Kristina Roberts
Rome’s famous Cinecittà film studios, once known as “Hollywood on the Tiber,” are working hard to become a global movie-making hub again. However, new threats from the US, including possible tariffs on foreign films, could make things difficult. The studio has big plans to grow, but these new rules might slow them down.
Cinecittà, Europe’s biggest film studio, recently approved a five-year plan to expand. With help from the European Union’s COVID recovery funds, they want to build new high-tech sound stages and increase their production capacity by 60% by 2026. The studio’s CEO, Manuela Cacciamani, is confident about the future. “We want to lead the game,” she said. “Cinecittà must be a factory that works at full capacity… with excellence as a minimum standard.”
The studio has a long and famous history. It was built in 1937 under Italy’s former leader Benito Mussolini and has been the filming location for over 3,000 movies. Big-name directors like Martin Scorsese, Federico Fellini, and Francis Ford Coppola have all worked there. Now, Cinecittà wants to bring back that golden era. The company hopes to nearly double its revenue by 2029, reaching €51.9 million ($58.8 million), and turn last year’s €11.6 million loss into a €4.3 million profit.
But there’s a problem. Former US President Donald Trump has proposed a 100% tariff on movies made outside the United States. He says this will save Hollywood from “a very fast death.” However, he hasn’t explained exactly how this tax would work. If it happens, it could disrupt the film industry, where big American movies often shoot in other countries to save money and use beautiful locations.
Recently, a US court brought back Trump’s tariffs after another court had blocked them. This back-and-forth has left many in the film business worried. Cacciamani is keeping a close eye on the situation. “The hope is that two historic powers of cinema worldwide, (Italy and the U.S.) which owe so much to each other, will continue to cooperate,” she said.
Despite the uncertainty, Italy has one big advantage—its tax breaks. The Italian government offers a 40% tax credit for film productions, which is one of the best deals in the world. This has already attracted big international projects like “Emilia Perez” and the thriller “Conclave.” Another major movie coming to Cinecittà is Mel Gibson’s “The Resurrection of The Christ,” a follow-up to his 2004 hit “The Passion of The Christ.”
Gibson is one of Trump’s “Special Ambassadors” in Hollywood, working alongside actors Jon Voight and Sylvester Stallone to support the US film industry. Ironically, Gibson’s new movie is being filmed in Italy, meaning it could be affected by the very tariffs he might support.
Cinecittà’s future looks bright, but the US tariff threat is a big challenge. The studio is determined to grow and bring back its glory days, but much depends on whether the US and Italy can find a way to keep working together in the film world. For now, the cameras are still rolling, and Cinecittà is ready for its next big scene.
