From supporting films like Elisa to launching the Music Fund, IDM Film & Music Commission Südtirol strengthens South Tyrol’s role as an international film and music hub. Inclusion, sustainability, and training form the pillars of a strategy aimed at developing local crews and attracting high-level productions.
Your new leadership continues the work carried out in recent years by IDM Film & Music Commission Südtirol, where you have been working since 2016. Inclusion, promotion, and training are the three pillars on which your activities have been built. What goals have you achieved so far, and what new directions do you intend to pursue to further enhance South Tyrol’s appeal?
In recent years, a great deal of work has been done, and I intend to carry it forward together with our team of highly skilled professionals. The Film Commission has strengthened South Tyrol’s positioning as a film location, as the data clearly show: since 2019, we have recorded an average added value of 211%, and the share of projects with South Tyrolean directors and producers has risen from 22% to 44%. Looking ahead, it will be crucial to further strengthen the local production fabric, continue supporting emerging production companies, and promote local talents while at the same time creating more international networks and collaborations. This will both showcase our professionals and attract high-level productions. This year, South Tyrol hosted the Audiovisual Producers Summit in Merano, and in 2026 Bolzano will be the venue for an EAVE Producers Workshop, confirming the increasingly international role of our region. Another important priority for us is gender equality: we monitor the presence of women in key production roles and aim to encourage more female directors and producers to present their projects, so that they too can benefit from our support. At the same time, we want to increase our ability to generate economic value, further professionalize crews and service providers, and strengthen post-production by building solid skills and expertise in this field as well.
Over the years, how has the role of the Film Commission evolved both in relation to the film sector and to the broader development of the region?
I believe we have always been a partner for productions, not just an operational support. In recent years, however, we have chosen to strengthen our commitment to nurturing talent – for example, in 2021 we introduced a short film fund and launched the international MASO Short Film Training Programme dedicated to emerging filmmakers. At the same time, we placed a strong focus on sustainability by introducing Green Shooting practices with checklists, a CO₂ calculator, and specialized figures such as Green Consultants, while also implementing gender budgeting to promote greater equity in the sector.
Let’s move to Venice. IDM Film Commission Südtirol is competing in the 82nd Venice Film Festival with Elisa by Leonardo Di Costanzo, partly shot in South Tyrol. Which locations were involved and which local crews took part?
With Elisa by Leonardo Di Costanzo – after Vermiglio by Maura Delpero last year – another IDM-supported film has reached the Venice Competition. The productions Tempesta and AMKA Films involved around thirty local professionals, including Davide Grotta and Caterina Ferrari as assistant directors, Giuseppe Zampella as location manager, and Jakob Watschinger for special effects. Particularly striking was the choice of having the choir performed by real South Tyrolean singers, a detail that brought authenticity and intensity to the scenes. For us, it is highly significant that a producer like Carlo Cresto-Dina, who has known the Film Commission since its beginnings, has returned to South Tyrol with this project, confirming both the professionalism of our crews and the strength of the region as a film set.
The film, based on the book Io volevo ucciderla by Adolfo Ceretti – one of Italy’s leading criminologists – written in collaboration with Lorenzo Natali, is co-scripted by the director with Bruno Oliviero and Valia Santella. Set between South Tyrol and Canton Ti...
Elisa was supported by IDM’s Film Fund, a crucial tool for the realization of most audiovisual works shot in your region. What are the guidelines you follow in selecting projects?
We have three types of funding: development, production, and short films. In general, projects are assessed on different levels. On one side, there is the content, meaning the quality of the script or treatment; on the other, the financial aspect – namely the solidity and credibility of the financing plan, the positioning of our support in relation to other investors, and consistency with distribution and market prospects. As a regional fund, the added value for the territory is essential: we require a minimum of 150% for feature films (with an average of around 211% since 2019) and 60% for short films. Finally, aspects such as sustainable shooting practices, gender budgeting, and balanced participation of women and men in crews are becoming increasingly important criteria in our selection process.
At the Venice Film Festival, you are also presenting the brand-new Music Fund, supporting music projects. On one side, new markets to explore; on the other, an investigation into the different languages of art. What are the goals of this new Fund?
The new Music Fund, established by the Autonomous Province of Bolzano and now managed by IDM, has a budget of €275,000 to support musicians, strengthen professions in the sector, and develop South Tyrol as a hub for music production. The contributions cover both the creation of musical works and post-production activities for their commercialization. The aim is to enhance the cultural heritage of the region while at the same time opening up new markets, also through training initiatives that stimulate both the industry and local talents.
As mentioned earlier, in July you hosted in Merano the 4th Audio-Visual Producers Summit, organized by the Italian Producers Association (APA) with IDM’s support. This was an important event for the industry and the future of cinema. What were the most critical issues and key takeaways for the Italian and international audiovisual industry?
The Audio-Visual Producers Summit brought together many national and international professionals and decision-makers. It was an important opportunity to discuss the issues currently reshaping the industry: the impact of Artificial Intelligence, financing models and state incentives, the role of tax credits in Europe, and the growing centrality of the independent producer as a creative figure as well. For IDM, it was above all the chance to reaffirm our natural vocation for co-productions: we have always supported numerous co-production projects, which has enabled South Tyrolean companies to establish themselves as key players in an ever-wider network of collaborations, reinforcing South Tyrol’s position as a competitive film location at the European level.
To meet new challenges and remain competitive, in what ways should the film industry rethink its entire production system – from project development to theatrical distribution?
Cinema must be open to rethinking itself along the entire value chain, from the conception of a project to its relationship with audiences, depending on the surrounding context. This means working with more flexible and sustainable production models, investing in the training of new generations, and strengthening the international dimension through co-productions and partnerships. At the same time, it is crucial to renew distribution and communication strategies, because audiences today should not only be reached in theaters but also engaged and retained in new ways, with greater attention to the diversity of languages and formats. Only in this way can cinema remain competitive in a rapidly changing global market.
