New movies starring Liam Neeson, Kerry Condon, Sarah Greene and Russell Crowe were some of the big winners in the Revenue Commissioners’ Section 481 film corporation tax credit scheme for the Irish movie and TV production sector last year.
New figures provided by the Revenue Commissioners show that the value of payments made under the Section 481 film corporation tax credit scheme in 2022 stood at €127.3m.
The 2022 total was €9.8m down on the value of tax credits totalling €137.1m in 2021.
The newly published figures show that The Pope’s Exorcist starring Russell Crowe, made by Wild Atlantic Pictures, was able to avail of corporation tax credits of between €7m and €10m.
The movie is based on real-life figure Fr Gabriele Amorth, a priest who acted as chief exorcist of the Vatican and Crowe, who plays Fr Amorth, was pictured filming on the grounds of Trinity College Dublin last August.
In a busy year for Wild Atlantic Pictures, the firm also availed of corporation tax credits of €5m to €10m for On Record and tax credits of €5m to €10m for FATE: Winx Club Saga Season 2.
The firm also received a tax credit of €2m to €5m for the production firm’s Epic Pilot.
The figures show Grand Canal Productions’ thriller In the Land of Saints and Sinners, starring Liam Neeson, Kerry Condon and Sarah Greene, availed of corporate tax credits of €2m to €5m.
The movie – which also stars Ciaran Hinds and Colm Meaney – was filmed in Donegal during last year.
Metropolitan Films International Ltd received corporation tax credits of between €2m and €5m for Silver and €2m to €5m for Sanctuary during the year.
The only production that availed of tax credits in the €10m to €30m range during 2022 was the second series of Netflix’s Valhalla.
The multi-award winning Brown Bag Films received corporate tax credits between €1m to €2m for Ridley Jones season 2 and tax credits of €1m to €2m for Ada Twist season 2.
The figures show that Hail Mary Pictures was granted tax credits of between €1m and €2m for The Clean Up Crew and corporation tax credits in the same range for The Last Girl.
Park Films received tax credits of between €1m and €2m for the crime series The Vanishing Triangle.
On the tax credits, the Revenue spokesman said: “These payments are a combination of first stage 90pc credit claims which can be made in advance of or during the making of the film project, and balancing payments which can be claimed after a project is completed.
He said: “The total value in each year represents this mix of payments – 90pc and balancing – for films certified from 2015 to 2022.”
A Department of Finance Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) on the Section 481 film corporation tax credit has recommended the extension of the scheme prior to its current expiry in December 2024 to provide certainty to the Irish audio-visual industry regarding the availability of the relief.
The report states that the number of full-time employees on Section 481-backed productions in 2021 increased to 3,265 with almost 41pc employed in animation and a further 38.5pc in TV dramas.
The report states that overall, the estimated cost of the credit from 2015 -2021 was approximately €604m.
The report states the net economic impact to be minus €78.54m, while regard should be had for the intangible cultural value of the relief.
