About us

The Portuguese Film Commission (PFC) was created in June 2019 and it is a body within the dependence of the members of the Portuguese Government responsible for the areas of Culture and Tourism. 

The PFC is constituted by:

• A Film Commissioner, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.;
• An Executive Director, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.;
• A Technical Support Office - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Our mission

Our mission is to support and promote cinema and audiovisual and the internationalization of Portugal as a filming destination, as well as ensuring the operationalization of procedures necessary for the cinematographic and audiovisual production in national territory.

The objectives of the PFC are, among others:

1. To project and affirm Portugal as a premium destination for cinema and audiovisual production and filming;
2. Contribute to the national and international dissemination of the Fund for Tourism and Cinema;
3. Define best practices and methods to support national and international producers;
4. To define the method of connection to the territory, with special focus on the relationship with the municipalities and the articulation with the Regional Tourism Entities, namely in the local monitoring of the productions;
5. To ensure coordination between all the services to be provided within the scope of the National Film Commission, in particular with the creation and implementation of the one-stop-shop for procedures in the area of support and licensing;
6. To make available databases of the various technical and logistic service providers, ensuring interoperability, including through the use of the integrated digital platform;
7. To ensure the correct identification and reporting of the practical needs and difficulties experienced by the productions in the national territory;
8. Identify necessary legislative or regulatory changes aiming at the simplification and standardization of licensing procedures and administrative authorization of filming throughout the national territory;
9. Collaborate in the preparation of the multiannual strategic plan of cinema and audiovisual, in the context of internationalization, in the international promotion of Portugal as a filming destination, provided for in article 3 of Decree-Law no. 25/2018, of April 24, particularly through the promotion of meetings with industry players.

10 good reasons to shoot in Portugal

1. SUNNIER DAYS: long hours of sunlight and clear skies - almost 300 days of sunshine per year and low levels of precipitation, allowing for year-round production. Average temperature in 2017: 18°C / 65°F.
2. VARIETY: every imaginable scenario can be found in Portugal: beaches, castles, monuments, impressive old and modern buildings, churches, cathedrals, monasteries, parks, gardens, historical villages, walled cities all types of landscapes (mountains, forests, plains, rocky slopes, valleys, caves, rivers, lagoons and even jungles) http://picportugal.com/en/locations.html
3. ACCESSIBLE LOCATIONS: diversity of scenarios in short distance. Less than 5 hours to travel from North to South by car; 3 international airports (Lisbon, Porto and Faro) and 5 international harbors.
4. EXPERIENCED HARD WORKING PROFESSIONALS: skilled talent available at competitive rates. Portuguese crews are used to working in international productions and have a great deal of experience in film and TV productions as well as in high end commercials. Cast and crew are fluent in English. Spanish and French are also widely spoken.
5. STUDIO FACILITIES & EQUIPMENT: Studios are available in the Lisbon and Porto areas with professional stages with all the latest equipment and facilities.
   All types of equipment are available in the Lisbon area and in the whole county: camera, lighting, sound and grip. Post production is mainly located in Lisbon metro area.
6. AFFORDABLE COST OF LIVING & GREAT FOOD
7. COPRODUCTION TREATIES: with more than 50 countries worldwide, including all Portuguese speaking countries, which represent + 250 M Portuguese speakers (such as Brazil, Mozambique, and Angola) and Latin American countries.
8. STABLE AND SAFE COUNTRY – 3rd safest country in the world as per the Global Peace Index and 29th in the Corruption Perceptions Index 2017.
9. CASH REBATE FOR FILM PRODUCTIONS
10. COURTESY LOCATION SCOUTING