19/10/2006

The co-production agreement signed yesterday in Rome between the four CRCs (Capital Regions for Cinema): Berlin-Brandemburg, Comunidad de Madrid, Ile de France and the Lazion Region is of a political as well as financial nature.

Announced months ago, it was finalised yesterday at the RomeFilmFest during the Terre di cinema conference.

“This is an important moment for the four European Regions, which are committing to concretely supporting the development of audiovisual projects in their territories, creating incentives and protecting the instruments of co-production. It also has a political value because the desire to foster film and television essentially stems from the respective governments, who have decided to place audiovisual product at the centre of their country’s cultural policies”, said Giulia Rodano (Cultural Councillor, Lazio Region), who read the text of the agreement that stresses the importance of drafting, as soon as possible, financial, normative and artistic modalities for the backing of audiovisual productions.

“With this agreement, we want to contribute to increasing European co-productions through modern financial measures, beginning with those that each of the co-signers already employs in their territory,” emphasised Francis Parny (Vice-President of Culture, Ile de France), after whom spoke Kirsten Niehuus (Managing Director, Medienboard Film Funding Berlin-Brandemburg), adding how cinema can be a valuable investment “that allows for the triplication of earnings over expenditure”.

A declaration of shared intent also came from Director General de Promocion Cultural of the Comunidad de Madrid, Amado Gimenez Precioso, who is convinced that “with this accord, we will not only back production but will provide impetus for the distribution of European films as well, both within and beyond our continent”.

Representing the European Commission was head of the Unit of Media Programme Aviva Silver, who expressly congratulated the CRC initiative: “This agreement,” stated Silver, “is yet further recognition of the capacity of the members of the European Union to interact on a democratic basis. What emerges is the desire to reinforce the competitiveness of European cinema and to build a market that creates a balance between the countries’ varying production capacities”.

There was also extensive discussion at the conference – as a result of the presence of other film professionals, such as film commissioners and studio heads, including Lamberto Mancini of Cinecittà Studios – of the increasingly advantageous audiovisual-territory relationship,.

Other speakers included producer Maurizio Totti (Colorado Film) and his partner, director Gabriele Salvatores. “Films such as Marrakesh Express, Puerto Escondido and Mediterraneo literally changed tourists routes,” said Totti, while Salvatores emphasised how cinema can “work closely with a territory. Each film is influenced by its chosen locations, which is why it’s important that we directors and producers find support and collaboration from the Film Commissions and those administrating the territories”.

(Translated from Italian)