On the second day of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, the event Cinema and Audiovisual in Numbers: A Cultural and Employment Engine and an Opportunity for the Country took place, organized by the Directorate General for Cinema and Audiovisual of the Ministry of Culture.
At the heart of the meeting was the growth of the Italian audiovisual market, which today comprises over 120,000 professionals and generates nearly 12 billion euros in total revenue—confirming the strategic value of this industrial and productive sector. As Undersecretary for Culture Lucia Borgonzoni pointed out, Italy ranks among the top five audiovisual producers in Europe and among the top ten worldwide.
The event, attended by numerous associations from the cinema and audiovisual industry, offered an in-depth overview of the sector through contributions from key stakeholders: Alessandro Usai (President of ANICA) highlighted the significant economic impact of the Italian audiovisual industry; Chiara Sbarigia (President of APA) emphasized the crucial role of the tax credit and advocated for bureaucratic simplification; Mario Lorini (President of ANEC) shed light on the current condition of Italian movie theaters; Corrado Azzollini (President of Confartigianato Cinema e Audiovisivo) stressed the importance of professional training, recalling the recent signing of a three-year protocol with Doc/It. Finally, Francesco Lattarulo (member of the National Executive Board of CNA Cinema e Audiovisivo) showcased the vitality of an ecosystem made up of over 1,550 enterprises.
Looking ahead, Undersecretary Borgonzoni outlined the Ministry’s upcoming initiatives in support of the sector. In the latest proposal for the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework, the European Commission has doubled the allocation for culture and media. Four main proposals were presented: the creation of a European co-production fund (60 million euros annually) to foster collaboration among European Economic Area countries; the strengthening of international distribution; increased resources to support cinemas; and enhanced access to credit mechanisms.
Photo Credits: Pxhere
