Pakistan: Italy introduced as ideal location for Tv Industry
Karachi - In yet another move to promote cross-border cultural ties, the Italian diplomatic mission in Pakistan held a successful event 'Destination Italy' in the country's biggest city Karachi. The Consulate of Italy in Karachi, together with the Italian Embassy in Islamabad and the Trade Commission, organized a Business Seminar with two distinguished guests from Italy Roberto Stabile, Head, International Affairs Department of Italian Association of Cinematography and Audiovisual Industry (ANICA) in Rome and Italian Trade Agency (ICE) Audiovisual Desk, and Giordano Bruno Guerri, Italian writer, journalist and the President of the Association "ilVittorialedegliItaliani".
Gianluca Rubagotti, the Consul General of Italy, said on the occasion that Italian investors are negotiating with leading Pakistani groups to set up food processing facility and joint ventures. "Italy wants to collaborate in other sector like agriculture and TV production", he noted.
The seminar was moderated Pakistan's renowned broadcaster Imran Aslam, president of the Geo TV, and was attended by more than 100 renowned owners and professionals from media, fashion, advertisement and travel industries. "The possibilities of a collaboration between Italy and Pakistan are numerous. In Karachi, we intend to do as the Romans do", Aslam said on the occasion. Both guests preferred speaking in Italian and the Consul of Italy, Gianluca Rubagotti, lively acted as interpreter for both sessions. Roberto Stabile in his presentation shared new Italian policy on audiovisuals, which will be officially presented by the Italian Minister of Culture at the Venice Film Festival in a few weeks. Italy is a country with the richest and most varied culture and landscape as well as top-notch technological solutions and equipment, he said. It offers a whole range of different locations in terms of natural environments or related to art and architecture, providing solutions and emotional backgrounds for all kinds of film or audiovisual products and for all sorts of promotional or business initiatives, he noted.
Pakistan's growing media industry is eyeing different locations around the world for drama serials and films. Turkey in particular has emerged as one of the favorite place for this purpose among Pakistani film and drama producers. Stabile informed the audience that a piece of legislation for which the Italians had been waiting for around 40 years was likely to be presented by the Italian minister for culture during the Venice Film Festival towards the month's end. Subsequently, the ministry would be required to make an annual investment of 400m Euros into film projects, he explained. The legislation would set a system of criteria through which films would be selected for funding, he added. He also mentioned that in order to encourage collaborations between Italian and foreign film productions and companies, the government would introduce up to a 30 per cent tax credit. This would go up to 40pc for individuals or companies willing to financially invest in co-productions with Italian companies. "This is in our view the gateway to open up co-productions with countries like Pakistan with whom we have never worked before," said Stabile.
On his term, Giordano Bruno Guerri introduced the participants of the seminar about "ilVittorialedegliItaliani", the house in which famous Italian poet Gabriele D'Annunzio lived during the period of his "golden exile," (as the writer himself called it). It is not only the residence of a wandering poet; the monumental complex, unique of its kind, was in fact declared a national monument and a Foundation was created with the purpose of administering and protecting the great heritage of works of art and of historic-cultural memories, he said.
It was noted that with more than 260.000 tourists a year, it has become the house of a writer with the highest number of visitors, more than Kafka's, Hemingway's and even Shakespeare's. Besides being a touristic destination, in the greater area of Lake Garda, it provides for a unique and magical environment for different kinds of events.
The Italian Trade Commissioner for Pakistan concluded the session by encouraging Pakistani professionals to make the most from this initiative and help each other in strengthening the bilateral relations and cooperation between two countries.
The following day series of meetings were organized at the Consulate of Italy with Pakistani friends for exploring the possibility of collaboration in the field of Cinema, Film, Fashion and Tourism Industry.