25/10/2010

Two weeks away from the meeting between film industry umbrella organisation ANICA and national unions on the renewal of film tax credit measures by the government (see news), on Friday evening the 100autori movement decided to protest by occupying the Casa del Cinema in Rome.

Directors, screenwriters and producers brought together by the movement (see interview with 100autori president Stefano Rulli) are calling for the immediate renewal of the tax credit and tax shelter, the approval of a framework law for setting up a National Film Centre independent of political control, the reinstatement of the Single Entertainment Fund (Fondo Unico per lo Spettacolo) and other film support measures, including a targeted charge which obliges those who use Italian film and audiovisual productions (non-pay TV and satellite channels, access providers and Telecom) to reinvest part of their profits in national production and a charge on admission prices that would amount to 70% of profits from foreign majors.

In order to set out the next stages of mobilisation, film professionals have arranged to gather this afternoon at 6.30pm for a meeting at Teatro Eliseo in Rome. It hasn’t been ruled out that some forms of protest will be carried out during the Rome Film Festival, which opens in three days’ time.

(Translated from Italian)