Yesterday, “The urban future of film” conference, organised by ANICA (Italian Assoociation for Cinematographic, Audiovisual and Multimedia Industries) was held in Rome. During his interview, the Association’s Chairman, Francesco Rutelli, highlighted the great changes currently happening in the industry. “We are undergoing a second revolution, after that of television, with growing international challenges. But film cannot exist without cinemas, without movie theatres. We are analysing the best examples in Europe and the world that have brought cinemas back to being an urban space for social and cultural gathering, especially for young people. Watching a film at the cinema must go back to being a personal and engaging experience”.
His words were echoed by Luigi Cucinello, chairman of ANEC (Italian Association of Film Exhibitors), who said “there are currently distortions in the market that are caused not only by the summer and Christmas seasons, which respectively see empty and overcrowded cinemas, but also by city centre planning, which is difficult to overcome. Among other things, the levels of taxation are also impossible to maintain, which is causing many cinemas to close”.
Both Cuciniello and Rutelli also expressed their optimism for the new Franceschini Law, currently awaiting implementing decrees. “The Law helps to redefine cinema spaces”, said Rutelli, while Cuciniello reaffirmed this by saying that “for the first time there are new resources that are real and existing. It is essential that we open new cinemas, but we must avoid cannibalising existing ones”.
