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On October 15, Rome’s MIA (Mercato Internazionale Audiovisivo) hosted a panel titled “Italian Cinema Insights: Unveiling the Intrinsic Value of Theatrical and Exhibition,” moderated by journalist Alessandra De Luca. The talk saw the participation of Tarak Ben Ammar (Chairman, Eagle Pictures), Simone Gialdini (General Director, ANEC and President, Cinetel), Giampaolo Letta (CEO, Medusa), Luigi Lonigro (Director, 01 Distribution and National President, ANICA Distributors), Federica Lucisano (CEO, Lucisano Media Group), Massimiliano Orfei (President, PiperFilm), and Massimo Proietti (CEO, Vision Distribution).
The contributions shared by the speakers revolved around the problem of intercepting wider audiences, finding new formats and formulas, and reaffirming creativity over grandiose budgets, casts, and production values. And in particular, the event delved into the current state of distribution and funding dynamics in independent cinema.
Gialdini was the first to speak and she noted, “From January to March, the market experienced growth… In particular, ‘Inside Out 2’ achieved unexpected numbers, even during the European Championships. The summer went well, with a 4% increase in numbers, showing us that we can approach 2025 with a positive outlook.”
Gialdini’s insight is correct as “Inside Out 2” topped EUR €46.4 million in Italy to date (according to the figures published on December 10 by Italian box office company Cinetel) and prospects look better after a few successful releases added up over the last quarter – in particular, US hits “Oceania 2” (EUR €13.7 million) and “Gladiator 2” (EUR €9.1 million). Another Italian title able to catch the zeitgeist of the public debate is Margherita Ferri’s debut “The Boy with Pink Pants”, which grossed more than EUR €9 million, after its release on 7th November 2024. The film is based on the true story of 15-year-old Andrea Spezzacatena, a victim of bullying and homophobic cyberbullying, who took his own life in 2012.
Letta then highlighted the role of theatrical distribution, billing it as “a fundamental cornerstone for value creation.” “Launching a film requires investment; even low-budget films need targeted promotion,” he said. “Today, audiences are far more selective. They used to be more curious about the story or cast, but now their choices are much more cautious – they prefer safe bets.”
While Letta is right about the great value of theatrical distribution, his take is not entirely convincing when it comes to the latest domestic hits at the Italian box office. For example, Paola Cortellesi’s “C’è ancora domani” (“There’s Still Tomorrow”), which received the second consecutive Biglietto d’Oro (awarded by ANEC and ANICA, literally meaning “golden ticket”), by managing to tug on viewers’ heartstrings with a cast of known actors and by focusing on a much-debated public topic – in this case femicide and the patriarchy. The film also adopts a language that is intelligible yet not overtly obvious, taking loose inspiration from Neorealism and has attracted cinephiles and occasional viewers alike.
Orfei focused on the role of streaming platforms in the film industry: “For cinemas, what we can do is deliver a quality product and market it well,” he stated. “SVOD platforms play a crucial role… We must strive to assist these platforms. What works in cinemas today isn’t necessarily what worked in the past.”
Notably, Orfei led the promotional campaign for Paolo Sorrentino’s latest outing, “Parthenope.” Through careful promotion on social media and in more traditional outlets (Rome was full of billboards filled with some of the protagonist’s quotes a few weeks ahead of its theatrical release), the picture managed to gross over EUR €7 million and, most importantly, attracted young audiences en masse. Gabriele Niola, an Italian contributor at Screen Daily and various other Italian outlets, provided a good analysis for publication Il Post on how younger audiences are becoming more and more crucial to Italy’s exhibition landscape.
Lucisano commented on the key difficulties faced by the overall sector: “Our challenges are the reduction in investments and rising costs, but the most significant challenge is finding original concepts that spark audience interest.”
Commenting on the same topic Proietti added: “We need to attract people who currently go to the cinema every three months, or even more frequently. We must aim to increase the average viewer’s attendance rate.”
Lonigro followed up with, “We need films that speak to the audience; stories are more important than budgets.”
Interestingly, all of this is being said in a rather critical moment for the national film industry, hanging by a string owing to the uncertainties brought by the Ministry of Culture around changes in accessing tax credits. With more clarity now given than was initially, the process should run more smoothly but the likely result is a slowdown in local and international productions nationwide, although official figures aren’t available yet.
- Veteran Programmer and Publicist Kathleen McInnis on Promoting Indie Films, the Importance of Planning Marketing Strategies and the Role of Festivals - February 19, 2025
- Rome MIA Panel Dissects the ‘Intrinsic Value’ of Theatrical Distribution and Exhibition in Italy - October 29, 2024
- Europa Distribution Head Christine Eloy on Boosting Film Circulation through Production and Distribution Collaboration - October 1, 2024