The Diplomatic Promotion of Italian Cinema in English-Speaking Countries

In our paper we analyse the distribution and promotion of Italian films in English-speaking countries, using as privileged point of observation that of the Istituti italiani di cultura all'estero (Italian Cultural Institutes). We interviewed a number of them and other agencies or individuals that regularly screen and organize screenings of Italian films. We conclude that chance, special occasions, and random choices seem to drive much of this kind of distribution of Italian films in the Anglophone countries, a conclusion that is not a value judgement but rather an observation. We also note how a certain realist tendency of Italian cinema seems to be still accepted and promoted, as are social and political themes, in part thanks to many documentaries that do not always get distributed in Italy but that are often screened abroad. Finally, we hope this preliminary research will soon be complemented by other research of this kind, possibly in collaboration with scholars from other disciplines ranging from cultural economics to the sociology of organizations.