In 2026, everything is moving fast. In 2025, the global film industry was nervously trying to navigate President Trump’s repeated threats to impose 100% tariffs on films made outside the United States, but this conversation feels like old news now that other pressing issues have come to the fore, including the U.S. war with Iran and the yet-to-be-unintended fallout from another major Hollywood conglomerate, the recently announced partnership between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery.
Over the past two years, several high-profile productions, including Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein and Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist, have served as examples of the huge advantages that shooting overseas can bring, especially when it comes to the combination of experienced local crews and drool-worthy tax incentives. Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey will soon be the latest film to join this conversation. The director of Oppenheimer has shot the blockbuster all over the world in Morocco, Scotland, Greece, Italy and Iceland.
Still, despite the growing popularity of filming outside the U.S. and booming business for film commissions, the current geopolitical and industry-wide instability threatens to change the way filming takes place overseas. As key figures in the field prepare to attend this year’s Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) Studio Summit in Los Angeles, Variety spoke with several film commissionrs to get a feel for the business of taking their work overseas.
What are productions looking for?
Film Commissioner Teija Laninen of the Western Finland Film Board speaks candidly about the most common demands of clients in 2026: “Cost certainty and efficiency. This requires transparent incentives, predictable schedules and strong service partners.” She added that sustainability and green production practices remain important, as well as a “never seen before” backdrop that provides “easily accessible and close to existing infrastructure”.
“We’re also seeing a trend towards flexible, multi-region workflows, with shoots combining on-location work, virtual production, and post in different countries. Finland is positioned to fit seamlessly into that model, and we can service all or just one of these flows.”
Dutch Film Commissioner Roland Oude Nijhuis said he felt that “a clear change is taking place” in the global scenario. “It’s driven by something deeper than just economics,” he added. “With everything going on in the world, including political uncertainty and instability in different regions, we are seeing a real renewed interest in the European co-production model. Production companies are looking for partners they can trust, frameworks they understand and creative relationships that are built to last.”
The Netherlands recognized the change and strengthened its cooperation with neighboring countries such as Belgium, Germany, France, and Scandinavia. “There is great demand, both financially and creatively, for projects that leverage multiple regions in Europe,” says Oude Njuis.
“Sentimental Value” (Courtesy of Neon)
Projection is the key
A country like Norway has recently benefited from a huge global opportunity, with Sentimental Value nominated for a whopping nine Oscars, and director Joachim Trier’s win for Best International Feature, making it the first Norwegian film to win the coveted golden statuette. This is a prime example of how important international projection can help raise the profile of a particular country or location.
Meghan Beaton of the Norwegian Film Board says that in recent years Norwegian productions have become “increasingly competitive on the world stage”. “Norwegian films and series currently rank among the most-watched non-English titles in the world on Netflix. For a country of less than six million people, this speaks to the quality of production and the strength and uniqueness of the creative talent we can offer.”
“Successes like ‘Sentimental Value’ further strengthen that trajectory,” she continues. “This shows the international industry that Norway offers both the highest levels of artistic excellence and production values. Such recognition does more than just praise a single film, it builds long-term confidence in Norway as a production location. It’s important now. It’s not just about the moment, but how we build on it in Norway. There’s real momentum, especially in terms of visibility and industry relationships, and we’re focused on turning that into sustained interest in Norway as a production venue.”
AI threat
When asked how the increased use of digital sound stages and production equipment and the expansion of AI technology could impact her business, Ottawa director Sandrine Pechel de Saint-Sardos said that while these technologies are “transforming production workflows,” she “doesn’t think they’ll replace the value of full-fledged location shooting anytime soon.”
“The work still seeks the texture, scale, and organic energy that real locations provide. Ottawa’s historic streets, government buildings, and natural landscapes cannot be fully recreated digitally,” she added. “However, these technologies do not replace on-site work, but rather complement it. Virtual production and AI tools can streamline upfront visualization, reduce the cost of certain effects, and enable hybrid workflows, but the demand for real-world environments, experienced staff, and flexible production support remains strong.”
Ode Nyhuis noted that the Dutch film Aihostage was a “very useful example” for film commissions due to its “creative use of combining location shooting, virtual production and traditional set construction”. “Technology hasn’t replaced jobs on location. It’s expanded what’s possible on location. I think that integration is the real opportunity.”
“What hasn’t changed is the audience’s desire for authenticity,” says Beaton. “It comes from human stories, compelling performances, and the tangible qualities that come from working in real environments. Physical locations, creative collaborations, and real-life experiences cannot be easily replicated and will continue to be at the heart of filmmaking.”
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Conglomerates: Are global locations affected?
Despite being Hollywood-centric, big deals like the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger have ripples throughout the global industry. With this in mind, what are film commissioners thinking first about how this deal could potentially impact their business?
“This is an important development, and I think it would be disingenuous to pretend that it doesn’t have an impact on the industry as a whole,” Ode Nijuis asserts. “Consolidation on this scale could centralize decision-making power, change the types of projects that get greenlit, and reduce the diversity of voices and stories that reach global audiences. I think these are real concerns and are widely felt.”
Austrian film commissioner Julian Buchreutner echoed that sentiment, saying: “There is no doubt that industry conglomeration has a significant impact on diversity. Diversity remains one of the fundamental qualities that make cinema attractive and unique. The consolidation of major companies narrows the range of voices and stories that can be told. However, it is important to recognize that there will always be independent filmmakers, driven by the determination to forge a different creative path. We are committed to supporting these filmmakers and pursuing unique perspectives, ensuring that the spirit of diversity continues to thrive within the industry. ”
Pechel de San Zardos said the consolidation “will impact the types, budgets and schedules of productions coming to Canada.” “This underscores the importance of Ottawa’s boutique, community, and agile approach. Our ability to respond quickly, offer diverse locations, and efficiently support our staff and talent will give us a competitive advantage regardless of how major companies merge.”
geopolitical instability
Perhaps the biggest issue affecting the logistics of filming productions outside of their country of origin today is the unpredictability of global conflicts, particularly the ongoing wars in the Middle East. Flights across the region have been completely suspended or reduced, and there is no clear path forward for the rapidly evolving situation. The know-how and expertise of film commissions will become even more valuable as professionals tread a precarious path.
Regarding this issue, Laninen said: “In times of instability, film commissions become even more important as they work closely with local businesses, public institutions and communities.” “Production requires accurate and up-to-date information regarding safety, logistics, regulations and risk management. Finland can provide a stable and predictable structure and environment, which is a great asset when access to other regions is difficult. Our goal is to ensure that creative work can continue as safely, predictably and smoothly as possible.”
“First and most importantly, we sincerely hope that the situation will stabilize, that violence will end, and that people around the world can live in safety and peace,” Oude Njuis said. “Having said that, I don’t want to derive commercial profit from human suffering, but the practical reality is that Western Europe is now a stable, safe and very accessible place for film production. If production companies are re-evaluating geography and asking tougher questions about travel routes, crew welfare, insurance implications and logistics, I think the Netherlands offers a really strong answer on all those fronts.”
Beaton was similarly empathetic, saying that “conflict and instability cannot be seen as advantages in sharing a planet.” “What we can say is that Norway consistently ranks highly in terms of safety, stability, transparency and reliability.More broadly, Europe remains a highly competitive production region due to its skilled workforce, diverse locations, strong infrastructure and rich storied tradition.”
AFCI Studio Summit will be held in Los Angeles from March 23rd to 26th.
