The manifesto where the critical issues will be highlighted and the solutions identified will be developed in the coming weeks and delivered to the Ministers of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano and Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè. From the three days of the General States of Cinema in Sicily comes a commitment to try to do something concrete for cinema in Italy and continue to be “the third or fourth nation in terms of production volumes”, as recalled by Giampaolo Letta, CEO of Medusa Movie. The splendid setting of the Maniace Castle cannot have just been a catwalk for over 200 representatives of the Italian cinema sector who took part in debates and talks.
«We had the whole world of this great film industry and we compared everyone: what to fix, the strengths and the critical points – said the regional councilor for tourism Elvira Amata –. I met many producers and directors who told me about the critical issues encountered in the area: banalities that could be avoided if only there was a system. Hence the idea of creating a dedicated desk in each municipality for producers who need to close a road rather than shoot a scene at the airport. We must increase the resources to invest to encourage this industry; develop training that is able to offer qualified professionals; offer efficient services in the area intended for production”.
Antonella Ferrara, scientific director, explains: «We hope to annually renew the appointment with the States General of Cinema and address different focuses from time to time. If this first edition focused in particular on film tourism, the perspectives linked to production, authorial needs, promotion and training of young people in the cinema professions deserve just as much attention.”
A cinema system in continuous evolution, as reiterated by Piera Detassis, president and artistic director of the Accademia del Cinema Fondazione italiana: «In recent years the entire cinema system has changed. Just as the digital system has changed the press, it has also changed cinema. Social media has changed the type of story and judgement. If before she was the star on whom attention was focused, now the star talks about herself on social media and does it on her own. The system has completely exploded, even the cinema communication relationship can no longer be the expectation of a review and criticism because everything is diluted and anticipated by the immediacy of the user's story.” Regarding the David di Donatello organized by the Academy, Detassis added: «Every year we work to model it on the state of the industry and this year there will be an Oscar-type red carpet, it will be in prime time. Every year we have changed management: this year we will have Teresa Mannino.”
Laura Delli Colli, president of the film journalists' union which awards the Silver Ribbons, also spoke about awards (president Cristiana Paterno was there for the critics' union): «Do the awards help cinema? I think so. An award used at a certain stage of the year can be a way to get a film back in theaters. There is no competition between awards, and they can help cinema to be on the stage at different times. Today we are witnessing a sort of “market censorship”. If it doesn't work, you disappear. Then comes an award that revitalizes it: I'm talking about interesting films, but off the market. I believe that the awards help to gain visibility, even for smaller films.” On the Nastri, Delli Colli anticipated: «We are making the applications: we will have the fourth edition of the great series in Naples on 1 June, then in Rome on 27 June and then we will see if there can be something in Sicily too like last year. It will be a cinema festival: Cortellesi's film will be film of the year. Therefore a collective award that does not take away space from others.”
The General States of Cinema were promoted by the Sicilian Region, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and ENIT with the scientific consultancy of Federico Pontiggia.