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Filas is currently implementing, on behalf of the Lazio Region, a new strategy to relaunch the Lazio audiovisual industry.
According to Filas General Manager Stefano Turi, ''the mission of Filas is to create a system amongst the worlds of institution, business, and finance, in order to support creative sectors and technological evolution in Lazio. Supporting film and audiovisuals, as well as fostering their development as indicated by national and international plans, is an important and natural outgrowth of what we are already doing for other local productive sectors that bring together hi-tech, professionalism, and inventiveness.”
At the presentation of this project at the 2006 Cannes Festival, the Lazio Region Cultural Councillor Giulia Rodano explained: ''The Region is at Cannes because Lazio is returning to what it once was: a large, important and unique land of cinema. This is why some months ago, the Regional council decided upon the measures that we have presented today. The objective is to provide incentives for film production in our provinces, while developing support and facilities targeted to both Italian and foreign companies. However, the ultimate purpose is to set off a virtuous circle that will relaunch our territory and restore the grandeur of our landscape and heritage. The potential is there. Now, we have the regulatory tools. I am certain that Lazio will soon be making itself heard throughout the European cinema and audiovisual market.”
Italian Cinema monthly highlights this and other Filas initiatives to support the Audiovisual and Cinematographic Sectors.
Filas’s initiatives in the audiovisual industry are aimed at:
- developing the Lazio audiovisual industry and its reference market
- promoting Filas audiovisual instruments in Italy, in Europe, and internationally
- developing and supporting film and audiovisual co-production at the local and international levels
- promoting the regional territory through the audiovisual industry in Italy, in Europe, and internationally
As part of a global strategy for relaunching what has always been a major sector in the Lazio economy, the Regional Council has established:
- a Fund for early VAT recovery to foreign producers
- Venture Capital operations to support small and medium-sized enterprises in Lazio’s audiovisual industry
Filas manages VAT and Venture Capital funds providing assistance and support on VAT issues to foreign producers operating in Lazio as well as managing Venture Capital operations to support film and audiovisual co-productions by the small and medium-sized enterprises in Lazio.
In order to promote film and audiovisual co-production, Filas implements international-level initiatives aimed at generating development opportunities. The CRC Capital Regions for Cinema, the European Capital Regions of Network, including Ile de France, Berlin-Brandenburg, Comunidad de Madrid and Lazio, was presented to the European Parliament in Strasbourg in 2007. This network has implemented co-production meetings – now in their seventh edition – with an outlook to European development.
Filas has recently become a member of di CINE-REGIO, the European Network associating more than 30 of the most important European regional funds dedicated to the audiovisual sector. In the framework of CINE-REGIO, Filas leads the INNO-MEDIA workgroup that targets issues dealing with innovation in the audiovisual sector.
Aiming to develop co-productions beyond Europe, Filas signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Singapore’s MDA Media Development Authority in December 2006. In March 2007, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with FICCI, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, as part of FICCI-Frames in Mumbai. In 2008, Filas signed two MoUs: with MDeC, the Multimedia Development Corporation of Malaysia, and with CII, the Confederation of Indian Industry.
These agreements have lead to the first edition of the Filas–MDA co-production meetings at the 2007 Cannes Festival and the first edition of the Filas–FICCI co-production meetings which will be held at the next Film Festival in October 2007.
Filas promotional activities in favour of Lazio’s audiovisual industry and the region in general are carried out at major international film festivals such as:
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