Salma Hayek Pinault appeared alongside Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in Mexico City on Sunday to promote a newly introduced 30% income tax incentive designed to bolster Mexican cinema. The Oscar-nominated actress expressed strong support for this initiative, aimed at advancing the film industry in her home country.
Hayek Honors the Role of Mexican Cinema in Her Career
The Coatzacoalcos-born actress, known for roles in Mexican telenovelas and later Hollywood productions like Robert Rodriguez’s Desperado and the Oscar-nominated portrayal of painter Frida Kahlo, praised the creative strength of Mexican cinema. She highlighted the importance of this community in shaping her career and welcomed the fresh governmental measures to support it.
“I owe my career to the Mexican film community. It was a great honor to stand alongside this same community today and announce this incredible new initiative,” Salma Hayek Pinault
Details of the New 30% Income Tax Incentive for Film Projects
The core of this plan includes a 30% income tax (ISR) benefit applied to productions carried out within Mexico. This tax incentive was developed with coordination from the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público, SHCP), and took effect immediately. It covers expenses directly linked to eligible audiovisual production activities.
Claudia Curiel de Icaza, Mexico’s Minister of Culture, detailed that the incentive applies to up to 30% of the income tax related to expenses in Mexican territory, capped at 40 million pesos (approximately $2.3 million) per project or process. To qualify, projects must source at least 70% of their supplies domestically.
Curiel de Icaza explained that the program targets both attracting high-value international productions and keeping Mexican projects local, thereby reinforcing the cultural economy, preserving creative sovereignty, and enriching the diversity of stories produced in Mexico.
The incentive is available to Mexican residents and legal entities, foreign individuals and entities with a permanent establishment in the country, as well as foreign parties without a permanent establishment who produce through Mexican residents or organizations.
Eligibility Criteria for Supported Film and Television Projects
Qualified projects include fiction or animated feature films and television series episodes with verifiable expenditures of at least 40 million pesos ($2.3 million). Documentary films and series require minimum expenses of 20 million pesos ($1.1 million). Additionally, specific segments such as animation, visual effects, or post-production must involve at least 5 million pesos ($291,000) in expenditures to qualify.
Salma Hayek Highlights Mexico’s Cinematic Excellence and Community
Salma Hayek Pinault emphasized the global stature of Mexico’s film industry and the exceptional talent within it. She expressed hope that the tax incentive would help draw more attention to the creative achievements emerging from the country’s film community.
“Mexico has a long and distinguished cinematic legacy and a film industry that is truly world-class, home to some of the most talented and creative artists and technicians I have ever had the privilege of working with,” Salma Hayek Pinault
“I’m excited that this incentive will help shine an even brighter light on all of this and continue to strengthen and grow this extraordinary film community. Thank you, President Sheinbaum, for having me and for letting me be a part of this historic moment. Viva México,” Salma Hayek Pinault
Implications for the Future of Mexican Film
This new tax incentive represents a significant step toward both nurturing domestic film production and attracting prestigious international projects to Mexico. By reinforcing Mexico’s creative economy and cultural sovereignty, the initiative aims to sustain a vibrant cinematic culture that reflects diverse stories and talent. With Salma Hayek and other industry leaders endorsing the move, the country’s film sector is poised for increased visibility and growth.
