When The Film Verdict spoke to Cinecittà’s Roberto Stabile about the Focus devoted to Italy at this year’s European Film Market, he mentioned new co-production deals as part of the initiative’s goals, along with making Italy an even more enticing filming location for international projects. Right after Berlin he left Germany for Washington D.C. on Academy business.
Specifically, he was in town for a special screening of Matteo Garrone’s Io Capitano, currently in the running for the Oscar in the International Feature Film category. As first reported by the Italian news agency ANSA, the screening – held at the headquarters of the Motion Picture Association (MPA) – was preceded by Stabile making overtures to Hollywood for what would be an unprecedented agreement between Italy and the United States. A similar deal already exists with Japan, and the initial stages of a new collaboration with the U.S. could be formalized as early as this year’s Venice Film Festival (August 28 to September 7).
Italy has, of course, always been an attractive destination for American films. Last year, for example, major studio productions like The Pope’s Exorcist (partially set in Rome) and The Equalizer 3 (largely set in Calabria), both Sony titles, were filmed on location and used local talent. Director Saverio Costanzo even paid tribute to the creative relationship between the two countries in Finally Dawn, in which a young girl living in Rome ends up being an extra in a Hollywood epic shot at Cinecittà. Lily James and Joe Keery are the stars of the film-within-a-film, and Willem Dafoe, who holds dual citizenship and divides his time between Rome, New York and Los Angeles, appears in a key supporting role.
When reached for comment, Stabile told TFV how the deal would function, using Japan as an example. “It’s the same as all other inter-government agreements Italy has made over the years, in that it sets the legal framework for co-productions between the two countries, so that each producer is fully recognized in their respective country and enjoys the perks of their respective national regulations. With Japan, what happened was they had never done such a deal, and when I asked them why over lunch in Rome, they said they had simply never thought about it. We began the process of explaining why it would be beneficial, and five years later -– the pandemic happened in between –- the agreement was in place.”
The issue with the U.S., Stabile explains, is that there never was a person to talk to on the government level, as there is no Stateside equivalent of Italy’s Ministry of Culture. Then, at the Io Capitano screening, he met Lee Satterfield, who works for the State Department. “Upon hearing his job description, I thought this was the right person to submit the proposal to.” The response was positive, but there’s still a long road ahead. “Now we have to verify,” Stabile clarifies, “whether such a negotiation can be made with the State Department, and whether the Italian authorities are on board or not.”
If the deal were to materialize, it would allow Italian producers to retain their full professional titles on American productions (where they’re usually downgraded to executive producer status) and encourage them to pitch projects on their end, rather than simply receive them from their American counterparts. Beyond the bureaucratic red tape, Stabile sees one other possible hurdle to overcome: “The lack of a system of public support for the film industry in the United States could make the relationship unbalanced.”
Commenting on the Italian proposal was Stan McCoy of the Motion Picture Association, the President and Managing Director of the region encompassing Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).
“We’re eager to learn more – the idea of building a closer relationship is an objective that we always support. Local productions and co-productions are a big part of the future of the industry – works such as My Brilliant Friend, Lydia Poet and the Good Mothers are stellar examples. Of course, the shooting of international works continues to be a driver of local economies as well. Season 2 of HBO’s The White Lotus contributed more than 38 million euros to Italy’s GDP, supported 1,500 full- and part-time jobs, and purchased goods and services from 700 local businesses throughout Italy. What our members also do very well is to expand Italian and European culture into the U.S. by helping Italian content to travel like never before.
When asked about his view of Hollywood’s history with Italy and how that relationship can be strengthened in the years to come, McCoy was highly positive.
“Italy is home to a diverse and dynamic media ecosystem in which the film and TV sector has thrived. The MPA members have been a crucial part of this rich cultural landscape for over 100 years. Our members are enthusiastic about coming to Italy to take advantage of the beautiful scenery, architecture and landscapes, which make perfect backdrops for high profile films and television series, as well as the excellent infrastructure and of course the extremely skilled workforce.
“During MPA Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin’s recent trip to Rome, we were honored to meet Culture Minister Sangiuliano and Enterprises Minister Urso. There is no doubt about our shared objective of an ever-more vibrant film industry in Italy. On this occasion we were also privileged to attend an event in Rome hosted by the new Ambassador to Italy and San Marino, Jack Markell, with representatives of the Italian government and prominent figures of the U.S. and Italian film and TV sector. Throughout this event, speakers highlighted the enduring transatlantic partnership between our industries for more than 100 years and the incomparable value of Cinecittà.
“Our shared history represents a vital thread in the fabric of Italian and American culture. But it also forms a firm foundation of a dynamic and sustainable future. To make our relationship even stronger in the years to come, I think it’s particularly important to remember that in today’s highly competitive market, the regulatory climate matters to production decision-making. An important part of the investment climate is being able to offer a flexible, predictable and non-discriminatory regulatory environment. Under those conditions Italy’s AV sector can thrive and continue to be beacon of excellence well into the future.”
