Written by Joe Jackson on May 20, 2022. Posted in Awards and Festivals

British Film Commission and the Italian Film Commissions sign Memorandum of Understanding at Cannes’s 75th Anniversary

The British Film Commission (BFC) and the Italian Film Commissions (IFC) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The UK and Italy are both recognised as leading production centres for film and high-end TV production, and this agreement is designed to enhance collaboration between their respective screen industries. The MoU was signed today at The Italian Pavilion, Le Majestic Hotel 10, Cannes.

“In this moment of high vitality worldwide in production, our IFC Association is keen in promoting partnerships to foster international linking,” says IFC President Cristina Priarone. “Building bridges with the UK is a key point on this issue, and the wise work of British Film Commission in the MoU framework paves the way for Italian producers and professionals to strengthen their relationships with the British AV industry, with the aim to open up new chances and exchanges.”

“Strong collaborative European relationships such as the one between the UK and Italy are key to our shared success,” stresses the BFC’s CEO Adrian Wootton OBE. “We look forward to working with our friends in Italy to foster even stronger ties between our two countries, exploring new ways of working together, creatively and commercially, in the future.”

Several of the international production community’s biggest film and high-end TV titles have been shot across both jurisdictions. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning – Part One (Paramount Pictures/Skydance Productions/Bad Robot) was filmed across the UK, Italy as well as Norway.

The Little Mermaid (Walt Disney Pictures) was filmed in the UK and Sardinia, while Indiana Jones 5 (Lucasfilm/Amblin/Paramount Pictures) was filmed in several British regions alongside Southern Italy. Other notable examples include: No Time To Die (Universal Pictures), Pinocchio (Disney+), The Beautiful Game (Netflix/Blueprint) and Around the World in 80 Days (PBS/Federation Entertainment/Slim Film + Television).

The BFC and IFC are scheduled to link up at the UK Pavilion in Cannes for Nowhere Special: Collaboration and Co-Production Cross-Border Featuring Pasolini, Italy and the UK. This discussion will explore filming in Northern Ireland for Uberto Pasolini's Nowhere Special, emphasising the advantages of cross-border co-production and film commission collaboration for local industries, talent and tourism alike. The fireside chat will take place on Tuesday 24 May at 11am.

Featured image: Igor Oliyarnik