13/06/2005

An agreement is about to be signed to create a small co-production fund —similar to that which already exists between France and Germany— to encourage common film projects between France and Italy. This program is the first result of the France/Italy co-production forum which took place in Rome on the 9th and 10th of June.
The proposal came from Alessandro Usai, general director of Cinecittà Holding, at the end of an event attended by representatives from film institutions, producers and distributors from both countries; the event will now become an annual workshop.

Over three hundred film professionals from Italy and France discussed the decline of a long-lasting tradition of co-production. The participants agreed that it was necessary to strengthen the relationship between both countries, to encourage more exchange between individual producers and involve TV channels in the financing of co-productions. It was also deemed important that the French CNC should also recognise 'minority' Italian co-productions. In this respect, Gaetano Blandini, General Director of the Film section of the Italian Ministry of Culture, announced his request to the CNC to "verify proper balance in respect of co-productions and have them evaluated by a commission that would include members of the relevant institutions and associations, so that answers can provided to solve the difficulties met by producers." Urging all participants to attend next year's meeting in Paris, Margaret Menegoz, President of Unifrance, underlined how important it is that "our Ministries should get together, but it is down to us, film professionals, to keep discussing and lobby to get more money for films from the political authorities."

(Translated from Italian)