On the Italian Trail of Indian Films Through the Lens of Media Industry Studies

In Italy, hosting film and TV shoots has become a strategic business for the national economic development and for increasing tourism. To attract film and television crews, local and national public institutions introduced funds, tax incentives and free services which nowadays are key tools for an original competition among cities, regions, and countries. Within this scenario, Indian companies are an appealing target since India is the main film producer in the world, and the economic conditions of its inhabitants (which are potential spectators and tourists) are improving. This chapter aims to investigate: a) the push factors that induce Indian producers to leave India; b) the initiatives undertaken by Italian public and private stakeholders for attracting Indian producers; c) pro and cons for all the stakeholders involved in the India-Italy collaboration. The analysis is supported by an interview with a production service company that works with Indian producers shooting in Italy. The chapter is the follow-up of a research undertaken by the two authors nine years ago on the same topic. It extends the study period (now from 2010 to early 2022) and thus offers a more reliable panorama about the India-Italy collaboration.