Valentin Savu is a cultural policy expert and a project leader with over 20 years of experience across public institutions, international funding programmes, and the private creative sector. Since 2024, he has served as Manager of the Office for Film and Cultural Investments (OFIC), the national agency overseeing Romania’s 30% film cash rebate scheme.
Under his leadership, OFIC re-launched the programme with a fully revised legal and administrative framework, introduced a dedicated digital platform for all applications, and settled more than 85% of previously unpaid reimbursements.
Prior to his appointment at OFIC, Valentin Savu held leadership and advisory roles at Romania’s Ministry of Culture, and he is currently a member of the board at the Romanian National Cultural Fund.
Sixteen Romanian production companies were promoted by the Creative Romanian Film Makers association under the umbrella “Come Film in Romania” at the Cannes Film Market (13 - 21 May 2025).
Creative Romanian Film Makers, which brings together businesses from all areas of the film industry (location, casting, production, distribution, financing), highlighted at the Cannes Film Market the professional advantages of shooting in Romania in an operational 30% cash rebate scheme.
FNE: What are your takeaways from the Creative Romanian Film Makers showcase at the Cannes Film Market?
Valentin Savu: Romanian presence at this year’s Cannes Film Market was both vibrant and strategic. The Creative Romanian Film Makers showcase highlighted a new wave of talent and a maturing industry that blends strong auteur voices with increasing international ambition. The thing that stood out was the diversity of storytelling, the professionalism of the projects presented, and the openness for international coproductions. There’s a real sense that Romania is not only exporting great films, but also building a fertile ground for global collaborations.
FNE: As a manager of OFIC, how would you describe the mission and the goals of this institution that has been founded rather recently?
Valentin Savu: The Office for Film and Cultural Investments (OFIC) was founded in late 2023, having a clear and urgent mission: to restore functionality, trust, and credibility to Romania’s national film incentive programme, and to reposition Romania as a serious, long-term partner for international and domestic productions alike.
In just one year, we achieved what many thought would take far longer. We led a comprehensive update of the legal and operational framework governing the cash rebate scheme, modernising outdated procedures and aligning the system with international standards. At the same time, we successfully unblocked the payment process for stalled legacy projects - with over 85% of pending reimbursements from the 2018-2020 period already paid, and the remainder actively being processed.
Just as importantly, we've built a new, reliable, and dedicated team within OFIC, combining experience from both the public sector and the film industry. Our goal was not only to fix the past, but to lay the foundation for a transparent, efficient, and forward-looking institution.
We've also established the new Romanian Film Commission, an independent body that now oversees the cultural test and evaluates project eligibility. This dissociation of oversight and implementation ensures objectivity, while giving producers the confidence that decisions are based on clear, merit-based criteria.
Thanks to these reforms, confidence has returned. Romanian and international producers alike are once again looking at Romania as a place where things get done - professionally, predictably, and on time. Our new online platform has simplified the process, and the energy surrounding the programme’s relaunch is a testament to the belief that has been rebuilt.
OFIC is not just an administrative body, it's a catalyst for the revitalisation of Romania’s role in the global film industry. And we’re just getting started.
FNE: In December 2023, the Office started reimbursing payment requests for projects shot in Romania between 2018 and 2020. What is the situation right now?
Valentin Savu: Yes, as of today, we have reimbursed over 85% of all outstanding legacy payments for projects shot between 2018 and 2020. The Ministry of Culture has supported this effort with dedicated funding, and we are confident that all validated projects will be fully reimbursed. Our goal was to restore trust, and I believe we have succeeded. This cleanup operation was essential before re-launching the programme with the credibility it deserves.
FNE: How many projects have registered for the cash rebate scheme since its re-launch in May 2024? How many of them have already been shot and what is your budget for 2025?
Valentin Savu: Since the official re-launch of the programme in July 2024, we’ve already received over 30 registrations, with more incoming as word spreads internationally. Several of these projects have already been produced and submitted the payment request.
For 2025, the annual budget remains 55 m EUR, and we continue to operate on a rolling basis within this threshold. The online application platform has made the process faster and more transparent for all stakeholders.
FNE: What are the most important facts about the Romanian cash rebate scheme, and how would you tell in just one sentence why Romania is so interesting for international productions?
Valentin Savu: Romania’s cash rebate programme offers a 30% reimbursement on eligible local expenses, with a cap of 10 m EUR per project and a 55 m EUR budget. All applications are handled digitally via a dedicated platform, and eligibility is determined by a clear cultural test and compliance review. The rebate can be combined with other state aid, and higher intensities / higher financial benefits apply for certain coproductions and difficult works.
Romania offers international productions a rare blend of stunning, diverse locations, skilled crews, modern infrastructure, and now a film incentive programme that’s fast, fair, and fully reliable.