Renowned filmmakers Martin Scorsese, Jane Campion, and Wes Anderson are among those supporting an appeal to prevent a significant number of Rome’s movie theatres from being turned into shopping centers and supermarkets under proposed regional legislation.
Last month, asset management firms Colliers Global Investors and Wrm Capital acquired nine cinemas in Rome through a real estate bankruptcy auction for approximately EUR 50 million ($52 million), raising concerns about the fate of the city’s theatres, according to Variety.
Some of these venues, such as the centrally located Cinema Adriano multiplex, remain operational, while others have been closed for years. The investment fund behind the purchase is reportedly linked to Italian-British financier Raffaele Mincione.
Meanwhile, a new regional law, currently up for approval this week, seeks to remove existing regulations that restrict Rome’s cinemas from being converted into non-cultural spaces, Variety reported.
Over the weekend, Scorsese responded to an urgent appeal from the Cinema America group, which organizes Rome’s largest open-air film festival and manages the popular Cinema Troisi arthouse venue. The group issued an open letter, inspired by architect Renzo Piano, urging Italy’s top leaders to take action.
“As Renzo Piano eloquently reflects on the current situation in Rome, it is clear that the attempt to repurpose spaces intended for the possible cultural renaissance of the Eternal City into hotels, shopping centres and supermarkets is utterly unacceptable,” Scorsese wrote. “Such a transformation would represent an irrevocable loss: a profound sacrilege not only to the city’s rich history but also to the cultural legacy for the future generations,” as quoted by Variety.
Scorsese further stated, “We call upon our colleagues across the globe, festival directors and all the cultural operators to sign this letter to save the last chance for redemption of one of the most important cultural and artistic cities worldwide. This letter is also personally addressed to President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to prevent any conversion of the cultural spaces in Rome. It’s our duty to transform these abandoned ‘cathedrals in the desert’ into true temples of culture, places capable of nourishing the souls of both present and future generations.”
Valerio Carocci, president of the Cinema America collective, warned that the proposed legislation could encourage theatre owners to shut down active cinemas to increase their property value. “It’s, therefore, a death sentence for Rome’s future generations,” Carocci said.
The international film community has rallied behind the appeal, with notable supporters including Spike Lee, David Cronenberg, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Ari Aster, Julie Taymor, Mubi founder Efe Cakarel, Yorgos Lanthimos, J.J. Abrams, Josh Safdie, Todd Haynes, Judd Apatow, Damien Chazelle, Mark Cousins, Alfonso Cuarón, Willem Dafoe, Robert Eggers, Joanna Hogg, Dawn Hudson, Isabella Rossellini, Mark Ruffalo, Paul Schrader, Léa Seydoux, John Turturro, Thomas Vinterberg, Jeremy Thomas, Paweł Pawlikowski, and Debra Winger, according to Variety.
