From the State to the Regions: the Devolution of Italian Cinema

Italian cinema is by long time a battle field between national government and local administrations. Since 1975 many laws and negotiations have been promoted in order to find a compromise between a centralistic control of the cinematographic activities and a more open and collective management able to involve, alongside with the State, local institutions too. Despite the controversies, in the past two decades something has changed. Local administrations became aware of the economic benefits they could have in supporting film production and therefore they are now enacting film-friendly measures (film commissions, film funds, film incentives, etc.). At the same time these local initiatives are pushing the national government to revise its role in this domain. The Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali (Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities) itself is reconsidering its mission in terms of gradually moving from a concept of ʹfinancing filmsʹ to the one of ʹfinancing cinemaʹ, from being an economic source for new films to a promoter and regulator of the Italian cinema. The article analyzes: a) how in the past 35 years the Italian state and regions negotiated their powers regarding cinematographic activities, and b) the development of the two main tools introduced by local administrations for supporting film production: film commissions and film funds. In light of this analysis, the final part of the article suggests that film production in Italy is experiencing a decentralization process related to its managing, financing and shooting stage