17/06/2016 - A new call for applications has been launched in Rome, whilst filming is underway in Apulia for the new film by Luca Miniero, and wrapped a few days ago on films by Marco Ponti and Edoardo Winspeare

This year the Apulia Film Fund, the funding scheme run by the Apulia Region in partnership with the Apulia Film Commission, will award €3 million, one of the highest amounts in Italy, to audiovisual works shot in Apulia. The new call for applications was announced on Wednesday in Rome. The president of the AFC, Maurizio Sciarra, was said to be particularly satisfied with the this year’s funding amount, which is more than twice what it was last year, and “for the first time, covers sectors of television production that have never been supported up until now. The AFC is presenting these new opportunities and new models to the entire Italian audiovisual system”. 

Filming is currently underway in Apulia on the new film by Luca Miniero, Non c’è più religione, produced by Cattleya, and filming wrapped up a few days ago on the films Io che amo solo te – La cena di Natale [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Marco Ponti (see news article), and La vita in comune [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Edoardo Winspeare. In the upcoming weeks, filming is set to commence in Apulia on three feature films directed by three Apulian directors: Vito Palmieri, Pippo Mezzapesa and Pierluigi Ferrandini.

Daniele Basilio, Director of Audiovisual Projects and Productions, and Roberto Corciulo, Film Fund Manager at the AFC, explained what funding was available, the types of eligible projects, and the minimum amount of work that must be carried out in Apulia, according to whether the project is a fictional film, documentary, short film or of a new format such as a reality or talent show. They also pointed out the high number of works made in Apulia in 2015, 57 no less, 29 of which only had logistical support, whilst the remaining 28 also received financial support. The various projects that received funding received €1.2 million in total from the Film Fund, generating an economic return for the region of over €6 million.

Stefano Rulli, the President of the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, talked about the agreement it has just signed with the AFC: “It will give our students on three-year courses the opportunity to seek advice from proper industry professionals, which is vital for getting to grips with the articulate world of audiovisual creativity”.

(Translated from Italian)