Favourite film
It was definitely My Bloody Valentine 3D (main picture), it was the opening of the 3D season [here] and we released it on 125 3D cinemas and made more than $8.6m (€ 6m). It was a surprise nobody expected. Everyone said, “don’t buy 3D films” but that film has helped the growth of 3D screens in Italy. One small picture started it all.
As far as international, it’s the beginning of the era of 3Ds – Ice Age: Dawn OF The Dinosaurs (pictured, right) was phenomenal at making money. It’s fantastic and a very well done picture. It was a pleasure to screen it and I saw it twice, I think 3D is going to be a big, big, big deal. Everyone is investing money. People really want to go see 3D films.
In terms of Italian films, Baaria (pictured, right) was my favourite because we were so much in love with it and carried it for a couple of years and it has been nominated for a Golden Globe.
Biggest news story
Everybody is talking about Avatar (pictured, bottom right), how it was done, and the cost and everyone is expecting something like another Titanic and about bringing money to the market. The other issue is that of the mini-major crisis – Miramax and Paramount Vantage – some are changing hands and others are slowing down, we are all waiting to see what will happen to [that part of] the industry.
Changes in store for 2010
3D will very much hit us in Italy – there is no way we cannot develop it – they are going to spend lots of money on it and it merits that. As for the financial crisis – [it has] already affected movie making – you don’t see $ 40m-50m pictures. Some studios can still afford [to make ] $100m films but usually there are many in the $20m range.
[Looking ahead] there will be a balance. The big actors and names will realise they won’t be able to work anymore with those numbers. Lets see what this new Universal is going to do, and what Comcast will bring to the market. MGM is up for sale and Sony is changing. Everyone is sitting tight and waiting to see what is coming from these changes.
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