16/02/2012

Former artistic director of the Rome International Film Festival Piera Detassis (photo) requested in a public meeting taking place yesterday that the nomination of the new Director be conducted in accordance with the rules, with politicians stepping back to allow the cinema industry to act as the authoritative interlocutor of the festival.

Detassis’ intervention, supported by many directors and producers, comes after ANICA’s announcement of its position. Last week ANICA expressed concern with regards to the stalemate currently surrounding the Rome Film Festival, and supported the candidacy of former director of the Venice Film Festival, Marco Mueller.

On February 6, the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Rome Film Foundation, called to decide on Mueller’s nomination, was postponed. This is a nomination supported by the Rome Lazio Region and the City of Rome and opposed by the Province and the Chambers of Commerce.

In this climate of dispute, everyone in the film industry is waiting for the BoD to be urgently resummoned to put an end to the uncertainties surrounding the event’s future. According to rumours reported by Screendaily.com, under Mueller’s direction the festival would be moved from end October to end November (before Thanksgiving) and a market would be created capable of attracting European and Asian buyers.

(Translated from Italian)