Cinema, workers take protest to Venice: 'Support measures needed'

The letter, read out during a meeting organised at the Italian Pavilion by the Italian Directors' Association (Air3), entitled Stati Generali del Cinema Indipendente (States General of Independent Cinema), is signed by a large number of associations in the sector: Afs (Autori della Fotografia di Scena): Agi Spettacolo (Associazione Generici Italiani), Aiarse (Associazione Italiana Aiuto Registi Segretarie di Edizione), Air3 (Associazione Italiana Registi), Aitr (Associazione Italiana Tecnici di Ripresa), Aits (Associazione Italiana Tecnici del Suono), Apai (Associazione del Personale di Produzione Audiovisivo Italiano), Apci (Associazione Pittori e Decoratori del Cinema), Asc (Associazione Italiana Scenografi, Costumisti e Arredatori), Ccs (Collettivo Chiaroscuro), Cacao (Comparto Audiovisivo e Cinema auto organizzato Puglia) Emic (Associazione Nazionale Elettricisti e Macchinisti Italiani), Lcs (Lavoratori del Cinema Sicilia), Mujeres del Cinema (Association of women in the cinema and audiovisual industry), Raai (Registro Attrici Attori Italiani) Rct (Rete Cinema Torino), Rmcfvg (Rete Maestranze del Cinema Friuli Venezia Giulia), Rcsb (Rete Cinema Sociale Basilicata), #SIAMOAITITOLIDICODA, Uicd (Unione Italiana Casting Director), Unita (Unione Nazionale Interpreti Teatro e Audiovisivo).

Meanwhile, tax credit was discussed at an ad hoc conference in Venice. The rationale of the reform, commented undersecretary Lucia Borgonzoni, is 'to strengthen the production system by making a clear and regulated distinction between works conceived on the market and for the market and those that are 'difficult''. The revision of the tax credit was desired, adds the undersecretary to the Mic, to 'support Italian artists and workers, especially the youngest, protecting their talent from inappropriate use of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, and supporting their impetus towards a more international scene. The tax credit, I would like to point out, was conceived with a view to the growth of the sector, and the changes made go in the direction of limiting the distortions that have emerged over the years and enhancing our excellence for a healthy industry, which is now even stronger'.

"With the launch of the production tax credit reform," commented Nicola Borrelli, Director of MiC's Directorate General for Cinema and Audiovisual, "the sector will be able to restart with greater momentum. The measures introduced make it possible to achieve a better balance between the competitive development of the industry and the protection of the creativity of small and medium-sized productions, also thanks to the strengthening of selective contributions'.

'The new production tax credit is an important innovation that will guarantee a public intervention in step with the times and with the current audiovisual and film market model, against any abuse of state funding and to protect human creativity,' added the chairman of the Chamber's Culture Committee and Fdi Culture and Innovation Officer Federico Mollicone.