What do you think about Italian movies “fleeing abroad”?

It is a situation that upsets and worries us.
We would like to see a reversal of this trend.
We are trying to encourage this by expanding our catalogue “” which is already packed mainly with titles from our glorious past “” to include movies from today.
Unfortunately, the problem lies further up line, with agreements being made by producers already during the production or pre-production phase.
It is a question of placing trust in a brand, as well as a “banally” commercial trend: participation in Italian movies demands a considerably greater economic effort on the part of RaiCinema which often makes the operation impossible.
As Rai Trade we can invest and take risks in a limited, contained way. On a personal level, I think the relationship with the parent company could possibly be reviewed, as that would allow us to reinvest part of our profits in new, more important acquisitions.
Then there are the well-known legislative and banking limitations which work to the advantage of foreign companies.

What is Rai Trade doing to improve its relationship with clients and, consequently, increase sales?

I am very pleased to say that the new BoD has agreed to some of the measures I suggested.
I had already noticed some critical areas in the past.
The main one was our organization of foreign markets based on production sectors and not geographical areas.
When you look at a country and want to sell a product there, you have to know it well, understand its culture and tastes, in order to know what to propose.
Rai Trade will be divided into three macro areas: Western and Eastern Europe, Russia and Latin America; the United Kingdom, North America and Australia; the Middle and Far East, North Africa.
In New York we have relaunched the tradition of having a movie theater that only screens Italian films: the US market is difficult but attentive, and has always greatly appreciated our movies.
We have to avoid dispersing the love that US audiences have always shown us.
We should follow the example of the French who have always been so good at presenting themselves”¦

How will you launch yourselves on the market?

We aspire to becoming a point of reference for independent movie makers.
But we need more movies on our list in order to do this.
Sooner or later there will be a turning point “¦
Cinema, along with sport, was this company’s core business.
Now it is very much in a minority with respect to TV rights.
It is still, however, our calling card.
Ours and that of our country.
It is one of “made in Italy’s” strong points.

What is your assessment of the current situation, from a creative viewpoint?

Today we probably do not have the genius of any Viscontis or Fellinis. But we do have a very exciting new movie industry which should be protected and supported.
That is why we have decided, from this year, to take part in the “Diamanti al Cinema” Kineo Award, with a Rai Trade Award to be presented to the Italian movie that has aroused the most interest on international markets.
FilmItalia is already using the information at its disposal to draw up a league table.
The award ceremony will be held in Venice on 31st August.
At the same time, we will also be presenting the best TV movie of the season award to “Il Commissario De Luca”, an anthology of four TV movies based on the novels by Lucarelli, directed by Antonio Frazzi.

Rai Trade in Venice with Avati

The relaunch of Rai Trade’s theatrical catalogue starts in Venice: “Il papà  di Giovanna” by Pupi Avati, in competition at the Festival, has been purchased by the Rai subsidiary which will be handling the foreign sales. With “Il padre della sposa” “” produced by Antonio Avati for Duea Film, distributed in Italy by Medusa, starring Silvio Orlando, Francesca Neri, Ezio Greggio and Alba Rohrwacher- Pupi Avati returns to the delicate father-daughter relationship, developing his reflections on the father figure already explored in his previous film, “La cena per farli conoscere”.