The panel New Challenges and Opportunities for the Italian Market took place today during the eleventh edition of MIA | Mercato Internazionale dell’Audiovisivo, offering an in-depth look at the new challenges and opportunities in the Italian documentary market.
The discussion highlighted how the documentary sector must meet audience needs and adapt to the new technologies through which platforms deliver content. Luigi del Plavignano, Director of Rai Documentari, explained: “There is a need to make documentaries more current, telling stories that are close to us, digging into the character and their story to capture the audience’s attention. This is the challenge for the coming years”.
According to Mattia Mariotti, Head of Factual at Sky, today’s audience is more isolated and overwhelmed by numerous platforms: “We need to find stories that feel close, that awaken memories and emotions, building a narrative ecosystem that lasts longer”.
Gloria Giorgianni, CEO and Producer of Anele Produzioni, recalled the post-pandemic difficulties: “After a golden age, the documentary sector is now experiencing a contraction of resources. There is a need for dialogue with private stakeholders and to reclaim the dignity of storytelling”.
On the digital production side, Cecilia Penati, Content Development and Production Senior Director, Networks and Streaming, Warner Bros. Discovery, emphasized: “We believe it is possible to create high-quality products with a commercial publishing approach. Documentaries are as valuable as fiction”.
Gioia Avvantaggiato, President & Executive Producer at GA&A, focused on co-productions: “The most co-producible stories are often the most distant, but developing ambitious projects requires time, money, and certainty regarding production schedules”.
Simona Ercolani, CEO of Stand by Me, added: “Documentarians need time and infrastructure. Public broadcasters should take responsibility for educating audiences about documentaries and promoting Italian productions”.
Finally, Jacopo Chessa, Director of Veneto Film Commission, highlighted the strategic role of film commissions: “We ensure that certain documentaries come to life, promoting the territory and supporting local producers. The set of a documentary is not the same as a TV production, but every project passes through the film commission”.
The panel underscored that to face current challenges, the Italian documentary sector must balance narrative quality, technological innovation, and collaboration between broadcasters, producers, and local territories, promoting stories that resonate with audiences without losing their international dimension.
