VENICE. The audiovisual industry - TV series in particular - are a powerful vehicle for promoting local areas: this was the focus of the panel "Cinema and TV series in local areas" at the Italian Pavilion in Venice. The meeting highlighted how Italian locations—from medieval villages to Mediterranean coasts, cities of art to mountain landscapes—have become integral protagonists of film and television stories. In addition to their aesthetic value, the economic and cultural impact of these productions on the local area was noted: tourism, employment, and the promotion of historical-artistic heritage are just some of the direct benefits. Numerous examples were cited, from "Un Posto al Sole," the long-running series that has revitalized the RAI Studios in Naples with a "hybrid" work system that includes independent crews and a format that has allowed local talent to flourish. In Umbria, Lux Vide's Don Matteo has benefitted the economy and the region’s tourism. The iconic case of Inspector Montalbano, produced by Palomar and based on Camilleri's books, has even culturally reshaped the region.
Alessandro Usai, President of ANICA, noted how the relationship between cinema, audiovisual, and territory in Italy is a rare win-win situation. "Italy’s landscapes give the country’s audiovisual industry a competitive advantage at a global level", he explained, "because audiovisual production is an industry, unlike other less industrialized cultural sectors, with the unique ability to move from one region to another." Usai noted that other industrial sectors, such as food or ceramics, are tied to historic districts that are difficult to relocate, while audiovisual productions can move around easily. This has stimulated virtuous competition between the regions to attract sets and productions. "It doesn't take much," he continued, "an extra incentive, an additional service, and a production may decide to move. This is why it's essential to maintain incentives, such as tax credits, because they become competitive tools globally."
The panel stressed the connection between audiovisual productions and tourism: Paolo del Brocco, CEO of Rai Cinema, noted that global figures show a growing sector, with over $67 billion generated worldwide and approximately 300 million people employed in ten years. Data from JFC & Tourism Management suggest that film tourism generated approximately €600 million in Italy in 2023 with 1.4 million visitors, 20% of whom were non-domestic. He added that the increase in foreign visitors from 2021 to 2023, doubling from 85,000 to 150,000, demonstrates the growing impact of films and TV series on tourism flows. An example is Matera, where a significant increase in visitors was registered after several international productions, and Volterra, which recorded a 40% increase in attendance following the success of Twilight in 2022. The data demonstrate the importance of cinema in attracting tourists, both culturally and economically. "However, transforming a location into a true tourist destination requires coordination, strategy, and collaboration between institutions, production, and the local community."
Maria Pia Ammirati, director of Rai Fiction, noted that the public broadcaster’s continual evolution is vital to creating engagement with contemporary audiences: "We must embrace truth, the real, the contemporary, and attract other viewers—in my case, viewers who can be passionate about our stories. Fiction is a kind of laboratory: narrative, economic, and social. This ability to do everything is one of the great potentials of our sector." Ammirati highlighted Montalbano as a reference point in the relationship between fiction and territory, among other examples: "It was the greatest experiment in relationships with the territory. Montalbano’s Sicily is not only a story, it is a complete cultural experience. We had to recreate reality while constructing the imaginary Licata, a geographically fictional place, piecing together a route using a range of places in Sicily, with the directors and cinematographers. The operation had an enormous impact, culturally and touristically, and allowed the creation of museums and a more informed tourism."
She noted that the same logic applied to the new series Sandokan: "With the lead producer Michelini, we built a new geography for the series, filming in Calabria and Rieti. We reconstructed the flora and adapted the locations to create a mix of reality and fantasy, an experiment in narrative, technique, and imagination. This return to filming in Italy has restored visibility to the territory, generated employment for local professionals and strengthened the productive capacity of the country."
Chiara Sbarigia, President of the Association of Audiovisual Producers (APA), noted the association’s pride in having contributed to counteracting widespread relocation of serial productions abroad and the development of the Film Commissions, alongside the public radio and TV broadcaster and the unions,. "Today, each Region has its own Film Commission, which provides funding and also transfers essential know-how for professional development, employment, and the promotion of the region. In this context" she added, "we are confident that coordination between the various Film Commissions will succeed in standardizing and simplifying the various procedures. Simplification is essential for all producers, national and international.”
Jacopo Chessa, president of the Italian Film Commissions Association, highlighted the real leap forward made by the Film Commissions in recent years which lies not only in attracting productions thanks to the beauty of Italy's landscapes, but above all in the production of imagery: "We're here talking about very beautiful locations,and in Italy’s case there's not much to add. But the strong point is the work on storytelling; that’s what makes the difference and makes our landscapes so exportable through film and series."