Patterns of Corporatism: The Italian Way to Film Policy (1945–1965)

Political theorists define neo-corporatism as an economic and policymaking model in which interests are represented through institutionalised collaboration between stakeholders in the same economic field, mediated by the state. This chapter applies this paradigm to Italian post-war cinema, drawing on trade journals and archival materials related to two significant industrial practices: the development of standard distribution contracts and the negotiation of co-production agreements with other film industries. These practices are examined as processes that force different stakeholders to interact, revealing the individuals and organisations active in the field (such as entrepreneurs, trade associations, state bureaucracy and foreign partners), their objectives and the power balances they are involved in. The chapter demonstrates that this system manages the conflict between stakeholders rather than obliterating it, helping Italian cinema to compensate for the absence of a fully-fledged capitalist structure and creating conditions of interoperability with other international cinemas.