Roberto Cicutto is the new director of The Business Street.

The fourth edition of the Market will be held from 15th “” 19th October 2009, as part of the International Rome Film Festival.

A producer and distributor of quality cinema (his Aura Film brought Olmi’s “La leggenda del Santo Bevitore” to the Golden Lion and, after a long period in distribution with Mikado, he returned to producing with Spike Lee’s “Miracle at St. Anna”), Roberto Cicutto is launching himself into this new adventure with his usual enthusiasm:
“Having visited lots of Markets over the years”, he explains, “it is easy for me to put myself in the shoes of the people on the other side, in order to offer them the best services possible.”

The best services possible: that’s quite a challenge. Any details? Just some practical things: to be able to use the areas and facilities with as little difficulty as possible, for things to be made easier everywhere.
The first editions of the Rome Film Festival were distinguished by the likeability, hospitality and pleasantness of the venue, as well as the efficiency of the organization.
We just have to maintain and improve these conditions.

In a word, is your model Mifed or Toronto?
There is no model.
Toronto isn’t a Market, it is a Festival, a vast showcase where you can really see the movies that have been made during the year, without the pressure of a market.
But everyone knows that Toronto has also become a very interesting opportunity for negotiating.
Anywhere movies are screened and sector operators meet can become a good place for negotiating.
But the idea of the old market, that is a leader market where people go and do more business than in other places, is outdated.
Now there is more continuity in the relationships between professionals which develop throughout the year.
Creating events where these contacts are facilitated is my idea of an ideal market.
My aim is to strongly collaborate with the most important and consolidated markets, Berlin and Cannes.
As a user of markets myself, I know that when you start discussing a business opportunity at one market, the deal might only actually be concluded two markets later.
Rome is the event that brings the year to an end, where things that were initiated at previous markets are concluded, and new projects could be launched that will be concluded the following year.

Can you confirm last year’s budget “” of around one million Euros? The cuts made to the Festival haven’t affected the Market.
In addition to the million Euros you mentioned, there will be another 400 thousand Euros for the “Fabbrica dei Progetti” section.

Will the next edition continue along the same lines or will there be some new features?
The same facilities will be used and the tone and climate of the Market will remain the same: it will be a truly horizontal meeting point that will develop throughout the whole day in the selected venues: in the hotels, from Piazza Barberini to the Majestic on the Via Veneto, and the screening rooms.
There will be greater links between the festival selection and the products presented at the market: this is an important aspect which we hope to develop.