CineAb: Rediscovering and Promoting the Film and Audiovisual Heritage of the Abruzzo region - PRIN 2022

Cinema and audiovisual media contribute to the preservation of the historical memory of Italian regions, while also enhancing their

economic and social development. Over the last two decades, the Film Commission system has yielded excellent results,

foregrounding local institutions in the promotion of this specific cultural heritage and in the development of industrial strategies and

policies on a regional level. Recent studies, however, show how this process has been uneven at the national level, as some

territories have been less able to acquire the necessary know-how.

Abruzzo is an ideal case from this perspective, both as the subject of academic research aimed at rediscovering a regional film

history, and as a stage for legislative, economic and cultural action. While the particular position of Abruzzo - peripheral but close to

Rome – often made it a prime location for national and international film productions in the past, in the last few decades the region

has played only a marginal role in the Italian media industry. However, a recently renewed interest in the territory from film and

television producers and, above all, the imminent creation of the foundation Film Commission Abruzzo provide the perfect

opportunity to study the strategies needed to develop the audiovisual culture and industry of the region.

CineAb - promoted by the Osservatorio Interuniversitario sul Cinema e sugli Audiovisivi in Abruzzo, set up in 2022 by researchers at

the universities of Chieti-Pescara, L'Aquila and Teramo – aims to invigorate the audiovisual sector in this crucial moment by

documenting the policies implemented and measuring their results, providing support to the local authorities involved, fostering the

collaborations among local stakeholders and supporting the promotion of film culture in the territory.

The planned initiatives are organised along three main research-and-action strands: 1) the preservation of Abruzzo’s historical

memory through the study of films and audiovisual products that comprise its cultural heritage; 2) the analysis of the best practices

adopted by Film Commissions and other bodies that operate in territories with characteristics compatible with those of Abruzzo; 3)

the use of the research outcomes to inform education and training activities for local students.

Along with traditional academic outputs, the project will implement dissemination and public engagement activities in partnership

with local institutions, trade organisations, small companies, cultural associations and schools, so as to have a tangible social,

cultural and economic impact. Hence, initiatives will target academics (seminars, national and international conferences,

peer-reviewed publications), professionals (seminars, meetings with institutions), high-school and

university students (PCTOs, workshops, internships) and the general public (screenings, public meetings and other events).