A favored filming spot for foreign shoots such as ”Stranger Things,” “Sisi” and “Star City,” Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital has now a new financial scheme to further boost filming and co-production activities. This week Vilnius City Council has just greenlit the launch of the the first city fund in the country, the Vilnius Film Fund, endowed with a €100,000 ($116,700) budget.
The funding – capped at €30,000 ($35,000) per project – will be earmarked towards documentary, animated, and feature-length films by both Lithuanian and foreign filmmakers. The first round of the support will be announced later this year.
“We are pleased to be taking another major step in promoting the image of Vilnius as a creative, open, and film-friendly city,” said Simona Bieliūnė, deputy Mayor of Vilnius City Municipality.
She added: “The Lithuanian capital has been supporting film education, film academy activities, major film festivals, and projects for some time now. The Vilnius Film Fund perfectly complements the existing film funding model and becomes a platform to attract new ideas and strengthen the city’s cultural identity through film production projects.”
“This initiative is important on many levels,” added Jurate Pazikaite, film commissioner and head of the Vilnius Film Office. “First, the focus is on highlighting productions that enhance the visibility of Vilnius. During the [selection process], particular attention will be given to the criteria of the city’s involvement. Among them is the role of Vilnius in the film’s storyline, the inclusion of local creators and film professionals working in the city, as well as the broader economic benefits for Vilnius. I believe this is crucial for strengthening the city’s image and fostering economic growth.”
“In addition, the greatest emphasis will be placed on co-productions. This creates opportunities to build connections between Lithuanian and international filmmakers, positioning Vilnius as a regional hub for co-productions. Such initiatives help increase the city’s visibility in the global film industry while attracting new projects and funding.”
High profile Lithuanian producer Marija Razguté of M Films, credited for Vytautas Katkus’ “The Visitor” which bagged best director in Karlovy Vary, is also pleased with this ‘step further” taken by the local authorities. “Though the budget is modest, the initiative sends a strong signal of commitment to film industry and aims to strengthen Vilnius’ international reach by supporting co-productions. If implemented well, it could become a key tool to attract partners, boost visibility of Vilnius, and complement our national film funding,” she said.
The biggest of the three Baltic states with 2.9 million inhabitants, Lithuania has gradually turned into a vibrant production hub since the launch in 2014 of the local film tax incentive – capped at 30% of a production budget. Vilnius in particular, the home to more than 90% of the country’s film industry, has provided its rich architectural mix as a background to numerous productions, such as “Stranger Things 4” the Norwegian WW2 drama “Nr 24,” currently playing on Netflix, and the Disney+ Swedish satire “Whiskey on the Rocks.”
“Earlier this summer, Vilnius also hosted the final shoots of the Sony Pictures Television–Apple TV+ series “Star City” and transformed into 18th-century Austria for a German, Lithuanian, and Latvian TV series about the family of W. A. Mozart,” according to Pazikaite. “We are proud that in 2025 alone, filmmakers from the U.S, Germany, Ukraine, Israel, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Poland, Latvia, and Estonia have chosen Vilnius as their filming location,” she said.
Neighboring Estonia and Latvia already have their own regional film funds.