The Fondazione Abruzzo Film Commission was officially born on September 26th with the signing of the notarial deed.
The venue chosen to host the Foundation is Palazzo Dragonetti De Torres in L’Aquila.
The members who will make up the Board of Directors are: Piercesare Stagni, film historian; Peppe Millanta, screenwriter and TV presenter; Fabrizia Aquilio, professor of Law and Economics.
Abruzzo Region President Marco Marsilio said: “Abruzzo has been waiting for this instrument for more than 20 years and because of this delay our region has been at a competitive disadvantage compared to other territories.”
Despite the absence of a proper Film Commission over the years, there has been no shortage of productions that have chosen Abruzzo as a set. Among the projects of recent years are scenes from Paolo Sorrentino’s TV series “The new Pope” (2019) produced by Wildside, Sky, Canal+ and HBO, and Daniele Luchetti’s “Io sono tempesta” co-produced by Cattleya and Rai Cinema.
Marsilio continues: “since we have enormous potential, we needed a Film Commission capable of creating added value and weaving valuable networks of relationships. I am certain that, in the wise hands of our board members, we will be able to promote our territory more incisively.”
Roberto Santangelo, regional councillor in charge of Cultural Heritage and Entertainment, also commented on this, stating that a big step forward will be taken in promoting the territory and it will be possible to launch training courses for film industry professions.
Photo credits: Albrizio Iolanda, CC BY-SA 4.0, <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/>, via Wikimedia Common, adapted size