Locarno Region Film Fund, a new regional fund to support film and the audiovisual sector

A new regional fund has been established to encourage audiovisual productions to choose the Locarno area. Initially endowed with a total of 60,000 CHF per year, provided by the municipalities of Ascona, Brione sopra Minusio, Brissago, Cugnasco-Gerra, Gambarogno, Locarno, Losone, Minusio, Muralto, Ronco sopra Ascona, and Tenero-Contra, the Locarno Region Film Fund is managed by the Ticino Film Commission. Starting 2027, the municipalities’ contribution will be supplemented by an annual grant of 10'000 CHF provided by the Organizzazione turistica Lago Maggiore e Valli.

Following the Mendrisio Film Fund and the Airolo Film Fund, which were introduced in recent years, the landscape of incentives for film and audiovisual productions is being enriched by a new, important tool aimed at generating further economic benefits for the region. The Locarno Region Film Fund (LRFF) is the result of a collaboration between CISL, Convivio intercomunale dei sindaci del Locarnese, the Lago Maggiore e Valli Tourism Organisation, and the Ticino Film Commission. Like other regional funds, the Locarno Region Film Fund offers productions a grant covering certified actual expenses incurred with local businesses, facilities, service providers, and professionals within the region.
Unlike other regional funds, the Locarno Region Film Fund involves multiple municipalities for the first time and thus covers a large part of the region in question. Initially, for a period of three years, the municipalities of Ascona, Brione sopra Minusio, Brissago, Cugnasco-Gerra, Gambarogno, Locarno, Losone, Minusio, Muralto, Ronco sopra Ascona, and Tenero-Contra will contribute 60,000 CHF annually to the fund. Starting in 2027, the Lago Maggiore e Valli Tourism Organisation will also contribute 10'000 CHF to the fund, bringing the annual total to 70'000 CHF.

In the case of the Locarno Region Film Fund as well, the maximum contribution available for each project is 20% of expenses incurred with suppliers active in the film industry (such as production service companies or audiovisual professionals) and 40% for expenses such as lodging, meals, location rentals, etc., within the relevant territory. After an initial three-year period and an evaluation of the results, the participation of the municipalities and the Lago Maggiore e Valli Tourism Organisation may be renewed.

“The LRFF represents a concrete investment in the regional economy, capable of generating direct benefits for hotels, restaurants, businesses, and professionals in the area,” emphasizes Renato Mondada, mayor of Minusio, speaking on behalf of the CISL. “Thanks to the model managed by the Ticino Film Commission, grants are disbursed only for expenses actually incurred in the region, ensuring transparency and effectiveness. It is a project that combines economic development, culture, and collaboration among municipalities with an eye toward the region’s future.”

“We are extremely pleased with our collaboration with CISL and the Lago Maggiore e Valli Tourism Organization, which has led to the creation of this joint fund in the Locarno region — an area that has historically been a hub for filmmaking and that, with the introduction of the Locarno Region Film Fund, will now benefit from an additional tool to further increase the number of film productions in the region,” said Claudio Franscella, president of the Ticino Film Commission.

According to Fabio Bonetti, director of the Lago Maggiore e Valli Tourism Organization, “the Locarno Region Film Fund is a valuable tool for further promoting the region through film and audiovisual productions. In addition to the economic benefits these generate for the region, the fund also contributes to the region’s visibility and positioning at the national and international levels, offering a concrete opportunity to further enhance the Locarno area’s appeal to tourists.”

“When a production has to decide where to shoot the days scheduled in Ticino,” concludes Lisa Barzaghi, director of the Ticino Film Commission, “regional funds play an important role. In Mendrisio and Airolo, where these programs are already in place, the expenses incurred by productions have been, on average, four times higher than the amount received through the funds.”