Dear Editor,
An article published in your newspaper, authored by Gianmaria Tammaro and titled “Dopo l’abbondanza, la crisi: in Italia chiudono produzioni e vengono cancellate serie tv” (“After Abundance, Crisis: Productions Closing and TV Series Being Cancelled in Italy”), later echoed by Dagospia, could undoubtedly provide food for thought, but it also risks generating dangerous confusion.
Allow us to dispel such confusion.
Disney+ Italy has no connection to Italian cinema production; it is a platform that distributes the extensive library of the company and commissions Italian series. So far, transmitted series such as “Le fate ignoranti,” “Donne di mafia,” and “Boris,” all of indisputable productive and artistic quality, have been successful both in Italy and abroad. There is great anticipation for the upcoming series “I leoni di Sicilia,” scheduled for autumn.
If this platform were to slow down its activities, it would be due to the significant turbulence within the American audiovisual system (as indicated by the recent strikes), and not due to the otherwise positive Italian circumstances. This exemplifies the misunderstandings that arise when discussing “Italian cinema” without distinguishing between television and film, leading to a situation where both truths and contradictions hold.
To understand the dynamics within the Italian audiovisual system, it is essential to consistently differentiate between the television (serial content) and the film sectors.
The success of Italian serial content is beyond doubt.
Over five years, the volume of production and work has increased, exports have grown by a factor of ten, and theaters, streets, and locations in the Capital and all Regions are experiencing full occupancy.
Italian original series dominate the generalist market (more than in any other European country), shaping programming schedules even through excellent ratings in reruns. They are essential elements of Sky’s offerings and various other platforms.
Investment in production has consistently risen, and there have been significant foreign investments in Italian companies producing Italian series, even very recently.
These are figures and facts, not subject to opinion. If there are to be changes in the editorial direction of media services, there’s no reason why internationally acclaimed production companies cannot adequately respond.
However, Tammaro’s contribution can aid in fostering a debate on the performance of Italian cinema in theaters.
It is true that certain challenges have been noted. Not concerning summer results (where hardly any Italian films were released), nor the aggregated data, the market share, which will hover around 20% for the year—a respectable figure. Nor is it a concern about quality: the level of our films, including many debuts, remains generally good, certainly not worse than the pre-COVID era. Nevertheless, a sense persists that our cinema (unlike serial content) faces difficulty in its relationship with the theater-going audience, struggling to engage and thereby impacting box office returns. We do not intend to deny this reality; indeed, reflection within industry associations has been ongoing for some time to understand how improvements in the creation and production of films can enhance broader audience engagement, seeking new avenues and solutions.
This would be a meaningful and useful debate in which all components of the Italian cinema industry (including journalists and critics) can contribute constructively.
Benedetto Habib, President ANICA producers
Chiara Sbarigia, President APA
Photo Credits: Pixabay
