On Wednesday, July 22, at 5:00 p.m., a roundtable discussion will be held focusing on the history of the FVG Cinema Law and the productions that have been created in the region over the past twenty years. The discussion will be moderated by Piero Colussi, who chaired the regional commission tasked with drafting the legislation, and Steven Stergar, editor of the book compiling the testimonies of those who contributed to its drafting. The meeting will be accompanied by the presentation of the publication, a comprehensive study that, through interviews and firsthand accounts, captures the diversity of voices—including administrators, technicians, institutional representatives, and cultural professionals—who played a role in the law’s creation.
“A tribute, and a true assessment,” is how Giuseppe Longo, Artistic Director of the Amidei Award, describes it. He organized this two-part event specifically to mark the 45th edition: “It seemed appropriate to pay tribute to an experience for which we are all grateful, by honoring the work of those—industry professionals, politicians, and regional officials—who have helped make Friuli Venezia Giulia a leading center for cinema and the audiovisual sector.”
A Law Born of Dialogue
The law was passed in early October 2006, following a participatory process that began in 2004 with the establishment of a thirteen-member commission representing festivals, theaters, production companies, film commissions, and organizations dedicated to preserving the cinematic heritage. “We didn’t want a law that merely distributed grants,” recalls Piero Colussi, “but a tool capable of organizing and promoting what already existed in the region,” by building a system in which media libraries, festivals, Film Commissions, and the Audiovisual Fund could grow together, each fulfilling distinct yet coordinated roles.
Among the film industry figures who contributed to the drafting of this law was Annamaria Percavassi, founder of Alpe Adria Cinema and the Trieste Film Festival.
