France's Ile de France FilmCommission has announced a strong increase in local production for 2004, with2005 promising further success.

In total, films shot for 611weeks in Paris and its environs, the regionoverseen by the Ile de France Commission, in 2004.

That figure represents a 25%jump over the previous year.

Shooting had fallen intodecline between 2001 and 2003 but new incentives like the tax-credit scheme anda special Ile de France fund have prompted a recovery.

Foreign productions are alsoup with 29 weeks shot in the area in 2004. Among the films which chose theregion were MGM's The Birth Of The Pink Panther and Chinese super-productionDeng Xiao Ping 1926.

There's continued good newson the horizon with 2005 boasting Sofia Coppola's Marie-Antoinette,which generated about $24m worth of spending, and Ron Howard's The Da Vinci Code which took up residence earlier thisyear at the Louvre.

In total, the Commissionestimates the region will accumulate around 40 shooting weeks by year's end generating$58m in local spending.

Further, films like RidleyScott's A Good Year starringRussell Crowe will use Parisian services though shooting in Provence.