28/06/2002

Carlo Macchitella held a press conference today, on the first "birthday" of 01 distribution, a French-Italian company (Studio Canal e Rai Cinema). The president said, "We achieved our goals: to distribute quality Italian and European films as well as independent American films, including Le Pacte des Loups, Belphagor, Casomai, Luce dei miei occhi - all of which performed well at the box office." "01 Distribution has carved itself a 7% quota of the Italian market, and we achieved it with quite a few important films ready for release. We will consider ourselves satisfied if next year we increase our market quota to 8%-10% without ever forgetting the strength of some of our competitors." "01 made a careful study of the market and exhibition strategies. Initially we were the object of political criticism but were welcomed and favoured as time progressed. Producers and distributors now know that 01 is a different type of distributor; complimentary instead of competitive."
01's next release is John Woo's much awaited Windtalkers and their line up includes Michele Placido's Un viaggio chiamato amore, Carlo Mazzacurati's A cavallo della tigre - both of which are being touted for Venice, Polanski's Palme d'Or-winning The Pianist and Kathryn Bigelow's K-19: the Widowmaker.