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Magenta TV’s Cypriot-Set Thriller ‘Brothers’ Wasn’t Allowed To Shoot In The Country. The Producers Explain Why: “The Reasons Were Political”
Producers say the six-part thriller *Brothers*, set in Nicosia, could not film in Cyprus after the country’s Ministry of Culture declined to support the project. They described the refusal as political, saying the series’ portrayal of Turkish Cypriots and the island’s divided reality could not be removed.
The production sought a cash rebate in August 2025 and held months of discussions with the ministry, but producers say they were told verbally in December, shortly before filming began, that it would not commit. The series was instead filmed in Germany, Luxembourg and Greece; producers said moving the shoot to Greece created a major logistical and financial gap because Cyprus offers high tax credits. The show is now in post-production and is expected to reach MagentaTV next year.
In short
- *Brothers* could not film in Cyprus after its ministry declined support.
- Producers say the decision was political.
- The series was shot across Germany, Luxembourg and Greece.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The producers’ account supports the view that the refusal was political: they say the ministry declined support shortly before filming, after months of discussions, because the series portrayed Turkish Cypriots and the island’s division in ways officials would not accept. If public production incentives are withheld over a project’s perspective, that can constrain artistic freedom and make it harder to tell stories about contested history.
The case against
A government can reasonably decide how to allocate limited public funds and tax incentives, and a production is not automatically entitled to support because it applies. The ministry’s reasons are reported here only through the producers’ account, so without its response or further evidence, the refusal alone does not establish that officials acted to suppress a viewpoint.