The Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) is establishing a film platform, Filming in Turkey, to promote the filming of future blockbusters in Turkey, as a natural movie platform.

According to a statement released by ITO, the portal, which will be a first in Turkey, will be realized in cooperation with the Culture and Tourism Ministry. The portal will also support the 30 percent incentive mechanism launched by the ministry as part of the latest draft law on cinema that will be granted to foreign filmmakers.

International filmmakers will have easy access to all information about the Turkish cinema industry, from shooting venues to technological infrastructure, from production companies to cast agencies, and from incentive applications to filming permits.

As part of the project, videos and photos of more than 150 venues in 17 provinces that will attract filmmakers will be realized using the latest technology. These images will be uploaded to the online portal for the benefit of foreign filmmakers. These 150 venues will feature different places of attraction from the unique plateaus of the Kaçkar Mountains to Hasankeyf and Lake Tuz.

ITO Chairman Şekib Avdagiç said in the statement that the project aims to feature Turkey's natural, cultural and historical values suitable for shooting films in the Filming in Turkey portal. "Foreign filmmakers will choose the venue in the portal we have prepared. Turkey will grab its main role in filmmaking on the web," Avdagiç said.

Avdagiç said when the portal is completed, a comprehensive guide showing Turkey's richness that will contribute to the international film industry will emerge. "Many movies with giant budgets such as ‘The Chronicles of Narnia,' ‘Troy' and ‘The Lord of the Rings' could have been filmed in Turkey. With the historical and cultural heritage of ancient cultures and its wonderful nature promising four seasons, Turkey increasingly attracts the attention of the international film industry," Avdagiç said. The ITO aims to launch the Filming in Turkey portal by the end of this year.

Stressing that production companies head to countries that provide film incentives and tax facilities, Avdagiç said filmmakers shooting movies in Turkey when the Culture and Tourism Ministry's new Draft Law on Cinema is issued will be able to recover 30 percent of their spending.