09/05/2007

Minister of Culture Francesco Rutelli suggested the formation of a delegation of filmmakers that follows, step by step, the Parliamentary procedures of the new film law during the packed meeting in Rome with the "Centoautori" movement – film directors, screenwriters, actors and technicians who are asking greater involvement from those responsible for the drafting of the reform.

The participants included illustrious names such as Bernardo Bertolucci, Francesco Rosi, Marco Bellocchio, Giuseppe Piccioni, Francesca Comencini, Ferzan Ozpetek, Carlo Verdone, Sandro Petraglia, Stefano Rulli and Daniele Luchetti (moderator).

"Mr. Minister, is it possible to make a film like 1900 or Salò today?" asked Bertolucci by way of provocation, expressing his anger "that no politicians in government today have ever uttered the word ‘culture’".

Marco Bellocchio instead pointed his finger against the "bureaucrats" working in the film institutions: "Why does Francesco Alberoni preside over the [national film school] if he knows nothing about cinema?".

Passionate speeches also touched upon the question of increasing the number of Italian films in television programming; greater support from Pay TV, Telecom and providers that exploit film rights; and the introduction of cinema as a subject in schools.

The minister urged those present to remember the many steps already taken – the addition of €220m to the Visual Arts Funds, the bestowal of public directives to Cinecittà Holding and a ministerial decree on financing criteria that precedes the reform – and delineated the future law , to be passed very soon, that includes a new system of tax write-offs, a new film agency based on the French model, the transition from a discretional funding system to an automatic one based on results, greater guarantees for first and second films, modifications to Law 122 (which as of 1998 obliges networks to invest in cinema) and a new centrality for independent producers.

(Translated from Italian)