19/05/2005

French and Italian film institutions and professionals will meet and work together in Rome from the 8th to the 10th of June. These meetings are supported by the Cinema section of the Italian Ministry of Cultural goods and activities, Cinecittà Holding, the AIP Filmitalia, and the Istituto Luce, as well as the CNC and Unifrance on the French side. These bilateral meetings are entitled, ‘Production, Distribution, and Promotion: defining new schemes to keep on with a long-lasting collaboration.’

Several subjects will be dealt with during these three days: production, co-production, and distribution, as well as promotion and marketing. Special attention will be given to the relationship between the film industry and TV channels. Thus, two countries which have always been close will tighten even more their very special links. The Italian and French participants will debate facts and figures in order to establish new guidelines to make sure all projects and proposals focus on one purpose: making the most of their audiovisual products, in theatres and on television.

Recent productions from both countries will be used as examples to evaluate distribution, laws, and funding, and evoke the difficulties met in financing minority co-productions, as well as the necessity to support international promotion.

Thus, these bilateral meetings will allow Italy and France to define new schemes concerning production and distribution so as to handle better and better each step of the creation process, and bring new strength and effectiveness to an old collaboration.

(Translated from Italian)