Destination Italy: Exploring collaborations in the field of cinema, film, fashion and tourism

The Italian policy on audiovisuals will be officially presented at the Venice Film Festival in a few weeks

The Consulate of Italy in Karachi, together with the Embassy in Islamabad and the Trade Commission, organised a Business Seminar with two distinguished guests from Italy: Mr Roberto Stabile, Head, International Affairs Department of Italian Association of Cinematography and Audiovisual Industry (ANICA) in Rome and Italian Trade Agency (ICE) Audiovisual Desk and Mr Giordano Bruno Guerri, Italian writer, journalist and the President of the Association “il Vittoriale degli Italiani”. The seminar was moderated by Mr Imran Aslam, and attended by more than 100 renowned owners and professionals from Media, Production, Fashion, Advertisement and Travel Industry. Both guests preferred speaking in Italian and the Consul of Italy, Gianluca Rubagotti, lively acted as interpreter for both sessions.



Mr Roberto Stabile in his presentation shared with Pakistani friends the new Italian policy on audiovisuals, which will be officially presented by the Italian Minister of Culture at the Venice Film Festival in a few weeks. Italy is a country with the richest and most varied culture and landscape as well as top-notch technological solutions and equipment. It offers a whole range of different locations in terms of natural environments or related to art and architecture, providing solutions and emotional backgrounds for all kinds of film or audiovisual products and for all sorts of promotional or business initiatives. An interesting part of the new policy is the annual budget of 400 million Euros which will be devoted to the various activities in the field of audiovisuals, including a tax credit of up to 30% for all the expenses incurred in Italy by a foreign producer. Mr Stabile also highlighted the possibilities of co-productions, based on a common project, which should benefit both Countries.

Mr Giordano Bruno Guerri introduced the participants of the seminar about “il Vittoriale degli Italiani”, the house in which famous Italian poet Gabriele D'Annunzio lived during the period of his "golden exile,” (as the writer himself called it). It is not only the residence of a wandering poet; the monumental complex, unique of its kind, was in fact declared a national monument and a Foundation was created with the purpose of administering and protecting the great heritage of works of art and of historic-cultural memories. The site allows the visitor to virtually explore the entire complex; it is possible to visit the luxurious house along with the parks and the vast gardens that surround it, the theatre and the D’Annunziano museum. With more than 260.000 tourists a year, it has become the house of a writer with the highest number of visitors, more than Kafka’s, Hemingway’s and even Shakespeare’s. Besides being a touristic destination, in the greater area of Lake Garda, it provides for a unique and magical environment for different kinds of events.



Mr Gianpaolo Bruno, Italian Trade Commissioner for Pakistan concluded the session by encouraging Pakistani professionals to make the most from this initiative and help each other in strengthening the bilateral relations and cooperation between two countries. The following day series of B2B meetings were organised at the Consulate of Italy with Pakistani friends for exploring the possibility of collaboration in the field of Cinema, Film, Fashion and Tourism Industry.

The two guests from Italy left Karachi positively impressed by the number of requests for possible collaborations between our two Countries.  The audiovisual market in Pakistan is growing year by year, and the serious interest by a mature player in the field like Italy can only be beneficial for its promising future.

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.