, and evaluation criteria.

How to Apply for the Production Incentive

The application process has two stages. First, the applicant registers the project with the Fund at any time during the year. The applicant must be a tax resident in the Czech Republic with a place of business or permanent establishment there. The latest the registration can be filed is on the 10th day of shooting in the Czech Republic.

Second, after registration, the applicant requests a rebate allocation. Within 4 months of submitting the project listing application, at least 10 shooting days in the Czech Republic must have been completed. The Fund then allocates estimated rebate funds based on the project information provided. Payment follows after the applicant submits an account of eligible costs and an auditor's verification report.

For 2026 projects, applications for payment must be made within 4 years of the issue of the Registration Certificate. Two applications may be submitted: the first after completion of filming or after minimum eligible costs have been spent, and the second after all work in the Czech Republic has been completed.

International Productions and Infrastructure

Major international productions that have shot in the Czech Republic include Amadeus (1984), Mission: Impossible (1996), The Bourne Identity (2002), Casino Royale (2006), The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008), Snowpiercer (2013), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), and numerous television series including The Wheel of Time, The Witcher, and Foundation.

Barrandov Studios in Prague is one of the largest film production facilities in Europe, with multiple soundstages, backlot sets, and full production services. Prague's architectural diversity allows it to double for Paris, Vienna, London, Berlin, and various historical and contemporary settings. The Czech Republic's crew base is experienced, technically sophisticated, and cost-competitive compared to Western European production centers.

FAMU (Filmová a televizní fakulta Akademie múzických umění) in Prague, founded in 1946, is one of Europe's oldest film schools and a CILECT member. FAMU graduates have shaped Czech and international cinema for decades, including Miloš Forman (Amadeus, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest), Jiří Menzel (Closely Watched Trains, Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film 1967), and Věra Chytilová (Daisies). The Czech New Wave of the 1960s remains one of the most celebrated national film movements in cinema history.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For international productions, the Czech Republic offers a competitive 25% cash rebate (35% for animation and digital production), a CZK 450 million per-project cap, and a 66% withholding tax rebate on international cast and crew costs. The country's crew base, studio infrastructure (Barrandov Studios), and Prague's architectural versatility make it one of Europe's most active international production destinations. Registration is possible year-round, and the Fund provides guidance on qualifying expenditure and application processes through the Czech Film Commission.

For Czech filmmakers, the Fund's selective support grants are the primary public financing for theatrical feature careers, series production, animation, and video game development. The 2025 expansion of the Fund's mandate to include video games and the new streaming levy revenue have increased the total funding pool available for domestic production.

See Also

For the European co-production funds that complement Czech Audiovisual Fund support, see EURIMAGES and Creative Europe MEDIA Programme in this directory. Use the Indie Film Budget Calculator to estimate production costs and rebate eligibility for a Czech shoot.