Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent The Filming ItalySardegna Festival that kicks off Italy’s summer moviegoing season will play a prominent role in the ongoing push to lure Italians back into movie theaters, just as the country’s box office is starting to gain traction.
A robust roster of talents from Hollywood and Italy and a solid lineup of premieres are booked for this event, which combines film and TV and unspools June 22-25 in the Forte Village resort near Cagliari, capital of Sardegna (Sardinia in English).
The fest is set to take place just as the Italian government starts to invest €20 million ($22 million) to promote moviegoing through a campaign called Cinema Revolution, under which cinema tickets will be half-price for a limited time. “While in past years I struggled to find films, this time around I have 50 titles,” notes Tiziana Rocca, the marketing guru and former Taormina Film Festival chief who launched the Sardinia event six years ago.
To help restore moviegoing mojo, Rocca has secured the Italian bow of racy Jennifer Lawrence comedy “No Hard Feelings” as the opener, while the local launch of latest DC offering “The Flash” will be the fest’s closer.
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