IHUB
Private Briefings (Webinars)
LeaderSpeak Podcast 
Global Entertainment Digest (Newsletter) 
Premium Lists
Membership Benefits
About Vitrina
Our Story
In this episode of Vitrina LeaderSpeak, host Atul Phadnis welcomes Bastien Sirodot, CEO of Umedia, to explore how Belgium’s 42% Tax Shelter and co-production models power international films, series, and animation.
We call it a win-win-win system where local producers get access to soft money… Belgian corporations have a tax relief… And the states get a great fiscal return because of what the project has to spend in Belgium.
Inside the Episode
Decoding European Co-Productions: How Umedia Uses Belgium’s Tax Shelter to Fund Global Hits
Umedia’s CEO Bastien Sirodot combines Belgium’s 42% Tax Shelter, regional equity funds, and state-of-the-art VFX to co-finance high-impact global projects like Netflix’s Under Paris and cult hit Mandy.
- Demystifying Belgium’s 42% Tax Shelter: Learn how private corporate tax relief translates into soft money for qualifying European spend, yielding up to 42% net financial support per project.
- Combining Incentives Across Borders: Insights on pairing Belgian funding with regional funds (Wallimage, Screen Brussels, Screen Flanders) and overlapping systems like Ireland’s Section 481.
- The Q4 Fundraising Challenge: Why over 50% of Belgian corporate tax funds are raised in Q4 and how producers must align greenlight timelines to lock in capital before year-end.
- Real-World Case Studies: The step-by-step co-financing, production, and VFX execution behind successes like Under Paris, Mandy, and adult animation breakthrough Jim Queen.
Episode Timeline
| Timestamp | Chapter |
| 00:00 | Introduction & Overview of Umedia |
| 01:43 | How the Belgian Tax Shelter System Works |
| 05:16 | Combining Tax Incentives & Regional Funds Across Europe |
| 09:37 | International Co-Productions & Non-European Partnerships |
| 13:41 | Umedia’s Development Strategy & Greenlight Realities |
| 18:02 | Project Case Studies: Mandy, Jim Queen & Under Paris |
About Umedia
Founded in 2004, Umedia is a Brussels-based audiovisual media group and one of Belgium’s top co-production powerhouses. Over the past two decades, the group has grown into an integrated studio operating across financing, co-production, physical production, in-house content development, and visual effects (VFX). Umedia works on 40 to 50 audiovisual projects annually—spanning feature films, television series, and animation across a wide variety of genres and budget ranges.
Why Partner with Umedia
-
Unlocks Up to 42% Net Soft-Money Funding: Provides direct access to Belgium’s Tax Shelter, raising ~€40M annually to cover up to 42% of local qualifying spend without rigid shooting day or HOD requirements.
-
True One-Stop Production & VFX Studio: Offers end-to-end co-production services, regional fund management, and an in-house facility (UFX Studio) with 100+ artists alongside premier water tank infrastructure.
-
Proven Track Record Across 800+ Titles: Trusted long-term partner for top studios (Gaumont, UGC), streamers, and indie producers on hits ranging from global blockbusters (Under Paris) to cult favorites (Mandy).
