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LEGISLATION Italy

Arthouse cinema and the new Italian Film Law

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- At the MIA in Rome, Minister of Culture Franceschini announced that the legislation would take effect from January 2017; in Mantua, the FICE debated the impact of the new law on the movie theatres

Arthouse cinema and the new Italian Film Law

“We are aiming to get the law approved by the end of the year, and at the same time, we are working on the implementing decrees; our goal is for it to take effect from 1 January 2017.” These were the words of Minister for Cultural Heritage Dario Franceschini at a press conference (also attended by industry professionals) held at the MIA – International Audiovisual Market in Rome, where he presented the main points of the draft cinema and audiovisual bill being debated in the Chamber, following its approval at the Senate at the beginning of October. Click here to download a PDF file illustrating the main highlights of the so-called New Film Law. According to the minister, there are three motives underpinning the measure: “The first is that we wish to use this text to support the entire film industry so that it has a chance to develop and flourish. The second is to support those productions that might not be able to make it onto the market, as well as young talents. And the third is to work together to broaden the cinemagoing public in Italy.”

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But what will be the consequences of the new law on quality film? The topic was discussed at the FICE’s Arthouse Cinema Convention in Mantua at the beginning of October. With the new decree on arthouse activities, we have observed the disappearance of the “Quality Screens” Special Project. 1,229 screens were declared as “arthouse” for the two-year period 2016-17, as against the 826 screens that obtained the label for their activity in 2015. The debate revolving around the identity of arthouse cinema today, and the developments on the horizon with a view to diversifying and enhancing the theatres as well as the works themselves, focused on a snapshot of “arthouse” theatres, analysing the data collected and the style of the films found within the “quality” sample provided by Cinetel. Click here to download the ad hoc study on the Role of Arthouse Theatres and the New Law, edited by Domenico Dinoia and Bruno Zambardino: it covers the clout of the arthouse films on the market, the new legislation, a focus on 30 Italian and international titles, and case studies on Fire at Sea [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Gianfranco Rosi
film profile
]
, Fiore [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Claudio Giovannesi
film profile
]
and Mustang [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Deniz Gamze Ergüven
film profile
]
.  

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(Translated from Italian)

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