President Obama’s December 2014 policy statement on Cuba created optimism within the entertainment industry regarding the possibilities of film production in that country. This was validated in 2016 when the U.S. Department of the Treasury published regulations permitting the same. This resulted in high profile productions, such as House of Lies and the next Fast & Furious installment, being shot in Cuba.
Despite the promising future, many of the same hurdles that existed in 2014 continue to affect filmmaking in Cuba, including censorship. All scripts must be submitted to Cuban cultural authorities for approval. This can result in the exclusion of films about controversial tropics, especially those that portray Cuba negatively. Therefore, it is crucial that all filmmakers factor these legal differences into their thought process before deciding to shoot in Cuba.
To read more about filmmaking in Cuba visit:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/13/movies/hola-cuba-its-hollywood-calling.html?emc=eta1
http://community.njsba.com/entertainmentartsandsportslawsection/blogs/ross-carbone/2015/02/17/film-production-in-cuba
Ross A. Carbone, Esq. is an associate in the Corporate practice group of the law firm of DLA Piper LLP (US).