Sicily Region, 3.7 million for a photographic exhibition in Cannes. Clash in Giunta- Corriere.it

A photographic exhibition in Cannes costing almost 4 million euros. A significant outlay to be paid by the already not very rich coffers of the Sicily Region and on which the president Renato Schifani also wants to see clearly. The Sicily, Women and Cinema staging, to be held concurrently with the Film Festival, was authorized by the Councilor for Tourism Francesco Scarpinato (Brothers of Italy) with a procedure, the direct assignment to a single subject, the Absolute Blue, a company based in Kehlen (Luxembourg), which itself has come under fire from critics.

But what is striking is the detail of the expected costs, as they have been disclosed since daily Sicily: over 311,000 euros for the photo shooting to be carried out in Sicily, 2,700,000 euros for the rental of Casa Sicilia and the holding of various events in Cannes, 227,000 euros for agency fees. And again 920,000 euros for hall rental and decoration, 306,000 for advertising panels, 511,000 for animations and press conferences, 790,000 for manpower, and finally 30,000 for expenses relating to guests from the Region who will go to the Côte d’Azur. I asked with a note for clarification on this story that I do not know. I’m waiting for them, explained President Schifani in the face of complaints from those who asked him to account for the expenses for the exhibition.

For his part, councilor Scarpinato underlines that the event was already among the initiatives planned by the previous government (still centre-right, led by Nello Musumeci) for 2023, as part of the 2014-2020 Development and Cohesion Plan approved by the Supervisory Committee, according to the top objectives then outlined and shared by the Regional Council. Therefore the Sicilian Region could not have allocated the sums used for the realization of this project and for its presentation at Casa Sicilia to other purposes.

Figures that should justify the initiative of the exhibition: Given the increasing interest shown by production companies in Sicily and the consequent repercussions it has had in terms of incoming and tourist flows, the Sicilian Region has decided to strengthen the cinema industry from 3.4 million euros of aid to film productions in 2021 to almost 11 million euros in 2022, with which as many as 37 film and audiovisual productions were co-financed which have enhanced the artistic, cultural, landscape and food and wine heritage of the island. In light of this, implementing the budget of the initiative promoted in Cannes (in 2022 it had cost 2.2 million, ed), together with the spaces for the construction of Casa Sicilia and advertising channels, means further increasing the visibility of the island among cinema companies and sector operators who, moreover, will have the obligation to make use of local technical and artistic workers and to spend at least 150% of the contribution received on site.