Italian producer Luciano Sovena, who was instrumental to bringing early works by several of Italy’s now-prominent auteurs such as Alice Rohrwacher, Luciano Frammartino, and Saverio Costanzo, to the big screen, has died. He was 73.
News of Sovena’s sudden death was announced on Sunday by the Rome and Lazio Film Commission Foundation, of which he was president. The cause of death was not disclosed.
The foundation paid tribute to Sovena as “A great and generous professional; a friend of Italian cinema,” in a statement. It went on to note that he was “Ironic, ‘simpatico’ and open to everyone.”
Prior to heading Rome’s film commission – which runs Italy’s top regional film fund – Sovena was for a long stretch managing director of Italy’s state film entity Istituto Luce.
In both of these roles, “He had become a reference point for the world that he loved: the world of...
News of Sovena’s sudden death was announced on Sunday by the Rome and Lazio Film Commission Foundation, of which he was president. The cause of death was not disclosed.
The foundation paid tribute to Sovena as “A great and generous professional; a friend of Italian cinema,” in a statement. It went on to note that he was “Ironic, ‘simpatico’ and open to everyone.”
Prior to heading Rome’s film commission – which runs Italy’s top regional film fund – Sovena was for a long stretch managing director of Italy’s state film entity Istituto Luce.
In both of these roles, “He had become a reference point for the world that he loved: the world of...
- 5/14/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Fund earmarks €10m in grants.
Roma Lazio Film Commission head Luciano Sovena and governor of Lazio region Nicola Zingaretti, have announced the first results of the 2016 Lazio Cinema International Call.
Grants of $11.2m (€10m) divided in two calls will be presented to Italian productions equipped with an international coproduction partner.
“The first of the two calls announced last year, now closed, has seen 18 co-productions admitted for evaluation,” Zingaretti said. “That is already a dramatic improvement from the previous year which counted 16 co-productions in total.”
Promotion of the territory is critical to the region. Sovena said any mention of the location earns a bonus grant. “If the movie explicitly tells the audience where the story is set, either with a line of dialogue or a line of text, they can get 5% more in financing.”
TV series such as I Medici and films like upcoming biopic Nico, 1988 were among the winners of the 2015 edition.
Encouraged by the...
Roma Lazio Film Commission head Luciano Sovena and governor of Lazio region Nicola Zingaretti, have announced the first results of the 2016 Lazio Cinema International Call.
Grants of $11.2m (€10m) divided in two calls will be presented to Italian productions equipped with an international coproduction partner.
“The first of the two calls announced last year, now closed, has seen 18 co-productions admitted for evaluation,” Zingaretti said. “That is already a dramatic improvement from the previous year which counted 16 co-productions in total.”
Promotion of the territory is critical to the region. Sovena said any mention of the location earns a bonus grant. “If the movie explicitly tells the audience where the story is set, either with a line of dialogue or a line of text, they can get 5% more in financing.”
TV series such as I Medici and films like upcoming biopic Nico, 1988 were among the winners of the 2015 edition.
Encouraged by the...
- 5/22/2017
- ScreenDaily
Washington, July 25: James Bond's 24th movie post 'Skyfall' might be filmed partly in Rome with a spectacular car chase, according to reports.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Lazio film commissioner Luciano Sovena said that he met the producers of the Bond series, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson, and they discussed the project.
Sovena said that one of the key scenes will be a car chase in Via Quattro Fontane and he was already excited.
Sovena added that he hope that the City streamlines the procedures for the granting of permits, it would be a shame to miss this great opportunity because of the bureaucracy..
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Lazio film commissioner Luciano Sovena said that he met the producers of the Bond series, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson, and they discussed the project.
Sovena said that one of the key scenes will be a car chase in Via Quattro Fontane and he was already excited.
Sovena added that he hope that the City streamlines the procedures for the granting of permits, it would be a shame to miss this great opportunity because of the bureaucracy..
- 7/25/2014
- by Smith Cox
- RealBollywood.com
Daniel Craig's James Bond will be racing through the streets of Italy in the next
News
The bulk of the 23rd James Bond film, Skyfall, ended up filming in the UK, in part down to a slightly more frugal approach. It worked a treat though, with director Sam Mendes and his team delivering the most popular James Bond movie to date at the box office.
For the 24th James Bond adventure, which Mendes is set to start filming later this year, it's now been revealed that Daniel Craig's 007 will be off to Italy. As MI6-hq reports, Lazio Film Commission president Luciano Sovena has dropped a few details.
"I met the producers of the Bond series, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson", Sovena said, "and we discussed the project. One of the key scenes, among the most spectacular in the film, will be a car chase in Via Quattro Fontane.
News
The bulk of the 23rd James Bond film, Skyfall, ended up filming in the UK, in part down to a slightly more frugal approach. It worked a treat though, with director Sam Mendes and his team delivering the most popular James Bond movie to date at the box office.
For the 24th James Bond adventure, which Mendes is set to start filming later this year, it's now been revealed that Daniel Craig's 007 will be off to Italy. As MI6-hq reports, Lazio Film Commission president Luciano Sovena has dropped a few details.
"I met the producers of the Bond series, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson", Sovena said, "and we discussed the project. One of the key scenes, among the most spectacular in the film, will be a car chase in Via Quattro Fontane.
- 7/24/2014
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
Lazio Film Commission President Luciano Sovena has revealed that a key sequence from the next film in the James Bond franchise is set to be shot in Rome. MI6-hq has transcribed the key quote from various Italian press sources:
"I met the producers of the Bond series, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, and we discussed the project. One of the key scenes, among the most spectacular in the film, will be a car chase in Via Quattro Fontane.
