23/04/2010

According to industry trade Giornale dello Spettacolo, there are currently over 500 digital screens in Italy, almost all of which are in 3D. In July of 2008 there were about 50 2K screens, which became 180 by June 2009 and are now at 504. And that number is constantly growing.

The regions with the most digital screens are Lombardy (70), Lazio (64), Piedmont (45) and Tuscany (40). With 31 screens, Rome is the most digitalised city, followed by Milan with 18.

"Digital growth must continue so we can reach a total switch-off quickly", said Paolo Protti, president of ANEC, the national association of film exhibitors.

According to Universal CEO Richard Borg, "With the confirmation of the tax credit for 2011 by next year we might easily exceed 1000 screens, nearing our goal of complete digitalisation in cinemas by 2012".

The transformation of Italian exhibition "is taking place on the basis of a direct agreement between exhibitors and distributors, the only one of its kind in the world, which excludes third parties. The tax credit and exemplary responses from within the industry are behind these very important results,” said Riccardo Tozzi, president of the producers of ANICA.

"With digital our cinemas, both arthouse and in cities, will change, their programming will be more flexible. They will always give priority to arthouse films but will also be able to offer alternative content," concluded Mario Lorini, president of FICE , the Italian federation of arthouse cinemas.

(Translated from Italian)