First to the movies and then to streaming: Franceschini signs new decree on movies. ANEC: Unacceptable.

For films that receive contributions from the state, therequirement of theatrical release before streaming release is back. Minister of Culture Dario Franceschini in fact signed the new “windows decree” yesterday: under the new provisions, films will be able to land on streaming platforms and on television after thirty days from the first cinema screening.

“In this phase of restarting activities,” said the minister, “it is essential to support cinemas and at the same time rebalance the rules to prevent Italian cinema from being penalized compared to international cinema.”

Until December 31, 2021, films can be distributed on the platform after thirty days from theatrical release. For an orderly rescheduling of activities, the decree also provides for the validity of agreements that operators signed with platforms before May 2, 2021, that is, during the period when, due to the closure of cinemas, the theatrical release requirement was temporarily suspended as a precondition for platform distribution.

The new decree was immediately challenged by ANEC Associazione Nazionale Esercenti Cinema, which calls it unacceptable. “The exhibitors are reopening theaters despite the difficulties and the results are coming in, the public is responding just as it did at the end of August and September with the attraction films that were made available,” ANEC declares. “Italian cinema is the great absentee for the restart, despite the constant proclamations of numerous productions, actors and directors with ready-made products, but the urgency, it seems, is to ensure its protection for the next 8 months, knowing that probably for the next 3-4 months the number of Italian titles landing in theaters will be only marginal.”

“A measure that intends to place a balance between Italian and international films, forgetting, however, that in theaters are planned, for the first few months and with occasional exceptions, only foreign-produced films,” ANEC continues, “while domestic titles, supported with substantial investments by the Ministry, are concentrated with theatrical release in a few months of the year. If rebalancing is to be talked about, then from June that the Minister proceed with measures to bring Italian films to theaters, as planned with international ones.”

“The year 2021 records operating losses that at the end of April exceed 400 million euros, no allocation yet defined by the cinema emergency fund, a promotional campaign to relaunch the sector that has no feedback, market conditions that do not take into account the difficulties of the exhibitors who reopen, recalling employees to work, boosting the economy that revolves around the movie theater. With these critical issues, which undermine the structured reopening of cinemas, is it considered that help to theaters passes from the urgency of defining the 30-day window to Italian cinema for the next eight months?” concludes ANEC President Mario Lorini. “At such a delicate moment, the priority of the measure cannot be ignored, and it imposes deep reflections on the consideration declared, in these months of closure, but which on the face of it struggles to find foundation. I believed a true confrontation was open, a constructive dialogue in the interest of all. I was probably wrong.”

First to the movies and then to streaming: Franceschini signs new decree on movies. ANEC: Unacceptable.

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