I'm already excited. I hope that the City streamlines the procedures for the granting of permits, it would be a shame to miss this great opportunity because of the bureaucracy."
Production on the new Bond film is slated to begin in December this year following a brief delay due to script re-writes.
Daniel Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris and Ben Whishaw are returning for the film which will once again...
"I met the producers of the Bond series, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, and we discussed the project. One of the key scenes, among the most spectacular in the film, will be a car chase in Via Quattro Fontane.
I'm already excited. I hope that the City streamlines the procedures for the granting of permits, it would be a shame to miss this great opportunity because of the bureaucracy."
Production on the new Bond film is slated to begin in December this year following a brief delay due to script re-writes.
Daniel Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris and Ben Whishaw are returning for the film which will once again...
- 7/23/2014
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
In case you had any doubts, one tried and true James Bond movie tradition isn't going anywhere any time soon. His films will continue to take place in very international locales, and Bond 24 will be no different. MI6 is now reporting that it's sources are claiming that the film is currently scouting locations in Morocco, Austria, and Rome. Italy is no stranger to housing Bond productions, as it was a major part of the series reboot Casino Royale in 2006, then again for the pre-title sequence of Quantum of Solace.
Italy's Lazio Film Commission makes clear that this is no coincidence. They want Bond, as part of their strategy to bring in all kinds of large scale, international productions to their beautiful country. "I met the producers of the Bond series, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson," said Sovena, "and we discussed the project. One of the key scenes, among...
Italy's Lazio Film Commission makes clear that this is no coincidence. They want Bond, as part of their strategy to bring in all kinds of large scale, international productions to their beautiful country. "I met the producers of the Bond series, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson," said Sovena, "and we discussed the project. One of the key scenes, among...
- 7/23/2014
- by Mario-Francisco Robles
- LRMonline.com
Although it had fairly dodgy beginnings -Mussolini ordered the film studio built – Cinecittà studios in the heart of Rome, well, outskirts, has become an iconic film studio which provided plenty of Hollywood films with a place to go and make their pictures. Its 1950s and ’60s heyday may be long gone but the romance and history lingers.
Federico Fellini went so far as to call the place “my ideal world, the cosmic space before the big bang”. The 100 acre studio is under threat from lack of big budget productions and state cuts to its archives. A slump has occurred with producers lured away to eastern Europe, where its cheaper to mount productions and the architecture of Budapest provides a cut-rate stand in for the Eternal City, when needed.
Things are so bad for the future of film at Cinecittà they’ve taken drastic measures by opening a theme park complete...
Federico Fellini went so far as to call the place “my ideal world, the cosmic space before the big bang”. The 100 acre studio is under threat from lack of big budget productions and state cuts to its archives. A slump has occurred with producers lured away to eastern Europe, where its cheaper to mount productions and the architecture of Budapest provides a cut-rate stand in for the Eternal City, when needed.
Things are so bad for the future of film at Cinecittà they’ve taken drastic measures by opening a theme park complete...
- 3/13/2011
- by Martyn Conterio
- FilmShaft.com
Film lot loved by Federico Fellini – which gave the world La Dolce Vita, Roman Holiday and Ben-Hur – fights for its future
Summing up its effect on his creative juices, the Italian film director Federico Fellini described Rome's Cinecitta studios as "my ideal world, the cosmic space before the big bang".
But the legendary 40-hectare (100-acre) lot built by Mussolini, which became a home from home for Hollywood stars in the 1950s and 60s, is now fighting for its future.
With productions heading east to cheaper locations such as Hungary, the studio where the classics Ben-Hur and Roman Holiday – and more recently Gangs of New York – were shot has seen its earnings shrink.
It is now pinning its hopes for income on an amusement park, hotel and spa being built on the site where Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor smooched while shooting Cleopatra in 1963.
Times have also changed in the centre of Rome.
Summing up its effect on his creative juices, the Italian film director Federico Fellini described Rome's Cinecitta studios as "my ideal world, the cosmic space before the big bang".
But the legendary 40-hectare (100-acre) lot built by Mussolini, which became a home from home for Hollywood stars in the 1950s and 60s, is now fighting for its future.
With productions heading east to cheaper locations such as Hungary, the studio where the classics Ben-Hur and Roman Holiday – and more recently Gangs of New York – were shot has seen its earnings shrink.
It is now pinning its hopes for income on an amusement park, hotel and spa being built on the site where Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor smooched while shooting Cleopatra in 1963.
Times have also changed in the centre of Rome.
- 3/12/2011
- by Tom Kington
- The Guardian - Film News
VENICE, Italy -- Italy's Culture Minister Francesco Rutelli told leading figures from the Italian film industry Friday that the government would do more to promote the local industry in Italy, and he floated the idea of creating a special government agency to back the industry. It was the first time Rutelli met with the leading officials from the industry as a group since taking office May 16. Among those at the Venice festival meeting were Alessandro Battisti, the president of Cinecitta Studios' parent company Cinecitta Holding; Irene Bignardi, the head of film promotion body FilmItalia; Luciano Sovena, the director of Instituto Luce, Cinecitta's archive and documentary body; and Paolo Ferrari, the president of Warner Bros. Italia and the newly elected president of the Italian Association of Cinematographic Audiovisual and Multimedia Industries. Rutelli's plans for promoting Italian film were painted in broad strokes, but the minister did say the steps would be taken quickly and would involve financial incentives for both the production and promotion of films. He said the moves would benefit both independent producers and others associated with state-controlled Cinecitta, but would stop short of exercising control over projects.
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