Lazio offers film fund for international co-producers

The first allocation has already taken place and will support films including Nico, 1988 about the life of German singer Nico who died suddenly in 1988 at the age of 49.

“The first of the two calls announced last year, now closed, has seen 18 co-productions admitted for evaluation,” said Nicola Zingaretti, governor of the Lazio region, in comments reported by Screen.

“That is already a dramatic improvement from the previous year which counted 16 co-productions in total.”

Projects that specifically reference Lazio as a setting will be entitled to more money from the fund.

Lazio appears to be prioritising the region’s film tourism potential, particularly after losing scenes for the 2009 teen romance The Twilight Saga: New Moon to rival region Tuscany.

Authorities are also keen for Lazio production companies to gain more experience of working on international co-productions.

Italy has already boosted its national filming incentive and in the process has elevated its appeal to Hollywood. However, there are also regional rivalries, with Lazio’s film fund one of ten local support structures available in different parts of the country.

For more on filming in Italy see our production guide.

Main page image: FreeImages.com/Orsolya Ganzler. Article image: iStock.com/piola666