Notes on the Italian cinema
The more you talk about the rebirth of Italian cinema and the more the crisis is bigger and more devastating. This year, despite the excellent collections of some films (Giù a sud, Femmine contro maschi, Che bella giornata, Qualunquemente, just to name a few ...) in Italy is made no more than 50/60 compared with about 100 films last year. And many of them (the dramatic ... to name a few) will be invisible, because no provider will risk the money to get them out in theaters. This say forecasts. The problem is not just financial. The various economic situations due to the great crisis that began in 2009 are felt. But this is not the real reason for the production fall of Italian cinema.
In addition to the cuts in the FUS (the bottom one of the show, which funds nearly all of Italian cinema), in addition to non-renewal (until June 2011) of tax benefits (tax credits) and the possibility for individuals to finance cultural works (tax shelters) on Italian cinema is to deal with a more structural crisis, i.e. that more properly artistic. The general public (that of large numbers) is recognized only in comedy films. Or better in a comedy film which is often only concentrate platitudes and clichés. As if one only need to be laughter, laugh, laugh. Forget, do not think. It does not matter to reflect important and recreation. All this surely must mean something?
The problem is not to be against the comic cinema in general. Indeed. There are many well-made play, that make us laugh and think at the same time. What I just can not understand how there can be a film made of cliches and vulgarity that attracts such a large audience. Fall of interest, denial of critical thinking, laziness and so on. The reasons are many and not easy to solve. We have already seen in an earlier reflection on the pernicious influence of the Italian public television. This sort of education to the bottom "that has transformed us from people in public, ready to obscenity, only able to stammer. This serious disease has affected whole generations of young and does not stop claiming victims.
Another structural motif of this cultural loss can be generalized due to the insiders of the cinema in general.
They can try to explain this crisis, the authors (writers, directors, actors), what the film (in all its forms) do so, I think, write, perform it. Their responsibility is great and does not allow room for compromise. They can say their producers? Were not sold to duopoly Mediaset-Rai. Those who do not eat every day for those two poisoned tables. Those who really care about cinema as a cultural fact, not only as a source of income altogether. They can do the directors and actors? Those who live must accept the rules of this dirty game. They can do the writers? Write stories that come out from the usual cliches and platitudes and maybe tackle prevailing uncomfortable or even untouchable issues?
Important is the choice of stories and the need to interpret the surrounding reality. Cinema is a mirror in which we reflect. The film is about us, tell us and allows us to grow, maybe even better. Who tells stories, look at her reflection and most times lose sight of the true value of a narrative: the shape, the way to tell. The point of view, the look, the right angle so that even a normal can be extraordinary. A choice of dramatic precise, clear policy, without mediation it censorship, or capable of spoofing is what allows the narrator to get to our heads and our hearts. And why, today, we have a great need.
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41 n. 362
