The Locarno area has established its own incentive scheme to attract film and TV productions. The launch was announced on 6 August, at the opening of Locarno79, by the Ticino Film Commission (TFC), which will administer the newly created Locarno Region Film Fund (LRFF), the result of a collaboration between ten municipalities in the Locarno area, the intermunicipal association CISL (Convivio Intercomunale dei Sindaci del Locarnese) and the Lago Maggiore and Valleys Tourism Organisation.
The LRFF starts with an annual budget of CHF60,000 (about $74,000) provided by the municipalities. From 2027, the regional tourism organisation will add a further CHF10,000, bringing the total annual budget to CHF70,000 (about $86,400). The scheme will run on a trial basis for three years, after which its results will be reviewed.
The rebate covers up to 20% of expenses incurred with local industry suppliers — technicians and service companies — and up to 40% of other costs such as accommodation, catering and location rental, with a maximum cap of CHF20,000 (about $24,700) per project.
Renato Mondada, mayor of Minusio, described the fund as “a concrete investment in the regional economy,” generating direct benefits for local hotels, restaurants and businesses. Fabio Bonetti, director of the tourism organisation, said the initiative “contributes to the region’s visibility and positioning” nationally and internationally.
The LRFF is the third fund of its kind in the canton of Ticino, following schemes already operating in Mendrisio and Airolo. Beyond these local programmes, the TFC also offers financial incentives assessed on a case-by-case basis, of up to CHF20,000 per project, alongside its standard free location-scouting and logistical support services for productions.
The initiative fits into a patchwork of cantonal schemes that has reshaped the Swiss incentives landscape in recent years. Alongside Ticino, regional cash rebates are also offered by Valais (15-35% of eligible costs, capped at CHF100,000), Zurich (up to CHF30,000 for international projects and minority co-productions) and, from 2026, Geneva, with a rebate of up to 30%; Neuchâtel is trialling a pilot scheme offering reimbursements of up to 15%.
At national level, the only scheme currently in place is PICS (Film Investment Refund Switzerland), administered by the Federal Office of Culture, which refunds 20% to 40% of eligible expenses. The absence of a structured national incentive has prompted the industry alliance Cinéconomie to call on the federal government to earmark at least CHF40 million, as part of the Federal Government’s four-year programme for 2028-31 to support the country’s economic competitiveness.
Photo Credits: Locarno Film Festival
