MIA Market
ROME, October 9-13th
ITALY’S ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY: BALANCING GLOBAL GIANTS AND LOCAL CREATIVITY
The annual report presented by Italy’s TV Producers’ Association, APA, at Rome’s MIA market, highlights the continued investment growth in original content production in Italy.
The 2022 annual report from the TV producers’ association APA, revealed at Rome’s MIA market, showed nearly $1.9 billion invested in Italian productions—a marginal increase from the prior year, which itself experienced a 55% post-pandemic growth.
55% of this investment went into film and TV, with a noticeable rise in funding for documentaries and animated works, primarily for streaming services. This shift highlights changing consumer tastes and the increased importance of digital platforms.
Global streaming services, especially from the U.S., are investing heavily, making up about one-third of the total TV market. Netflix has even opened an Italian office and announced an expansive lineup of original productions, such as the high-budget series The Leopard, a high-budget six-episode series based on the renowned Sicily-set novel Il Gattopardo by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa.
Despite the positive impact of global streaming investments to the Italian industry, concerns about potential market imbalance exist. APA Chief Chiara Sbarigia stressed the need to balance global and domestic productions to avoid overshadowing local content. “Preserving Italian culture and creativity is vital for the industry’s future,” Sbarigia noted.
Other major investors include Sky Italia, which has poured over €11 billion into Italian content over the last decade, and Paramount, which has expanded its Italian offerings through Paramount+. Both companies focus on high-quality, original series, meeting the diverse tastes of Italian audiences, like the upcoming drama series M focusing on Benito Mussolini’s rise to power.
Traditional broadcasters, particularly public service broadcaster RAI, continue to play a central role, investing in significant projects like the €17 million period drama La Storia, despite budget limitations. La Storia is a period drama set during World War II and the subsequent years, and is adapted from the similarly titled masterpiece by Elsa Morante.
The Italian Deputy Culture Minister Lucia Borgonzoni highlighted the global appeal of Italian productions and affirmed governmental support for increasing exports.
The key challenge is balancing local culture with international opportunities to ensure the global impact of Italy’s unique narratives and talents.
Source: Variety
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ROME, October 9-13th
ITALY’S ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY: BALANCING GLOBAL GIANTS AND LOCAL CREATIVITY
The annual report presented by Italy’s TV Producers’ Association, APA, at Rome’s MIA market, highlights the continued investment growth in original content production in Italy.
The 2022 annual report from the TV producers’ association APA, revealed at Rome’s MIA market, showed nearly $1.9 billion invested in Italian productions—a marginal increase from the prior year, which itself experienced a 55% post-pandemic growth.
55% of this investment went into film and TV, with a noticeable rise in funding for documentaries and animated works, primarily for streaming services. This shift highlights changing consumer tastes and the increased importance of digital platforms.
Global streaming services, especially from the U.S., are investing heavily, making up about one-third of the total TV market. Netflix has even opened an Italian office and announced an expansive lineup of original productions, such as the high-budget series The Leopard, a high-budget six-episode series based on the renowned Sicily-set novel Il Gattopardo by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa.
Despite the positive impact of global streaming investments to the Italian industry, concerns about potential market imbalance exist. APA Chief Chiara Sbarigia stressed the need to balance global and domestic productions to avoid overshadowing local content. “Preserving Italian culture and creativity is vital for the industry’s future,” Sbarigia noted.
Other major investors include Sky Italia, which has poured over €11 billion into Italian content over the last decade, and Paramount, which has expanded its Italian offerings through Paramount+. Both companies focus on high-quality, original series, meeting the diverse tastes of Italian audiences, like the upcoming drama series M focusing on Benito Mussolini’s rise to power.
Traditional broadcasters, particularly public service broadcaster RAI, continue to play a central role, investing in significant projects like the €17 million period drama La Storia, despite budget limitations. La Storia is a period drama set during World War II and the subsequent years, and is adapted from the similarly titled masterpiece by Elsa Morante.
The Italian Deputy Culture Minister Lucia Borgonzoni highlighted the global appeal of Italian productions and affirmed governmental support for increasing exports.
The key challenge is balancing local culture with international opportunities to ensure the global impact of Italy’s unique narratives and talents.
Source: Variety