Tax credit, il cinema italiano in attesa di ulteriori 80 milioni

The Italian film industry is awaiting additional financial support of at least 80 million euros, on top of the already allocated tax credit for domestic productions under the 2026 distribution decree. This figure, according to reports by Sole 24 Ore, was indicated by the Italian film and audiovisual industry to the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Economy as necessary to finance the tax credit for Italian productions in 2026.

The estimate was highlighted before the summer break and is now awaiting practical validation when it will have to be reconciled with the mosaic of incentives for the sector, including new resources for the Cinema Fund, the window that closed for international productions, and the recent directorial decrees of MIC published for cinemas.

This is a starting point that has been welcomed by the industry as a reinforcement of the budget decided before the summer break. With the final clearance of the Senate for the conversion of the Infrastructure and PNRR decree, an additional 200 million euros have arrived in the biennium. Article 15-bis has increased the resources of the Cinema and Audiovisual Fund in 2026 by 50 million euros, bringing it from 610 to 660 million, and another 150 million in 2027, from 500 to 650 million.

From 2028, the allocation will return to 500 million a year. This is the range within which the distribution of resources is now opening. The industry's indication, as stated, pointed to putting a firm point: to support domestic productions, at least another 80 million would be needed. This figure becomes even more important considering that producers are ramping up their need for availability and timing of incentives to plan investments and launch projects.

The request is not new. Meanwhile, another window that, depending on the requested availability, is awaited - by those responsible - will impact the resources that can be made available to Italian productions. Yesterday, at 23.59, the deadline for submitting preventive and final requests for the 2026 tax credit, destined for the attraction of international productions in Italy, expired on the Dgcol platform.

The session had been opened on June 3 and concerned Italian production companies, engaged on the national territory, with Italian labor force, in works commissioned by foreign productions. The applications were processed based on the start date of the works and, all other things being equal, in the order of submission. If the funds are not sufficient, eligible instances remaining uncov ered will automatically pass to subsequent sessions.

Also yesterday, the General Directorate of Cinema and Audiovisual published two decrees on the tax credit for cinemas, with the results of the examinations concerning operating costs and investments (referring to 2024). All this while the sector, on the eve of the 83rd Venice Festival, looks at the new Cinema law. The measure has not yet been approved in the Chamber of Deputies, following the amendments of the Budget Committee and the evaluations of the Mef.