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ROME — Italian film promotion body Instituto Luce-Cinecitta said Wednesday it has teamed up with U.S.-based digital distribution network Emerging Pictures to create a new “Cinema Made in Italy” initiative aimed at opening digital distribution doors in the U.S. for high-profile Italian titles.
The first title to be promoted under the new initiative will be Paolo Sorrentino‘s The Great Beauty (La Grande Bellezza), already distributed in the U.S. by Janus Films. The film is the first Italian title nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar in nearly a decade.
“Cinema Made in Italy” helped The Great Beauty screen on more than 100 screens in two dozen new cities, Instituto Luce-Cinecitta said.
STORY: Rome Film Fest Sets October Return
Next on the agenda are four more titles: Me and You (Io e te) from Oscar-winning director Bernardo Bertolucci, Honey, the feature film directorial debut by Rainman actress Valeria Golino, Marco Bellocchio‘s euthanasia drama Dormant Beauty (Bella Adormentata), and Intrepido: A Lonely Hero (L’intrepido) from former Venice Golden Lion winner Gianni Amelio.
There has been frequent speculation from industry figures quoted in the Italian media that the international success of The Great Beauty — in addition to its Oscar nomination, the film won a Golden Globe and a European Film Award — could help open the door for other Italian films to find audiences beyond the country’s borders.
Twitter: @EricJLyman
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