Bob Yari and Marvin Peart’s WonderHill is partnering with the Georgian government and investment company Silk Road to increase the number of Hollywood productions in the country

EXCLUSIVE: Oscar-winning producer Bob Yari crashing down and executive producer of, among other things, TV series Yellowstone And The mayor of Kingstownand his WonderHill Studios partner Marvin Peart (The war with Grandpa), is working with the Georgian government and Eastern European and Central Asian investment company Silk Road Group to increase the number of Hollywood film and television productions filmed in Georgia.

With direct support from the Georgian government, WonderHill and Silk Road launched film production and funded JV WonderSilk Studios (WSS), which also aims to accelerate local productions.

The goal is to build public and private partnerships with the government and large companies in Georgia and the region. WSS aims to pave the way for Hollywood studios and indie filmmakers to take advantage of local sites, tax breaks (there are 20-25% discounts in the country), studios, employees and talent. Georgia has so far not developed into a major film center like some Eastern European countries, but the aim is to change that.

Local investment group Silk Road owns Silknet, the largest provider of landline, cable TV, broadband and IPTV in Georgia. The idea is to use Silk Road’s infrastructure – including hotels, resorts, casinos, wineries and ski resorts – as well as its telecommunications and media reach to boost production activities.

WonderHill and Silk Road also want to expand their partnership to Kazakhstan. Her goal is to help film several big budget projects in both countries by the end of next year.

Yari and Peart (pictured above and below) founded the American company WonderHill Studios at the beginning of the year. The duo’s co-founder is David Glasser of 101 Studios, producer of Taylor Sheridan’s string of hit series including Paramount’s Yellowstone. Yari founded Yari Film Group in 2005, whose credits include: The illusionist And Own. Sheridan’s western series also comes from this company Bass Reeves for Paramount+. He also produced the Oscar winner for Best Picture crashing down.

Peart spent 10 years in New York as Executive Vice President and Head of A&R for Sony Music Entertainment before founding indie production company Marro Media. Producer credits include: The war with Grandpa And Life is at stake.

Peart with the Georgian Minister of Culture, Thea Tsulukiani.

“The best model for success in the film industry is the public-private partnership. The successful model will be achieved on the one hand through the leading cooperation of Georgian and American film companies and, on the other hand, through the participation of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainability. In this case, success means more Hollywood in Georgia and more Georgia in Hollywood,” said Iraqi Nadareishvili, Georgia’s Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainability.

“One of WonderHill Studios’ visions is to bring the world’s greatest stories from lesser-known countries to America’s big screen. As I stood at the gateway between East and West in ancient Georgia and listened to the legends of the Georgian kings and queens and the fascinating stories of the original nomads of Kazakhstan, I discovered that these great nations and I, an Afro- American filmmaker and film director Brooklyn have more in common than I could ever imagine,” said Marvin Peart, co-founder and co-CEO of WonderHill Studios.

“Silk Road Group is proud to be a part of this first-of-its-kind film studio in Georgia, in partnership with WonderHill Studios and its founders, who have produced some of the most impressive television and film content in the United States in recent times. year.” The combined strength of the founders of WonderSilk studios in direct cooperation with the Georgian government will provide the best platform for cooperation between Hollywood and the Georgian film industry and, above all, bring Georgian and American culture, history and people even closer together. said George Ramishvili, chairman of Silk Road Group.

The Georgian Film Studios in the capital Tbilisi is currently one of the few studio facilities in the country. But the government has been trying to increase production at the company for several years. F9: The Fast Saga (2019) was a major Hollywood production with a number of scenes filmed in the capital, but the pandemic ensured that the desired flow of projects entered the country, with a cash refund of 20-25% on eligible expenses, which is made in Georgia. , which offers some impressive landscapes.

The country is not currently part of the EU. In June 2022, the European Commission decided on Georgia’s eligibility to join the EU, but postponed the granting of official candidate status until certain conditions were met.