MIA Market 2025: Cinecittà launches €1 million co-production fund with Latin America

Cinecittà officially launched its new Co-Production Fund with LATAM at the MIA Market in Rome, marking a significant step to deepen cinematic ties between Italy and Latin America. The initiative, first announced at the Venice Film Festival, is designed to empower Italian producers and make them more attractive partners for their counterparts across Latin America. The fund will provide €1 million annually, initially divided into €800,000 for co-production support and €200,000 for project development.

Antonio Saccone, President of Cinecittà, emphasized the initiative’s symbolic significance, particularly in the current geopolitical climate. "It’s an important fund, but one which must be expanded in the coming years. Today we lay the first stone," Saccone stated. He stressed the cultural importance of the collaboration: "In a moment in which it is so difficult to build bridges of cultural contamination, maintaining our identities, wanting to support a bridge with Latin America, which is very closely linked to our history, for me as Cinecittà, for us as Cinecittà, is certainly a very important occasion. Cinecittà and its small bridge towards Latin America... proudly wants to build it."

Roberto Stabile, Head of the International Department, Cinecittà/DGCA, detailed the necessity for this new mechanism. "We strongly wanted to create a new tool that would make Italian producers stronger and partners more appealing to all producers of Latin America," Stabile explained. The fund is now formally ready for activation, with Stabile committing to putting it online soon: "Surely from November 1st, I formally take this commitment... we will put it online." Stabile also confirmed the fund aims to "reopen the relationships and to create co-productions" and will soon be followed by a band for the distribution of Italian films in Latin America.

The fund is structured to maximize impact and flexibility: the total annual commitment is €1 million (with potential for future implementation if demand is higher). Co-production Support is allocated €800,000, with a cap of €200,000 per title, which can be raised to €400,000 in particular cases. Development Support is allocated €200,000, with a cap of €50,000 per project.

The guidelines closely follow the successful structure of the Ibermedia program, covering all 21 Latin American countries that are part of Ibermedia, and also allows for collaboration with Spain and Portugal, provided a third LATAM country is included. Importantly, the fund can be accumulated with Ibermedia funds and all other forms of financing, with the sole exception being the Fund for Minority Co-Productions. Stabile also announced that the development tool will be used as a prize mechanism in upcoming creative meetings and markets to promote the fund and select local projects involving an Italian producer. Addressing the technical process, Stabile noted that for the first two to three years, the application process will be managed directly by Cinecittà. He also stressed a key requirement for applicants: "The project has a letter of approval, of recognition, by the General Direction of Cinema... of the partner countries," as a demonstration of the project’s veracity and for the protection of the producers.

GENDER GAP IN EUROPEAN DRAMA

The panel "Beyond 27%: Shaping European Drama" focused on the issue of representation in the European audiovisual industry. Despite progress, the gender gap remains evident: according to a study (2019–2023), women account for only 27% of the European drama sector. Six industry leaders shared their editorial and business strategies to build a more inclusive industry.

Laura Abril, EVP Scripted and Global Business Development, Buendia Estudios (Spain), highlighted two essential qualities in women leaders: perseverance and sorority. Her core analysis focused on the disparity in career progression, noting that "women tend to base their advancement on proven experience, while men often progress based on the potential they see in themselves." She concluded that the low figure of 27% is an opportunity, proposing it should "further fuel sorority and discussion... to drive the industry toward the 50/50 goal."

Claudia Bluemhuber, CEO and Partner, Silver Reel (Switzerland), reframed the concept of a female "superpower" as the ability to build and empower a strong team. She emphasized that “no one achieves success in the industry entirely on their own,” making mentorship and an inclusive culture paramount. Bluemhuber argued that “by focusing on team-building, mentorship, and shared vision, leaders—regardless of gender—can create an environment where the entire management structure naturally buys into the importance of gender balance.”

Jasmin Maeda, SVP International Fiction Coproduction & Acquisition, ZDF (Germany), provided a broadcaster's perspective, asserting that institutional measures are essential. After finding only 18% female directors in their prime-time slots in 2017, ZDF implemented a dedicated Female Directors Program. She confirmed that "In 2024, the female director representation in the specific slate they monitor has risen to 42%." This, she stated, proves that sustained, tangible organizational efforts are necessary to move the needle.

Chiara Cardoso, Managing Director, Blackbox Multimedia (UK), advocated for a practical and non-confrontational approach. She warned that simply demanding a woman for a role triggers resistance. Instead, her strategy is to show that the female candidate is the "best person for the job," effectively highlighting the unique creative perspective she brings. Cardoso stressed that EPs must actively help women bridge the experience gap so that “they can be credibly put forward as the superior candidate,” moving beyond "ticking boxes" toward selecting the best talent.

To conclude the panel, the executives offered pointed advice aimed directly at male leaders. Chiara Cardoso urged men to actively "Speak out, and listen," and Jasmin Maeda added a critical interpersonal tip: "don't interrupt women." The most forceful advice came from Caroline Hollick, who tackled the damaging bias against mothers. Her direct advice was sharp and practical: "hire mothers because they are the 'best workers you will ever have.'" Hollick argued that women who return from maternity leave and feel supported show unmatched dedication, stating simply, "Mom, get shit done." She emphasized that this loyalty represents an immense return on investment often overlooked by male management.

ENGAGING AUDIENCES TODAY

The "Engaging Audiences Today" panel provided a sober analysis of the animation landscape, with Guy Bisson from Ampère Analysis declaring that a "perfect storm is brewing" for the sector. He confirmed that "Peak TV is over," noting that global first-run scripted commissions have been "25% down for more than 18 months now," establishing a new, lower reality. While animation has fared slightly better than scripted drama, Bisson noted that series orders fell between the first halves of 2022 and 2024.

Bisson highlighted a dramatic strategic shift among streamers, driven by Netflix pulling back from original first-run animation production. This is part of a broader industry trend toward licensing over production, a model making a vigorous comeback, particularly for children's content. While Netflix’s production activity is down, Bisson noted that the total volume of animation on platform is increasing, heavily focused on anime: "More than sixty percent of the animated content on Netflix is now anime content," a strategy reflecting audience growth in Asia.

As streamers retreat, Ampère data shows that new animated content commissions are shifting back to traditional players. "Globally, increasingly, that is coming from broadcasters," Bisson stated, noting groups like the BBC and France Télévisions are now major commissioners. Accompanying this is a clear move away from risk-taking: content based on existing IP is now increasingly important. About one-third of all new global animation commissions are based on existing intellectual property—successful children’s books in Western Europe, and mangas in Asia (where 70% of animation is based on existing IP). Finally, Bisson addressed Artificial Intelligence, identifying animation as the sector being impacted "more quickly than other sectors," presenting both massive cost-saving potential and new challenges regarding copyright.

Offering a creative counterbalance, Andrew Leung, Filmmaker and Concept Designer (USA), argued that the primary reason for audience disengagement is simply that content is "terribly boring." He diagnosed a critical flaw in modern storytelling: it has become too formulaic with an overemphasis on plot. For engagement, he asserted, the audience must be able to "ride with the main character" and truly understand their journey.

Neal Ludevig, CCO and Producer at Snarky Elephant Productions (Spain/USA), echoed the emphasis on narrative connection, stating that audiences must "see yourself in the character." He argued that the platform is secondary to the quality of the narrative. Ludevig affirmed that everything "is connected to the story" and that personal representation is key to audience capture.

By Romina Rodriguez from Rome